Tag: iPhone

Mid-Week Update and Tips on Setting up Your iPhone Home Page with the IOS 14 Update

On By BackporchwriterIn Uncategorized5 Comments

Ahhhhh how good it is to sit and sip coffee and blog. The payroll is over for the week and now the concentration shifts as always to taxes. I do still have a few payroll things left over for today though – cutting manual checks for those new hires with no direct deposits until their pay cards are assigned, and stuffing our Nashville plant’s checks, but then onward to taxes. It’s Month End and Quarter End now that I’ve closed the last payroll of the month so I’ll be doing the monthly paid withholding taxes and then I will file the withholding returns for all states, our reconciliation report, and then our unemployment returns for all states. Then I can breathe easy again until January. January is going to be a wild card all the way around. I’ll be gone for about a week in a surprise moment when Katy has the baby. So I’ll be planning to get those 45 to 50 hours in at other times during the month which means working weekends and/or extremely long days to be able to get the work done. This is ever present in my mind as the time approaches. We normally hibernate during January. So I think February will become my new hibernation month. No one plan AnYthInG for Feb 2021!

This week the sleep has been good. George put a ring in his nose that is meant to help snoring. I think he may be using nose strips as well. It has cut down the sound to a tenth of what it was. He feels so bad. I hate to tell him that it’s the snoring – sometimes it’s not. But often it is what keeps me from sleep and waking me up. I’ve encouraged him to seek a sleep center and get study done. Someone at work told me now that they give you the equipment to do the study at home and they have a monitor that sends them the information ongoing. He seems to think he doesn’t need it. I chuckled inside when he said it, because yes he does. I know he has sleep apnea because there’s time I want to punch him to wake him up when he pauses to breathe. It’s not good for your heart or brain to not get the proper oxygen during sleep. He says he does not feel bad during the day but I can tell a difference in that he needs to go to bed earlier and gets tired quicker and often gets sleepy mid day or while driving.

I got the picture in that I ordered from Amazon that came over from China on a slow boat (lol). It was NOT any quality at all to it and not as expected.

This was the pic. But it was rolled up on a canvas and not on a canvas board like this. And it was a horrible screen print job. So I’ll not be using that. I’m returning it so it’ll go back on a slow boat from the US. I noticed it had a disclaimer that said “some colors may be muted” or something like that and I thought that was probably a disclaimer for a defect, making it seem like it is ok because they mentioned it. LOL. Well no, it’s not ok. It’s not pretty like the picture so it’s not worthy of hanging it on my wall. The purpose was to have something pretty on the wall not some muted imitation of beauty that looks like ants made a home on it and drove their little cars around on it making race tracks grooves all around it. lol

So enhhhhhhhhh – strike out! I do want something with those colors though. I will wait and go to hobby lobby and the price has to be right.

IOS 14 Decorating the Home Screen with Widgets

I’ve been so excited this week to upgrade to the IOS 14.

Here is my screen update – well that is screen 1. These are the ones I use most on a quick whim.

Free Background – Snag it if you Want it!

Here is the background I created in Canva if you wanted to steal it. I like it as it’s kindof a muted fall color. At first I thought it was too busy as a background but it grew on me as I added my widgets.

Now a lot of people change out their app covers. Such as these examples which someone else made on Canva free for others to use.

I was going to do that too as that is just as cool as my neighbor’s homegrown cucumbers! But – there is a few flaws with that.

A Few Flaws with using the App Covers (A different Photo on each App)

  1. You use the Short Cut screen to set it up and so when you click on it – it will go to the Short Cut Screen before it jumps to the app so there’s a delay. Yeah it’s a second delay but it’s annoying to have it go to a screen before it brings up the camera or facebook or whatever app it is. For me that’s annoying.
  2. When the next season arrives or you want a different look you have to go through decorating your app covers again or just live with the wrong colors.
  3. It takes a little minute to set them up – easy -but you probably need to watch the YouTube before you do it. And to do that every time you change your “theme” will be a bit time consuming in an already busy world. However, it looks really cool.

Here is my page 2 (swiping from right to left) on my iPhone.

