vJournal for Evernote

I almost always use my iPad for work. If I leave my Bluetooth ear piece home, I am ok without it. If I forget my iPad, I am sure to head back home for it. There are a few iPad apps like notability, note taker, Evernote and even the default note app that I use often. The other day, I found an app called vJournal for Evernote. It looked like an interesting app. I have wanted to keep a journal of my daily en devours.  I thought it would be an easy way to keep a journal of the things i do on a day to day basis. My love for it was a bit short lived. On day one, I thought it was fun. I put a few items in it posted them and I liked it. Then I tried to edit a post found out I could not. I tried to find a pen setting , there is none. I tried to add a picture, no such luck if you don't have the paid version. I did not remember seeing a paid version when I saw it. I did go back and check and saw that there was a paid version. It is not that expensive and after reading the description, it doesn't look like you get more than with the Free version. I did like that I can put a check box next to typed text, but that's is where it ends.

My notes were saved to an Evernote document online so I could access then through my Evernote apps and on the web. That is a good feature of Evernote and nothing new by way of the Journal app. I could now review a posted note and edit a note, all through Evernote. In the end ,I found no true use for vJournal for Evernote. It did not really add any feature to Evernote that it did not already have. Use it if you like, but I will be using the space on my Ipad for something else. In the mean time, I will continue my saving of notes and more, right through Evernote.

To see more information on vJounal for Evernote, Click here
To see more information on Evernote, Click here.

My Cellphone Service Let Me Down...Again

I have had T-Mobile for a number of years. My family have have used these phones on their service: Motorola V360, a Motorola CLIQ, LG G2X and an HTC G2. Each phone has had their issue towards the end of their life cycle.. With the V360, if you were on Bluetooth and the other person put on their speaker phone, you could not hear them. The CLIQ started rebooting on its own after a year. The LG G2X hangs at times and needs to have the battery removed to clear it. The HTC G2 ran down my battery so fast in 4G that an extended battery was necessary and I can not use 4G all the time. These issues have come, except for the V360, towards the end of the phones life cycle. The phones are used so often you have to expect some things to go wrong with them. But, the service should work no matter what. I have found that T-Mobile is not always the best at giving you a strong signal. I am sure that you can say that about Verizon, Sprint and AT&T at times but I don't subscribe to them so I cannot say for certain. I can say that during this past weekend storm and during the time we had an earthquake in South Eastern United States, the people around me with Verizon service were talking but I could not get a call out, or see available service. Just this past weekend my family and I were traveling towards Atlantic City and were stuck in traffic. Power-lines were down, trees were covering some of the roads, traffic was every where. So I turned to my trusty phone with GPS and maps.. NO SERVICE. .. OK, so I tried my GPS on the Cell Phone, but it would not work because it had no service. ... Hmmmm... I looked over and the car next to us and see people on their phones... Verizon customers... I see other people on their phone and complaining. .They were on T-Mobile and Sprint... I tried and tried and tried restarting, going back and forth from air plane mode and also trying to get on WIFI for a minute to use WIFI calling but nothing.. Luckily one of the teens in the car had a bedazzled Verizon phone.. She had a good signal. She was able to get online and get directions for us. She had 2 bars, where we had none. It was embarrassing. 2 hours later, when we finally got signal, it was only 1 bar.. no data.. 1 additional hour and we were in a place that gave us 4 bars and data.. Too late.. I don't want that again. Not for a second time during a time that I really, really needed it to work. When my contract is over, I need to switch. My family is too important to me. Some might think its over kill and I am over reaching but put yourself in my shoes.. If your in a bad place and need help, where do you turn to now a days.. Not to a pay phone. ( Just try and find one ) You turn to your cell phone. Remember, without a signal, your cell phone does you no good at all.

Thanks for the good times T-Mobile, but soon we will be parting ways. I won't be going to Sprint and no way am I going to AT&T. So I hope Verizon has some good phones coming up soon, cause I am gonna be a looking.. Could be an Galaxy III or an iPhone, but only time will tell.

Then and Now

Our house is finally up for sale. Its funny how once I thought that sentence would change my outlook on many things but it did not. Everything that lead up to it did though. We have gone over the whole house and finished up the little projects that were left partially finished before. Its not like we wanted to leave somethings unfinished but when you have 3 kids, you have to change your priorities a few times here and there. A little screw here, some touch up paint there, replace that little board and done. I have found over years that I am good at putting up flooring, installing cabinets, comming up with creative solutions and I really can paint. I look back at that changes done to the house and see memories, changes in my family and in myself, material things that I thought mattered at one time but do not matter so much now. That list goes on and on and on.

