iPod Series

(UPDATED: May 1, 2012)

The iPod debuted in 2001. Its evolution over time has helped it to become perhaps the most sought-after and most well-loved portable media players of all time. This blog post of mine is a celebration of the iPod series as well as my appreciation for the iPod. This post even takes a look at the iPhone. What will NOT be discussed here is the iPad. What you will be seeing is a lot of material regarding the iPod series and even some thoughts of mine regarding the iPod series. Consider this a continuation of my "Apple Appreciation" blog post, but on a specific Apple product.

A Special Hello...

If you are somehow viewing this blog post on an iPod or iPhone (I do get blog hits from iPods and iPhones), I'd like to say hello to you and thanks for visiting John's Blog Space!

LATEST UPDATE(S)/REVISION(S):

MAY 1 2012 - added some extra Resources along with more pictures

--- iPod at a Glance ---

Picture, please:


^ from: neptune.im - The iPod is MUCH more than an MP3 player- it is perhaps one of the most technologically (and maybe even culturally) significant portable media players in our lifetime.

In my view, the iPod series is one of the most influential devices of any kind. Its allure lies in the many abilities in enjoying media. It is a device that has been a key part in the further evolution of enjoying music. Over time, its appeal has been expanded with the ability to store pictures and even even video. The simplistic design and various other capabilities have made the iPod to be more than just a portable media device. Note that I am NOT calling the iPod lineup an MP3 player. iPods may play MP3 players, but they can play MUCH more. In Apple's attempts to take its portable baby and expand its popularity and capabilities to points unfathomable, they've added many more features and made many more revisions to iPod models. Apple's finest offering

The iPod is perhaps the best way to enjoy music. It is as much of an evolution in enjoying music since portable cassette players and even portable CD players. Even with MP3 players gaining steam, Apple made the iPod to be much more capable than any MP3 player. Even as the iPod was becoming popular, not as many people could afford a base iPod. So along came individual models letting people enjoy the iPod experience, but for much less than the standard issue iPod. The first of these was the Nano- a slimmer iPod with a color display and plenty of features to keep you interested. Advancements in the Nano over time meant many improvements in the iPod Nano experience. However, the Nano was becoming more expensive. The cheapest way to enjoy the iPod experience was to enjoy it without a screen. Enter the iPod Shuffle. The Shuffle allows you to enjoy your favorite iPod material (obviously except pictures and videos) with a VERY portable device. While the base iPod is exceptional, the best iPod money can buy was launched in 2007- the iPod Touch. In addition to music, videos, and pictures; the Touch blew the minds of many people with what it has to offer. Among the biggest features were a handful of applications (apps) and WiFi connectivity. You can even play games with it. All could be controlled using its touch screen. A special sort of iPod Touch would come along in the future delivering all of its capabilities, but you can also make calls with it. That device would be called the iPhone.

In other words, the iPod and its lineup range have not only forced other makers of MP3 players and other portable media devices to step their game up, they've become a league of their own. They have become truly significant in today's technological culture. It is a device and a series of devices which distinguishes itself far and beyond others. Even today, getting an iPod still means a whole lot for the person who wants to enjoy music (and other media) on the go. It is a device that is great even if you don't like Apple. Even those who aren't Apple fans have to at least appreciate what all the iPod has meant and what it stands for in technology.

--- iPod Models ---

This is a celebration of the iPod, but it is NOT a proper historical piece on the iPod series. So don't expect too much here. I WILL highlight on each of the iPods with as much as I know about them.

NOTE: Some information provided by Wikipedia as well as Apple's home page were used to help complete this section.

iPod Classic Series.

Here's a look at the base iPod.


^ from: amazon.com - This is the classic iPod- tall and with a vivid screen.

• The very first iPod was released back in 2001 with a 5GB hard drive and a physical scroll wheel. It also had a monochromatic screen. It was also a great deal bulky. A FireWire connection allows you to charge it up and move music files to and from your Mac or PC.

• Touch-sensitivity began with the third iPod starting in 2003. It had a touch wheel along with the main controls (Play, Forward, Reverse, and volume controls)

• Around 2004 or so, the 4th Generation iPod came around.

• It was the 2005-released 5th generation iPod that I first got interested in. I played around with some iPod 5G models at some Sam's Club stores once. The biggest draw to the 5G iPod was its ability to play back video. In my Community College days, I saw a few students go around with their 5G iPods. Some even hooking them into PCs at the computer lab.

• In today's culture, the 6th Generation iPod is the current one, not to mention the first to gain the "Classic" nomenclature.

The iPod Classic (6G) is sold in stores at about $249 US Dollars.

iPod Nano Series.

^ from: www.kineda.com - If a base Nano is too big for you, try this slimmer iPod for size! (5th-Generation Nano featured in pictures)

Created as a lighter and more fun iPod, the iPod Nano made its grand debut in 2005. The iPod Nano is an answer to those who can't afford a proper big iPod but still want to enjoy the iPod experience. So it's an iPod for those who can't afford the big iPod.

• The very first iPod Nano was a less bulky and much slimmer iPod than the big ones.

