iPad photo by Todd Jordan tojosan

You’ve unwrapped the iPad, synced your music, and checked your email. Now what?

A hundred thousand apps

Downloading apps is overwhelming. Thousands of choices paralyzes new users.

I’m highlighting five of my favorite applications one for each category: Photography, Games, Productivity, Art, and Relaxation. These will get you started.

Photography

Photos are the most fun on the iPad. You’ll find apps with frames, filters, and funny faces. Colorizing and posterizing exist as well.

Photogene stands out for enhancing your photos with tons of options. I purchased this on the original iPad and am still using it.

Photogene goes beyond standard features, such as adding frames or adjusting brightness. You can make collages, put in text bubbles, and add captions.

Uploads go everywhere including Twitter, Flickr, Dropbox, and of course Facebook.

Bonus: supports RAW images and large files up to 8 MP on iPad and 21 MP on iPad2.

Get Photogene

Games

Who doesn’t love games. Sure, you purchased the iPad for business use, but no one says you can’t have fun as well.

There are plenty of work safe games, and kid friendly as well. My favorites are word games, be warned.

Words with Friends is the most popular word game for iOS. Think Scrabble but not heavily branded, no slow transition screens, and a minimal interface.

WWF, as it’s known, is a multiplayer app supporting one on one match ups across the Internet. Opponents can be located via Twitter, Facebook, and from all other Words with Friends users.

Scoring is a bit different for each letter but letter and word bonus squares play the same. Players can shuffle their tiles, trade them in, and take a pass on a play.

Games are played by turns, with notifications received when your turn is up. The game doesn’t support live play, or local swap.

Free and pay versions exist, but the play is the same.

Get Words With Friends – link is to free version

Productivity

Productivity app choices are staggering. Note taking, sharing, and presentation apps range from free to high end. Few of them will make you more productive.

I’m giving you two favorite productivity choices: Dropbox and Evernote.

Dropbox is aptly named. You put anything here, like drop and go, and it’s instantly available everywhere. Need to have that photo on your desktop at work, this is your app. Dropbox requires an account, which includes free storage.

Transferring docs to your iPad works as well. I’ve used this to shuffle Word documents, photos, and PDFs. It’s often less of a hassle than email.

Evernote is a note taking cousin to Dropbox. Evernote is about jotting down notes and having them instantly available everywhere you have Evernote installed.

Note taking used to mean just typing things in. Evernote gives you geotagging, putting in photos, and even audio.

Blogging or prepping notes for a presentation is what this app is about. Being a universal app allows you to work on your iPhone, go back to the iPad for touch up, and then have it available on your PC.

Get Dropbox

Get Evernote

Art

Creating art on the iPad is addicting. Sketch Club stands out for versatility and addictive fun.

Built with brushes and over 40 brush tips, you’ll create delicate flowers to bold dragons.

Taking real advantage of the iPad  Sketch Club supports pinch, zoom, and rotation.

Like to share? Posting to Facebook or sending by email are supported.

Bonus: free online community. Built into the app you have access to the Sketch Club site and the ability to upload directly.

Get Sketch Club

Relaxation and Time Wasting

Blowing off steam. We all have our ways. You’re not an explosion nut though. Neither am I.

Zen Bound is the answer. Zen Bound, now a universal app, is a meditative puzzle game.

It’s you, a floating object, and a bit of rope.

No timers count down as you rap the rope around at your own pace. Beautiful scenes grace each level.

It’s a game for non-gamers. Once you’re wrapped up in it, no pun, you’ll forget the stress of work and overwhelming holiday celebrations.

Get Zen Bound – link is to their homepage to you can see the video first.

–

Go exploring. Find your favorites. Come back and tell me what you like, dislike or just don’t understand.

I didn’t cover big areas like Social Networking, Music, and apps for children. I’d love to hear your ideas.

No registration required for comments.

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• 10 Most Essential iPad Apps (Part 1 of Jacob’s Picks) from This Week in iPad (kapaoo.com)
• My top iOS apps for iPhone and iPad (zdnet.com)

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Elves

Elves, the mythological crafters of toys and trinkets. building toys in a hidden away workshop isn’t too far from blogging in your kitchen. Okay, maybe you don’t toss your blog posts in a bag to be delivered, RSS and email works as well though.

Toy crafting and wrapping is skill, and every good elf learns a few lessons on her way to Chief Toy Painter.

