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Geek Speak #1: Alien Invasions

Geek-Speak-Alien-Invasions
Image found here.

I think anyone and everyone who reads this blog pretty much knows and understands that I am a self-proclaimed geek/nerd/tech obsessed femme. Although I talk about tech much more than the average human, I don’t necessarily think that liking my iPhone or Macbook is precisely what makes me a geek, or is anywhere close to scratching the surface of my nerddom. So, today I’m starting a series where I am going to talk to you about an obsession of mine that really starts to crack open my mind and the way I think that actually earns me these titles. I’m calling this series Geek Speak because that’s exactly what it’s going to be, me talking to you about whatever Geeky obsession is currently captivating my mind and today we are going to start with a topic that really begins to put that whole Strange and Charmed thing into perspective.

 Lately, I have been thinking a lot about aliens. No, not the movie, and no, not foreigners that immigrate to a new country. I am talking ET’s, flying saucer driving, little green men, aliens! Have I lost you yet? Well, if you made it past that part get ready for some mind-blowing theories to be thrown at you.

I think about aliens a lot. I think it’s pretty normal for humans to be curious about the possibility of life elsewhere in the universe, but I guess for most people it’s just a passing thought. Lately I have been theorizing about the possibility of alien invasions. I think I’ll blame July 4th for this since it always makes me think of the movie Independence Day, but if you think about it, much of the time we as humans are thinking about alien life in the universe, it’s usually because we are watching some show or movie that is preying on some deep dark fear we have that aliens are going to come in the middle of the night and kill us all and we will be forced to nuke the planet in order to make it all stop! If this is a fear that you share, I am here to tell you that there is no need to worry! I have given it a lot of thought but alien’s will not ever come to our planet and try to destroy us.

How do I know this? I have a theory based on the behavioral patterns of humans as residents of the universe. In order for an alien species to get to Earth from their point in space, I think we can all agree that it would take a significant amount of technological advancement and knowledge. So many resources and scientific advancements would be required for such an endeavor that in order for such a feat as intergalactic travel to occur, this species would have to have come to a higher consciousness and collectively work together for the greater good of space travel.

Take a look at humans and our current situation on Earth as an example. We have the ability to go into space, and we have for decades, however, partisan politics even within the U.S have effectively shut down our space program because we can’t get along enough to commit to prioritizing our scientific knowledge above allocating resources to wars among ourselves. Imagine if the U.S suddenly decided that we were going to get over our own issues and prioritize the search for knowledge, even then we would still need the cooperation of other nations to get an intergalactic space mission from science fiction to science fact. So, okay, we do it, we get the whole world involved in a global mission to search for life outside of our solar system. The amount of trust and cooperation that would require would be such a powerful force upon our collective consciousness as humans that by the time we successfully launched a fleet or even a single ship to search the universe for signs of intelligent life, the last thing on our minds would be to throw it all away and destroy whatever life we found.

Theoretically, this sort of collective consciousness and communal work ethic would mean that the species would have learned to be inherently good, unselfish and understanding of the importance of putting the needs of others before their own. In a way, they would have to embody certain values and ethics that we as humans on Earth associate with some of our greatest religious icons and because of this spiritual enlightenment, the species would then be unable to actually cause harm to any other species they encountered in the universe. Seriously, imagine if Jesus was driving around the Millennium Falcon and came across an alien race. He absolutely wouldn’t have it in him to kill them off, his only desire for space exploration would be to learn and understand more about the needs and lives of his intergalactic neighbors. 

So, the next time you’re watching some ridiculous movie about alien’s bringing our world to an end, remember that any species with the amount of technological and scientific advancement to actually do this would also have a higher consciousness that would give them an inherent respect for life in any and all forms, and would prevent them from executing such a selfish and horrendous act.

So, what do you think? Do alien’s exist and if so, do you think they are going to come to earth to enslave us? Or, do you think one day humans would leave Earth for the purposes of raping and pillaging an alien species? Let me know in the comments or send me a tweet to share your opinion!

Kate Spade iPhone Case GIF!

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This has really been quite the interesting week so far! Monday I had off for MLK Day, which was a nice little three day weekend that of course flew by! Yesterday, my area was hit with a major snow storm that supposedly dropped something like 16 inches of snow in my area (crazy!) and today I have another snow day at home with the hubster which is awesome! So, I know I don’t normally post on Wednesday, but I have been playing around with some different content and made this awesome little GIF of my Kate Spade iPhone 5 cases that I just had to share with you guys! I kept thinking I wanted to save this for something special, but by golly, today is something special!