There are stackable widgets called “smart stack” that change at various times of the day. It will display news, photos, itunes, and other things throughout the day. I also have a photos widget (above) that shows various photos (that I’ve selected as favorites). I love it. I’ll probably still change things around some. You can set some widgets as a Quote. You can use the Reminders app and create other lists as well and even use it to list a quote.

This is my screen on the left side – when I swipe from left to right. The upper part I put a stackable widget and I allowed the suggestion widget which is the most used apps. Or probably the most recent apps b/c some of those I’ve not used often! Then I have the regular widgets below that I’d already set up as just a “daily review” (traffic, weather, news, Bible verse, # visitors on wordpress and so forth).

So exciting stuff. If you have an iphone and are wanting to decorate your phone here’s my advice below.

Advice for Decorating Home Screen with IOS 14 on iPhone

  1. Make sure your update has downloaded.
  2. Google some examples of what others have done so you can get some ideas as to what you CAN do.
  3. Pick a theme color you like and have in mind what colors you want to work with.
  4. Find a background along the colors of your decided theme and set it as your wallpaper on your Home Screen. Backgrounds are everywhere. Use a photo, take one yourself, make one on Canva app, find one on Google Images – lots of options. Textures and designs are good. But apple has a couple of new ones and you can just use theirs.
  5. An extra tid bit on backgrounds: Some like a combination of light and dark so they can put the dark apps on the lighter section and the lighter apps on the darker section.
  6. Download the Color Widgets app and the Widgetsmith App as those give you the best options for setting up some cool widgets on your screens in various sizes, fonts, and colors.
  7. Use YouTube to look up how to set your home page in IOS 14 and you will see numerous instructions on how to add various widgets such as the ones I mentioned in #6 above. Google will work too if you like the written instructions instead of seeing it. You can also see YouTubes about setting up the app covers if you want to go that far. Also there are other updates that came with IOS 14 – you can YouTube those too. I’m finding YouTube so valuable as far as How To’s and All Abouts!

Gotta go to work and get started on my punch list there, but hope you have a great day! Hope you found today’s entry helpful if you have the iPhone and it’s update. It’s fun to create and especially something you use every day. I love to decorate my world! What kind of phone of phone do you have? iPhone? Have you done the update? If you don’t have an iPhone, why do you like the one you have. I’m an Apple gal now. But I like hearing others views on their favorites! Let me know!

Photo by Lum3n on Pexels.com

Excited about IOS 14 on iPhone and a Crab Boil!

On By BackporchwriterIn Uncategorized6 Comments

Yesterday went by so fast! I ended up spending the morning working on some techy projects as you can see from the previous post. Made some improvements to links and accesses to the YouTube videos so you can easily find, view, like, and subscribe to the videos now.

It wasn’t until bedtime that I discovered IOS 14 was actually available this whole time sitting in my Settings and waiting. Usually it gives a red notification alert. I was waiting for that alert and trying to be patient.

I am excited to set up my home screen. How cruel I’ve been to myself to download it on a Sunday night and get up and have to go to work the next morning! Geez! I just want to organize my phone all day! 😉

Before you get upset – those that don’t like change. My phone was exactly the way it was before the update. But the options are there to change and reorganize to the new way if you want it.

When you DO download it, just know that it has some really good explanations that actually STAY ON your phone in a section called “See What’s new in IOS”. Before it always disappeared after you read it. But best of all you can search on YouTube “How to Set Up IOS 14 Home Screen” and there are lots of quick videos showing you how to do it and giving you some examples. I love YOU Tube, it helps so much in almost everything I do to be able to understand anything anymore.

Crab Boil for Two

So we had a crab boil last night. I set up the table in the sunroom as it has a metal table and put a plastic type table cloth and then parchment paper across that for easy clean up.

We had crab, shrimp, cajun sausage, corn, potatoes, and slaw.

And of course we ate on the plastic fish plates which we have had for years – as a fun dinner time plate and we use them for picnics sometimes. Mainly we use them for pizza night, which is rare these days. But yeah, what a GREAT dinner. Filling but in a good way. Most of it healthy. Maybe not the sausage so much. Maybe not so much butter but it was so good.