• Target
• there isn’t just one truck or doll, there are hundreds. Each though is built with a specific child (or adult) in mind. Little Susie digs pink trucks, and Johnny needs that zombie dolls. Likewise blog posts need to have a target audience.  Creating a post is powerful but needs an audience that will appreciate it. Writing about compost on your photo blog won’t likely go over well.
• Looks
• elves color and trick out the toys. Ever seen a grey plastic truck? A faceless doll? A makeup kit with just black and white? No. Blog posts need a good look and feel as well. Bloggers can use photos to dress things up. Good use of headings, bullet points, and color choices are important as well. Black on white text still rules but a bright picture and easy to read text are keepers.
• Playability
• the doll that doesn’t bend, the truck with wheels that don’t move, and the train with no track – we’d never see a elf send those to kids. Likewise, a blog post needs to be interactive. Let us play with them. Share buttons is a good start and I love being able to comment. Bonus interaction can include videos, recordings, and other downloads.
• Timing
• Toys arrive on time, if sadly only one day a year. Blog posts can go out night or day, holiday or not. Timeliness though isn’t easy. An article you write at midnight on Tuesday and posted then might get zero views. Sent out at 6:30 Wednesday it’s instantly more visible and possibly at the top of readers emails or RSS feed. Heck, this extends well to Twitter and Facebook.
• Delivery
• Finally, delivery, what elves out source to the guy in the red suit. We bloggers do the same thing. Posts go out via RSS feed, email, and automatic postings to Twitter, Facebook and more. The sleigh was fast, our methods are faster, and yet not as classy. You’ve taken the time to get all the rest right, and your RSS feed is plain text, part of the article, or just a picture. The email might be all there but an ad fills the bottom or worse the whole left side. Guess what gets ignored, sleigh or Flash ad?

Maybe you don’t believe in elves or flying sleighs but they are the gold standard. Creative, solid, and delivered with style.

What have you learned from elves, reindeer or spinning a dreidel? Send me your tips or photos of those pesky elves.

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Santa Takes the Amazon Sleigh

That should be the headlines these days.

As a child we’d sit for hours dreaming of what Santa might bring. Our parents provided us catalogues and let us drag them through the toy store for ideas. Then it was time; we visited Santa.

Fast forward – my son, wife, and I sit at the computer and populate wish lists online. Amazon has become not just the list keeper but the primary ‘toy’ store as well.

No more children on the floor with the Sears catalogue, marker in hand. No more romps to Toys “R” Us.

My granddaughters are getting into the act and email has replaced hand written lists for nieces and nephews too young for Amazon or Best Buy online shopping.

As geeks, we welcome and built this. Some of us insisted on wish lists  in the cloud.

Do you regret this shift? I do. Okay, maybe not 100% regret, but I miss dreamily window shopping at the stores, sitting on the floor with my siblings, and telling Santa our lists.

How can I recapture that? Can we build that feeling of wonder again?

What does your family do?

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It’s happened again; someone flattened Santa.

This morning about a dozen of Santa can be found flattened in my neighborhood.

No. Grandpa isn’t getting revenge; modern man is lazy.

Santa is iconic to the Christmas season but putting up a large Santa statue, hanging poster, or more is too much work. My neighbors invested in fan driven blow up Santas.

All around the neighborhood, lawns sport inflatable Santa, reindeer, and even manger scenes. All flat as a pancake.

Well, sort of. Pancakes are actually smooth and mostly flat. Santa is a crinkly deflated pile, arms and legs not only askance but folder under, over, and every which way.

It’s disheartening. Santa still visits our house and this is how my neighbors treat him?

Growing up in California, it didn’t snow, so my parents got creative. They created plywood snowmen, Santa, reindeer, and more. Santa’s suit was bright red, the snowmen were white with hats. You get the idea.

Is that spirit dead? Is Santa just a blow up doll you inflate in the dark?

What about you and yours? Decoration hell in your neighborhood?

Bonus link(s):

Middle Zone Musings – Getting Ready For The Christmas Season

Daddy Knows Less First Rant Of Christmas

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Traditions

Once upon a time, we tracked Santa by listening on the radio and watching television. It was a tradition in our family and many others.

NORAD built the Santa tracking website not too many years ago.

Today Santa tracking is an app.

Is the tradition of the family following Santa around the world dead?

Have your family traditions have been usurped by technology?

Perhaps they’ve changed so now you send out tradition e-cards instead of hand signed holiday cards. Or you’ve given up Christmas specials for getting your kids apps on their tablets, smart phones, and other app devices?

Share?

Link love: NORAD Santa Tracker

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I love greeting cards, especially around the holidays, and double especially ones coming to me.

This year I’m in the mood to send some as well. Yes. I’m crazed.

You like receiving them, so let’s make a deal. You provide the who and where, and I’ll provide you a card.

But wait, there’s more!

I’d like to upgrade our regular greeting card experience. You don’t want just another card from the 99 cent section or from a box of a dozen all alike. We all like a personalized card.

Well this is your chance.

I’ll put a sketch in each card I send out. It will be yours and unique. No promises it will be worth more than a smile but heck, maybe you can trade it for an extra piece of pie over the holiday.

What’s the cost you ask? Three payments of $0.00 each. Credit, cash, and checks accepted.

Drop me a line between now and December 12th and your card will be in the mail before Christmas. If you have a holiday preference, be sure to let me know.

Contact me today – todd a-t toddrjordan.com or tojosan a-t gmail.com.