Anywho! I hope you enjoy the GIF and if you too are working from home or get a full blown snow day (yay!) here are a few other recent posts of mine that I suggest you catch up on while you are stuck at home all warm and cozy in your pj’s and your fluffy socks!

  1. Working from Home? Check out these tips for a snow day work day!
  2. Take some time today to write someone a thank you note {perhaps your boss for giving you the day off?}
  3. Dedicate some time to carving out some goals for the year.
  4. Get yourself organized!
  5. Update your gadget wallpapers!

Hope you guys enjoy the snow day if you have one or just have a fabulous day in general if you live in an area with fairer weather! Let me know how you’re spending your day either way in the comments below! See you all tomorrow with our regularly scheduled posts!

Best of Strange & Charmed 2013

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Since today is New Year’s Eve, I thought it would be a perfect time for me to reflect on the success and growth of this blog in the last year! This morning I woke up to an email from WordPress that linked me to a Stat’s page for the site that gave me all sorts of fun details about my top posts, my commenters, visitors and site views!

My Top 5 Posts from this year have been:

1. Synching Scrivener to PlainText

2. iPad vs. Filofax

3. How I Use Scrivener to Organize my Writing

4. Turn Your iPad into a Macbook Air with Clamcase Pro

5. The 5 Best iOS Apps for Writers

Now, although these posts were my most viewed, I, of course, have my own list of favorite posts! These are the posts that were some of the most fun for me to brainstorm and put together. Some took a lot of time behind the scenes in terms of photographing, organizing materials, and/or Photoshop skills, but in the end these are posts I am very proud I was able to bring to fruition!

1. Inspired by Kate Spade

2. Starbucks @ Home: Salted Caramel Mocha

3. 5 Things a Woman Can’t Live Without

4. My Blog Organization Binder

5. Must Have Apps for Working Professionals

The final items I wanted to include in this post were the articles I wrote outside of this blog! You may  not have even been aware that I have been writing elsewhere this year, so I thought this would be a good time to review and link those posts, as they are all extensions of Strange & Charmed in one way or another!

The first site where I was able to publish a few articles this year was Levo League! You may have seen me mention them a time or two before, but Levo is a great website that I discovered last year, and this year I was given the opportunity to join their arsenal of amazing contributors with these two articles!

1. The Only 5 Productivity Tips You’ll Ever Need to Know

2. Productivity Tips from a Road Warrior

The second place you can find me on the web, outside of Strange & Charmed, is GeeksterLabs! GeeksterLabs is a website I have been following for years that focuses on all types of consumer technology. This summer I joined the team as a feature contributor, writing about fun and quirky ways to make the most of technology! Since I have written a steady stream of articles for them, I have included the direct link to my author page here, so you can check out all the articles I have written!

Overall, I would say that 2013 has been an amazing year for this blog! I have seen growth month after month and I hope that trend continues into 2014! So, let me know what you’re favorite posts were from Strange & Charmed in 2013 and the types of articles you hope to see more of in 2014! Happy New Year Everyone!

Great Gatsby Inspired iPhone Background

Gatsby-Wallpaper

Earlier this month I rented The Great Gatsby from my local Redbox when it was finally released onto DVD. I totally missed watching it in theaters when it came out, so I was very eager to watch it! My husband had apparently never read the book in high school, which I found to be amazing because I thought it was required reading for every U.S. Student! So, he was not at all familiar with the story which was kinda exciting. Of course I had read the book multiple times and seen the original Robert Redford rendition so I knew what to expect ever step along the way. That didn’t mean, however, that I didn’t completely enjoy the film, because I did very much. I loved the way they filmed this movie and the way they used modern music and even some CGI to really turn the traditional story upside down and feel very relevant to today’s modern society.

The Great Gatsby Movie Poster
The Great Gatsby Movie Poster

So, after I finished watching the film I was totally in the mood for all things roaring 20s! The heavy use of gold, scallop print everything and the slinky flapper style were roaming around my mind. Of course, I just had to turn this movie into an inspired iPhone background to share with you guys! I pulled one of my favorite Gatsby quotes and put together a modern scallop print in a gilded color for this Great Gatsby inspired smartphone wallpaper! I hope you all enjoy this as much as I do!