Now it is the work day and I must prep and get out the door. It was a great weekend. Never enough time to do what I want to do. And it’ll be a busy week for me this week. I have quarter end once this payroll is finished. I have all month to get through it but, will probably need to work a bit longer each day to accomplish it. And I am also cooking two nights this week. Another grocery run is probably going to happen as we need Fresh Pet. Kroger was out of what we use. I forget what else is on the list but working on my iphone is one of them.

Well, I need to wrap it up and head out. Ya’ll have a fabulous day. Once I get my iphone set up I’ll do screen shots so you can see it. I wish I could just be geeky all day long, work on videos, iphone set ups, do email, blog, learn how to use my camera, learn how to use YouTube and study more on making videos. Boy I could tear up a day on my own just to do all these things.

But off to work we go so people can get paid. Not a bad thing to do at all as I love what I do. Lucky to get to be happy anywhere. Except for when I get locked out and can’t do anything! Ya’ll have a good day.

Are you getting any fall temps where you are? We are and it feels so good. Highs in 70’s and lows 50’s. I think it jumps back up to 80’s but it will be back and forth for a while. Have to plan when to get down the fall clothes. I’m ready for flannel PJ pants and long sleeves.

Have a great week!

How to Deal with Corona Virus Anxiety and Preparation and How to Organize iPhone Apps

On By BackporchwriterIn Uncategorized7 Comments

Well, my mind has just been all over the place today. At first I woke up with slight anxiety/curiosity over the Corona Virus thing, wondering if it was going to blow up and we needed to skip our trip. So the first thing I did this morning was make a pot of coffee and take Maisy out and then hit the news!

Seems everyone must be wondering the same things. The news covered my points I needed to know. Should you cancel the trip? NO. Not unless you have health conditions that might put you at higher risk. So far as I know I don’t. I’m 3 years under the risk category of 60 so I have 3 years to flirt with disaster. I had to ask the questions though, b/c at what point am I being selfish of wanting to see my daughter and do this trip we have planned for so long? I don’t want to put her at risk either. But I believe as for now our trip is on. We will wash our hands, sing twinkle twinkle, elbow greet each other, smile and be on our way to our many public destinations.

So…yes, Nashville has it’s first case of Corona, but the greater Nashville area announced it’s first case a few days ago, Thursday I think in Williamson County (Franklin). Not what I was hoping to hear this morning, but it is what it is.

At least they seem to be honest about it here – not wanting people to panic, but I keep hearing just wash your hands and greet each other by the elbow bump.

Meanwhile Roger was found doing some reading in bed this weekend.

George had gone to make a sandwich and I passed by and this was my view – cracked me up!

I have packed today since it is the weekend. While the flight is not til Thursday we all know what the week and it’s uncertain commutes can do to the work night schedule. So any thinking/packing/organizing kinda has to be done on the weekends as the work nights are just eating, simple chores, taking care of dogs, quality time watching a 45 min show during dinner and then head for bed.

Our temps for our trip in Tulsa were in the 60’s at one time. Now it’s upper 70’s for the day we arrive and then storms come through and it’s 50’s the rest of the time we are there. So I pulled my short sleeves out and put the long sleeves in.

The news said if you are traveling to be sure and consider if you may be quarantined up to 14 days. Well I’m not packing 14 days of clothes or jammies (the hotel has sink and water) but I did pack crosswords and I’ll take my iPad. I’m taking a thermometer, acetaminophen, my vitamins (from that shake/supplement company I use). I packed some Vitamin D (liquid sunshine) if needed for morale. And a couple of e-shots boosts and a couple of shakes.

I really like it when the sun shines in and gives a late afternoon glow in my office, as I spent some time on line looking up weather, looking up things in Tulsa to do and places to eat, and shop.