Remember: Name(nicks okay), Address, Holiday preference.

Get your order in today. Limited time offer. Good while supplies last. First 25 callers.

BONUS: For the brave, snap a photo of you, the card, and the sketch and send it my way. I’ll put a blog post together to round them up.

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That’s me above; the guy in the cervical collar. I’m recovering.

Recovery

Belief

Recovery says something bad happened. It’s common to feel that way. People hear you’re recovering and their concerned immediately. Insert sappy greeting card sayings here.

Truth

Recovery is about rebuilding and reforming. Rarely is about making a thing new.

In my case, it’s about rebuilding my stamina and strength. I’m not recovering from a fall, a heart attack, or being run over by a car; I had a necessary surgery.

Surgery wasn’t needed to save my life but my way of life. I chose to jump in immediately to preserve that life. Bad things were going to happen. Surgery hopefully prevented most of that.

This is my choice.

Choice

Recovery is a choice.

You will get hurt, broken, or need surgery or other procedures. You must choose to recover.

It’s more than resting. It’s about moving forward.

There will be days that means sleeping, other days walking, and yet others in a room with a priest. These can all be part of recovery, but only if you let them.

It’s frustrating to think about and be recovering. It’s more frustrating to accept what’s happened and give in.

I’m choosing this time in my life to choose new habits and paths.

There will be more walking, more work into my posture, and commitment to improving my health overall.

Next

Impossible. Me, I can’t do it alone. I’m blessed to have family and friends to be alongside. God has provided much.

You. Make it possible for someone else. If I, with all I have at my disposal, will face challenges, then many will find it harder.

I challenge you. Make someone’s recovery a time of growth and beginnings. Help them create a new foundation.

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From this humble beginning:

To this less humble stage:

There yet?

Not sure what or where there is, but I keep practicing.
Results are coming. Those are proof of improvement and some smatter of success.

A coworker asked me to donate artwork for a fund raiser.
FLickr folks looking for me to sketch their portrait.
Twitter buds as well.

All of those things aren’t where I’m headed. They are rewards that come with continued practice.

Some results, well, they’re humbling. Being asked to sketch is humbling as well.

What are you practicing?

Blogging? Speaking? Crafting?

Are you working on it consistently? Slacking? Complaining about it?  Chris Brogan reminded me about the value of practice and why we should respect the privilege of it. (1)

Tell me about it! Share with me! You shouldn’t brag unprompted but sharing rocks and I’m here to brag for you.

(1) Chris Brogan Practice.Similar Posts:

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Expectations

There’s a sign in the exam room. Listed are the doctor of the day, the nurse practitioner on duty, and the RNs, and even the x-ray tech. Names on my sketch were changed to avoid privacy issues.

The sign has a date. It indicates who, that day, is on duty. A patient, like me, knows the names of each person I expect to see in that room. This is freeing and comforting.

Lettering is an easy to read font using black letters on white. Each person, on their initial entry into the room, clarified who they were, and reiterated the names of anyone I’d not met yet. This allowed both matching names to faces and reinforced expectations.

Each staff member added details to those expectations. The person taking me into the room explained who would be in next and why. That continued through the entire visit.

The x-ray tech was on board as well. Introducing herself as she came in, she explained where we were headed and why.

Overall, the visit exceeded my past experiences. It was all about setting expectations.

Are you setting expectations?

Are they clear and follow a sequence?

Is there enough detail?

What about you?

Have you run into situations where things weren’t clear? A restaurant? A doctor’s office? The bank?

How did you handle the lack of expectations being set or was it reversed with excellent communication?

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Heroes

We use that word a lot lately.

From the dictionary(1):
1. a man of distinguished courage or ability, admired for his brave deeds and noble qualities.

2. a person who, in the opinion of others, has heroic qualities or has performed a heroic act and is regarded as a model or ideal: He was a local hero when he saved the drowning child.

Note, there’s nothing in there about how a hero suffers, how poor or rich he might be, or other circumstances.

Those do not define a hero. Heroes are defined by action.

My Heroes

Heroes are specific to each of us. You and I have different experiences and know different people.

I don’t know your father, your friend, or that kid in Egypt. You don’t know my brother, coworker, or lady who manages HavenHouse St. Louis.

But are any of them heroes? They could be, and only you know it.

Likewise, my heroes may not be yours.

If we expect validation of them, we must go back to what defines a hero, their actions.

Heroes Do

A soldier could be a hero, but just showing up in Iraq doesn’t define him a such. That’s just a circumstance.

A child in Egypt might be starving on the streets. That hunger doesn’t make her a hero. What is she doing in spite that?

My brother is fighting ALS. Actually he’s suffering from it, and so is his family. He’s not a hero for that. His suffering doesn’t impart a title, but his continued effort to be part of his children’s lives, keep breathing, and working to maintain his dignity, those are acts of courage, and to his family, he’s a hero.

Who are you heroes

I’ll show you mine if you show me yours.

(1) definition from Dictionary.com

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