Gatsby-iPhone-5-Quote
Right click image to save

Did you love the new Great Gatsby movie? How do you like this 1920’s film inspired iPhone wallpaper? Do you want me to continue to create more of these sorts of lock screen quote wallpapers? Let me know in the comments!

Oh Hello Beau!

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So, this week I became the proud owner of my very own Beau Bag from Kate Spade! You may have seen my little rant last month about how badly I wanted the bag, but thanks to the encouraging words of many of you I was able to resist the temptation of breaking my commercial detox over this guy! So thank you all very much for your support! Now, getting back to the bag and why I suddenly have it! My husband and I got some really great news in the last week or so, NO, I’m not expecting or anything, but a wonderful thing happened and if you are friends with me IRL and want to know what it was, send me an email or a direct message on Twitter! Because of said awesome news/event/game changer, my husband decided that he would buy me a bag for all my hard work/awesomeness/genius in getting us to this point! Now, on top of all that, as though it were some sign from the gods, the bag was on sale! Kate Spade NY has actually had two sales since the time I first ranted about my love for this bag but both times the Beau Bag was specifically excluded from the sale. Epic sad face! However, Saks Fifth Avenue is/was having their Friends and Family 2013 Sale and they were not so picky about what they were discounting, so when I saw the sale and shared it with Mike, he basically agreed that it was just too good to be true and we had to buy the bag. So, we ended up getting something like $150 off the bag plus free shipping and it was pretty awesome!

Now, I just wanted to talk a little bit about the bag itself, why I think its wonderful and all that jazz! Since I now own the bag, you can imagine I am treating it like a total baby! I absolutely love it for a number of reasons. First, it’s just an absolutely cute bag. I know it may not be everyone’s style, but it suits mine just fine! I have actually never owned a Kate Spade bag before, I have a few different accessories and pieces of jewelry, not to mention some iPhone cases, but never a bag before this. I am eager to see how the bag wears to the minor beating it will most likely get as a my work bag. Which brings me to the second point I want to make about why I love this bag; it will make a perfect work bag! It fits everything I used to keep in my Rebecca Minkoff MAB Tote that I was using as my work bag up until I received this one, and this bag keeps its shape! The Beau Bag keeping its shape was a major selling point of the bag. My Rebecca Minkoff MAB Tote looked sturdy when I bought it, but unless it was packed with items it didn’t hold a shape easily. That bag really took a beating, and it’s still in great shape, but I just didn’t like that it couldn’t stand up on its own and when I went to meetings and put it on the floor or on a table it would fall over and the contents of my bag would often fall out! This will not be the case with my Beau Bag. Since the Beau has a zipper closure I can make sure my items are secure, and since the bag holds a steady shape, it will actually stay standing up if I place it on a desk or on the floor during a meeting, etc! Okay, so final thoughts on things I love about the bag. I love the interior print which is a cream lining with gold polka dots and spade symbols. I am obsessed with the “iPad Compartment” which helps to conceal your expensive gadget! Finally, I adore the bow pocket on the front of the bag. It’s really a great sort of secret compartment, because when you look at the bag, you can’t tell that the bow is a pocket, it just looks like a structural embellishment to the bag, but nope, it’s a pocket and a wonderful place to put my iPhone because it has a magnetic closure! Okay, so that’s all I will say about the bag… for now! I do love it and I am so glad it’s finally mine!

So, what are you guys currently obsessed with? Have you put any fashion or accessory items on your holiday wish list? What bag are you currently carrying or eyeing right now? Let us know in the comments!

Pretty & Protective iPhone Cases

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As you may already know, I have something of an iPhone case obsession! For me, it has never been a question that I would always need to use a case to protect my iPhone; a full glass screen + aluminum body = damage waiting to happen! Although I have a lot of cases, I try to focus on purchasing cases that are both pretty and protective! My iPhone is like an accessory for me that I always have with me, so its important that I get good coverage with the case, but also a good amount of style and flair. Your iPhone case can really say a lot about you (a topic I have already covered here) and there is no reason to have a boring, ugly case just for the protection. So, here are a few of my favorite cases that blend style and protection!