I spent some time thinking about anxiety. There have been times this week where it was just *almost* overwhelming – the tornadoes being so close, the damage, the hurt you know others are going through, working or trying to keep your own life together – feeling guilty you are not able to give much time or muscle, three hour commutes to and from work several times, the Corona Virus showing up this week in our community and knowing I am going to fly this week. It’s all just almost too much. I have felt like crying several times but end up being calmed by God’s spirit – thank God for his counselor! He is keeping me calm and placing wisdom in my head and heart and telling me what to do, what to consider, and giving me hope and leadership in the situation instead of wimping out. (I’ve always been one to destress life, but it always seems to try to find me). I also find calm in watching and doing normal things this weekend – cleaning, doing laundry, watching my shows – so I can forget the turmoil that is ever present in our community and society and world.

My God and his Spirit have counseled with me today, aside from all things written in scripture, that one must do the following when considering the Corona Virus or other disaster at hand.

Ways to NOT be Anxious over the Corona Virus or other situation:

  1. Be prepared, considering the facts instead of being anxious or afraid. Learn about what is frightening you. Learn the facts. Then prepare for the worst case scenario and go from there if you need. Once you know what the worst is that can happen and how you will deal with that, you have already looked it in the face and considered what you will do. That takes half the fear away right there. You have a plan for dealing with the worst possible scenario. 90 % of the time the worst case never happens right? That has to be some consolation.
  2. Turn a bad situation into something good. This can go many ways and in many facets. Considering this corona virus for example – it’s time to encourage others, soothe anxieties, be there for one another, hear and listen one another, hug one another – or just do the elbow bump – lol. Consider what good you will do if the virus impacts someone you know, or even know of? Can you send a card, send a message, drop off supplies, pray for them. What will you do if someone gets this and how can you calm them, help them, or their family? Be thinking along those lines.
  3. Be hopeful. Yes there has been ebola, and all those other things. Usually they go away with the summer and the heat. Hopefully this will too and summer is not far away. Our normal flu begins subsiding sometime in April as the heat returns here in TN anyway. March is a prime time for flu but it can happen here anywhere from Thanksgiving to April.
  4. Again about being prepared. I made a list of things below we should probably be prepared for in case of ANY emergency. See what you think needs to be added? Leave me a comment.

Store up Extra for Emergency Situations

  • Change your meds to 90 day supplies? So you have plenty available. I’m not doing this yet but considering it.
  • Canned goods and a manual can opener. Include things like chicken, tuna, Vienna sausages (ok we are talking emergency here), canned fruits like pineapple and applesauce, and mandarin oranges, pears, etc. Don’t forget your canned greens, and other veggies, potatoes, carrots, beans, and so forth. Frozen is good too but if food goes bad due to power outage, you need a back up. Canned goods have less nutrients though, but better than none at all if you are quarantined or stuck at home in a disaster or disaster relief situation. Also thinking of things like evaporated milk b/c if you don’t have fresh, it’s nice to have this. Maybe even keep a loaf of bread frozen? It could be thawed during an emergency.
  • Rice. We have a lot of rice – a lot! As long as we can heat water, we can survive a ways on that!
  • Vitamins. Good to keep a multivitamin or a multitude of vitamins, as you prefer. If you don’t take them regularly already – it might be good to have some around in case of illness in the house or lack of being able to get fresh food so you have some nutrients coming in.
  • I actually thought of keeping some Ensure on hand – it might not be tasty warm, but it would sure lend some nutrients to you. I have my shakes from “THAT SHAKE/SUPPLEMENT COMPANY I USE” which are good just with water, that I have plenty of if food runs out. Disclaimer: NOTE that SHAKES/SUPPLEMENTS DO NOT CURE ANYTHING. How’s that? NEVER claimed it did either.
  • Bottled water in case the water supply goes bad. I’m guilty of not having enough of this available. There are many times when community water has gone bad for whatever reason and this becomes necessity. We count on the fact that plenty of stores around have these items but in time of disaster related need it’s often the first to clear the shelves.
  • Cash – while we have not done it often – we probably should have some cash available for bartering when power is out and such.
  • Pet food. I’m no longer letting myself get too close to running out of at least dry food. We should have food to get by two weeks at least.
  • General home cleaning supplies – bleach, Clorox clean up, or wipes, laundry detergent, dishwashing soap and paper towels. I’m thinking that from now on, when I open one thing up, I’m already going to be buying the next one. Instead of waiting til I’m almost empty with the current one – just go ahead and get another.
  • Personal Hygiene supplies – soap, toothpaste, Kleenex, toilet paper, and other needs. We should keep extra on hand. I plan to do the same – if I open one in the house, I’m buying the next unopened one.
  • Always buy the big container of eggs – we use eggs a lot – for cooking, for boiling to put in tuna or chicken salad, or just to eat for a snack. If you have these available if you were quarantined you could do so much with that for protein. We always buy the big container. If we don’t eat it by expire date, we can boil them up and make dressed eggs and there is no time before they are gone.
  • COFFEE! Lord, please don’t allow any of us to run out of coffee! I mean you have to think of your morale right? In that case should we also keep cookies and ice cream? Maybe! lol If the power goes out, must one eat the ice cream first, and that will do wonders for morale! 😉
  • I put essential oils on my list. Just because so many of them have natural health/wellness benefits. If there is power, the diffuser works great, but there are other ways to use essential oils. Not saying one shouldn’t see their doctor but in times where that may not be possible, you might find relief in having the basic essential oils available. I’ve cured earaches with them, calmed myself with them, and can change the mood with them.
  • Batteries
  • First aid kit and supplies
  • Over the counter meds and remedies