We learned a lot besides being able to do things in the house. We learned how to get along in tough times and we learned to communicate more. When your the only male in the house, it helps all the time to communicate. The kids have had their share of projects as well and thats a jungle of time as well. So far we have had several people come and see the house and we have gotten some positive feedback as well. I hope that keeps on comming as well as that one offer that means the house will be SOLD.

I keep this in mind every day and it helps me get through the good and the bad:
-- Everything is possible with God
-- Family should be a priority in life always, not just when it is easy or convenient
-- Never say you can not, keep trying until you have exhausted all possibilities, then ask for help.

I look forward to the future in our new house, wherever that may be, and all the new memories that come with it. Hopefully they are all good, but I understand that a few blah moments always seem to find their way in at times. My Wife, Mom and Dad and our kids have come through on several occasions and I am very thankful for all their help and understanding.

Time with your Family

Christmas is coming soon and so is more time spent with your family. I know, I know. Your hear that phrase and some guys and gals have to find an excuse. I have to..., I am needed for..., I made plans with... If you have ever listened to anyone's advice, this is one of those. Spent more time with your family. Not just at Christmas but all the time. If you don't, you will miss out. I enjoyed some extra time with my family lately. Some Christmas shopping and movie time with my honey, some basketball time with my oldest and middle child, and some cartoon time with my youngest. I have to admit, I don't do that as much as I should. Everyone has things they have to do and responsibilities. I am not saying to drop everything, but I m saying to make some time for the people most important to you. I went with my family to the Koziars Christmas village recently. It was a 2 hour drive and we got lost but we had fun. We saw displays I had never seen before. Christmas was captured in hand made displays and in the spirit of many who where there. We even got to share some hot chocolate, yummy cookies and warm oh so soft pretzels. I will remember most of all the smiles on my family's faces from the first photo till the last wave goodbye of the village. Those are the moments that are priceless and can never be repeated the same way again.

I wrote this post almost a month ago. I tried to follow my own advice and spent more time with the family and friends and this post had to wait. I don't feel bad that it was not posted before Christmas passed, but I do feel happy that in this New Year I remember all the good things of last year, and there is plenty of that.

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE

Walking around on Halloween

Halloween came and went so fast. Getting ready for that night meant alot to my girls. After much costume searching, we were ready. That night the kids were uniquely dressed. We walked around dressed as a Sassy pirate, the Queen of Hearts, and Harley Quinn - the Jokers crazy side kick. My honey did not dress up this year since her back is still bothering her, although she still looked cute. I finished my costume and walked around as the Rocketeer. Yes, the Rocketeer from the Disney movie of the same name. I spent two months on this costume and boy did I learn a lot.

It all started as an idea. I was talking to my honey and she gave me the idea to make it. She thinks I can make just about anything so I figured, why not go for it. I used my iPad and started to draw and draw. A few days later I had my sketch and a few more days later I had my build drawing. Before starting I got the OK from the creative department, my girls. They loved the idea and if it was up to them, I was supposed to make it fly. I loved their enthusiasm and it got me pumped..

I was able to make the rocket and head piece with PVC piping, paper mâché, gorilla glue, construction adhesive, Plexiglas, glowing fans, batteries, paint and also a helmet. I started out making the rockets. It took some time so that I could get that coned out look on them. I then shaped it out to be a backpack with some more piping and Plexiglas. With the shape in place I formed out the center and other spots to put in some glowing fans. Fans in place and the jet pack solid, I could now put in the wiring and shape capacitors on the outside. It was coming together nicely and it felt good. Throughout this whole time, I looked for a used helmet but that was easier said than done. I wound up getting a new one that I could modify, the costume would not be complete without a good helmet. Next was the painting and my honey suggested Krylon spray paint. That paint is great for crafts and plastic. Needless to say i finished on Halloween day and could not wait to go out with the kids and help them score some candy. We got so into the Halloween spirit that I forgot to put on my costume tan pants and went in jeans. I have to say, three full bags and a backpack of candy later, we were happy. I got such a kick out of stopping and showing my costume off and putting on that blue Rocketeer glow out of the center fan. I even got some candy for myself, it wasn't much but it felt good. Check out the pics and let me know your thoughts.

They backpack has 3 glowing fans and are activated by a control switch in the right palm.

The helmet is a full face helmet with the addition of a custom made fin.