1. Kate Spade Literary Glasses iPhone 5/5s Case: You may have seen this stylish pattern on my blog earlier this month, but I am totally in love with the new protective Kate Spade cases. These cases are double layered, so there is an interior “bumper” style layer and then a nice hard but flexible plastic exterior. What I love is that is does have a lip around the front of the case, so if you place the phone face down on a surface the screen is elevated. I won’t say this is as protective as an Otterbox or Lifeproof case, but for a designer iPhone case, its a really solid option!

2. Otterbox Commuter Series 3D Case: I would venture to say that when you think of protective iPhone cases, your mind probably lands on Otterbox cases first and for good reason, they have been on top of the protective case market for a long long time now! The problem with Otterbox cases, however, is that although they are super protective and can totally save the life of your iPhone, they really aren’t the most attractive cases out there! With that being said, I am totally excited about these new Commuter Series 3D Cases! They are absolutely lovely for an Otterbox and I love the color options! Hopefully, we will see more cute cases like this coming from Otterbox in the future!

3. Custom Monogramed Otterbox Case: While Otterbox gets their act together with some more cute iPhone cases, one awesome option you have is to order one of these custom monogramed Otterbox cases from places like Lipstick Shades. Companies like these will basically make you a custom design on an Otterbox case with your choice of patterns, colors and personalization options! I think these are a great holiday gift idea because the case is totally unique and personalized to their owner so you always know which phone is yours! Don’t you love this custom teal chevron case I made up on their site?

Do you use a protective case on your phone? Which do you use? Are you a fan of Otterbox cases? How are you liking these protective but stylish choices for iPhone cases? Let us know in the comments!

Inspired By Kate Spade

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So if you haven’t noticed, lately I have been really into Kate Spade. This is mostly due to the fact that I am loving some of her more recent prints and designs, especially the new Literary Glasses Print! You may remember that I picked up the 2014 Agenda in the print in August and every now and again I have been getting glimpses of new products that are in the works! Just this last weekend I popped into my local Kate Spade NY Store, yes to visit the Beau, and I walked out with a beautiful new iPhone 5/5s case in, you guessed it, the literary glasses print! I was so excited to find it because I had not seen the case anywhere online. If you get the promo emails from Kate Spade you will know that yesterday they finally released some of their new bookish designs, including the case on their site! So, yesterday I was so excited to see all the new fun accessories that I decided to make some wallpapers based on the print for my devices. I made an iPhone 5/5s/5c background (that I am sure will work on other iPhone models and many other cellular devices) and also a desktop background for my Macbook Pro. After sharing the designs with some friends who also like Kate Spade, I decided that I should just post them to my blog because I know many of the ladies who read here also love her designs as well! I hope you guys enjoy!

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Right Click Image to Save Linked File
Kate-Spade-Literary-Glasses-Desktop
Right Click Image to Save Linked File

 

I should hope this goes without saying, however, the Literary Glasses Print, Kate Spade Logo and Quote are all property of Kate Spade New York. These images are not the creation of Kate Spade New York or anyone associated with the brand. These images are simply inspirational images created by the blog owner to share with those who love Kate Spade!

So, are you a fan of Kate Spade? Do you like the literary glasses print? Do you like the images that I have created? Will you be downloading them for your own devices? Let me know in the comments below!

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This isn’t so much a post as it is a comment I feel compelled to type out right now. For the past 5 years my favorite show on TV has been 24. The thrilling show about a man fighting terrorism, corruption, and evil to make to world a better place. That show ended tonight after 8 seasons and it is sad to see it go. It was time though, no doubt about that. Ratings were dipping down a bit, the flow of Emmys stopped, and the story lines were starting to repeat every now and again (seriously how many moles did CTU have?). No, it’s time for 24 to go out while on top then slowly die out.

Tonight’s episode did not go the way I had predicted, and don’t worry there are no spoilers in this post! It seemed to perfectly encompass all the show has done and stood for for the past 9 years. From cheering people’s demise and fall, to crying over the emotions and feelings shown by true friends, this week’s episode was perfect. Every week the show has been a roller coaster of emotions throwing you down to crying back up to cheering in less then one hour. And in the show was a message that no matter what, good always one and honesty, integrity, and valor were the true good forces in the world and in ourselves that we all must strive to improve and participate in. I will truly miss it and I while I doubt anyone from the show would read this post – I must put it out there and thank all those who made this show possible. It was a masterpiece and I will miss it very much.

Now, all that’s left to do is wait for the 24 movie to come out. Until then I’ll be filling my Netflix queue with seasons 1-8 to see it again, and a few I missed along the way.

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