My thinking did not get beyond this, but I’m sure there are numerous things I’m missing. I did tell George when he went to the store for some other things to bring home some canned fruit and greens as that was missing from our pantry currently. I plan to stock up on some of the other things little by little. I don’t intend to go and clean the shelves off or do it all at once. It’s a good idea to be prepared for ice storms, illnesses, tornadoes, earthquakes, a community situation, guests, a broken down vehicle, a closed off road, a flood, a terrorist attack of some sort, power outages, and whatever awaits us around the corner, who knows?

Being prepared like this for any emergency would help bring a peace of mind anyway.

On a fun note, I did get to go check out YoWorld b/c I heard it was still open by Linda, a Facebook friend/blog buddy. Did I know this? I’m not sure. I thought it had closed for good. I guess YoVille did and somehow someone kept it open as YoWorld. I had a lot of fun just going in and seeing my homes that I decorated. I don’t see much fun in playing the game and buying (game money – not mine) and decorating it now, but I really enjoyed it back then many years ago. Here’s a few of my rooms:

And I had some geeky moments just trying to figure out how others organized their iPhone apps. I often get caught up in trying to reorganize mine and sometimes it changes as my priorities change. Here is my current iPhone set up after I rearranged it today to be more user friendly to my needs. I combined a lot of them into categories – but some I want quick access to. Notice that Facebook no longer gets it’s own space – it’s grouped in with “Social Media”. I’m not on it much any more – although I do post some things often, just don’t want it to be the first place I go when I pick up my phone. I want to be my own ideas and my own person! Here it is as of today:

It’s not really in any kind of order as much as just where I am used to going to the apps. For so long weather has been in a certain spot, photos, and nearly everything. So I kept it to where I normally would “go to” and the first page of course has the most important. I rarely FaceTime and if it happens it’s incoming, so some things like that are on the 2nd page now. THAT SHAKE/SUPPLEMENT COMPANY THAT I DO is no longer on the first app page. lol. I really use my home computer for that. And Snapchat is not under social media b/c I mainly only use that for videoing certain things and then saving it and posting it other places. So it’s under “video”.

Also by making the categories have a space b/w each letter it makes it easier to find.

I had to laugh at this one. This is NOT how I have mine organized. This would drive me crazy, to have your apps organized by COLOR! Oh no! lol

But there are whole Pinterest sites on finding ways to organize your apps!

I liked this one. I think the background is neat and a lot of folks are using the skip a space b/w each letter.

Well that is all I have for today. Maisy says goodnight and she is very upset with me for not going to bed already. She tells me when it is time – I mean FULL ON BARKS! But I told her I was finishing this blog post that she was not going to tell me what time to go to bed.

She gave up!

Hope you all have a good week. Would love to hear any comments you have on anything in today’s post. Your views on Corona virus, anxiety? Being prepped? iPhone app organization? I will try to post this week as I can.