• A smaller wheel and slimmer appearance- along with many splashes of color- would occupy the second generation iPod Nano models.

• The third generation iPod Nano is shorter vertically, but is wider than the previous iPod Nano generation models, making it appear much more like the big iPods... only not the big iPods. The biggest element of the third-generation iPod Nano is its video-playing ability. So you don't need the big iPod to enjoy watching videos.

• Fourth generation iPods got a curvy appearance along with a tall screen. However, the wide-body appearance of the third-generation model went back to a slim model for the 4th-gen Nano.

• An even taller screen along with video-taking capabilities and a microphone help flank the 5th-generation iPod Nano. So you could listen to music and even take some pictures or videos if you so please.

• In today's Nano culture, the sixth-generation iPod Nano is the latest model. It is also the smallest iPod Nano as it can easily be clipped onto whatever garments or items you want to clip it on. It has a touchscreen as well as an FM Radio feature. It also has a watch feature where you have a stylish watch to check time. A watch band for the iPod Nano will allow you to wear the iPod Nano as a watch.

Personally, I considered wanting the 5G Nano early in my YouTube video work. I wanted something to enjoy seeing video as well as making videos comfortably. I couldn't really connect with the Nano much because I was too much into the Classic iPod model.

iPod Shuffle Series.

^ from: www.photokina-show.com - The iPod Shuffle is the only iPod series that lacks a screen. (4th-Generation Shuffle featured)


Apple wanted to deliver the iPod listening experience with an even smaller price tag. So to prove this point, enter the iPod Shuffle. The Shuffle entered the world in 2005. The Shuffle is the easiest model to identify because the Shuffle iPods do NOT have a screen. It is essentially a device that has a big Play/Pause button, the Forward and Reverse buttons, and volume controls. That's it.

• The first-gen Shuffle had an unlockable bottom piece that can be hooked into a USB port.

• Much smaller and wider, the 2nd Generation iPod Shuffle retains many of the features of the 1st Shuffle, excluding the USB connector. This Shuffle was the first to feature a clip. So you could clip this onto something and enjoy music on the go. This would be a mainstay with Shuffle models since.

• The third Shuffle had a feature that allowed you to connect to a USB port with the headphone portion. It has a status light as part of its design.

• Today's iPod Shuffle is the 4th-generation model. Its appeal is in having an appearance more like the 2nd generation Shuffle, but with many color choices. In fact, it is the ONLY Shuffle to have your choice of color.

A Shuffle starts off at about $49 US Dollars.

iPod Touch Series.

from: amazon.com - the iPod Touch. This specific one is the iPod Touch 4G model.

Apple's ultimate offering for iPod lovers came in the form of the iPod Touch. Touch screen navigation along with WiFi and photo/video features make the iPod Touch even more top-of-the-line than any other iPod in the range. The iPod Touch is even its own gaming platform. In addition, wireless access to iTunes can be had with this device. And if you are ANYTHING into Apple, you're crazy for applications (or apps in this day and age) for all kinds of purposes and uses. You can even browse the Internet using Apple's answer to Internet Explorer- Safari. It is also capable of taking videos and pictures. I personally think while the standard iPod is one of the most influential and significant media devices of any kind, the iPod Touch is an absolute marvel and really- the ULTIMATE iPod. The Touch's only negative is that smudges easily with its touch screen as well as the aluminum back. So it would be wise to get a case for it unless you want to have to clean it often.

• The iPod Touch made its debut in 2007. The first generation Touch was a good bit bulky while delivering MANY more features that made this device a solid hit. All of the apps and WiFi connectivity was a start for what would be a portable media device with no equal.

• The second and third generation iPod Touch models are essentially the same. Only the third generation Touch models have engraving of the iPod Touch capacity. The second-gen Touch does not have any engraving except for the iPod name and the Apple logo.

• Today's iPod Touch is in its 4th Generation. The 4th Generation iPod Touch is thinner and sleeker than any iPod before it. It is also more powerful than its previous models and with a wider screen. And unlike previous iPod Touch models, this model features two cameras- front and back. Its back camera is also exposed rather than covered up. Among all iPod Touch models, it is the only one offered with different colors; but there are only two color choices- black and white.

The iPod Touch starts out these days at $199 US Dollars for the 8GB model and goes up to about $399 US Dollars for the 64GB model.

iPhone (Honorable Mention!).

At an address, Steve Jobs (rest in peace) was trying to get an audience attached to his latest vision- iPod and phone. The iPhone was conceptualized starting in 2005 and made known to the world in 2007. The iPhone was actually released before the iPod Touch. The first iPhone was released in June 2007 while the first iPod Touch was released in September 2007. To many people, the iPhone is an iPod Touch with a phone contract. You had to have a contract deal with a provider like AT&T or Verizon Wireless to take advantage of its calling capabilities. In its history, it has seen over five difference iPhone models. Two of them are no longer offered- the iPhone and the iPhone 3G. Today's models include the iPhone 3GS, the iPhone 4, and the iPhone 4S. The iPhone features some additional programs and capabilities that the iPod Touch doesn't have. Among the many additional features is Siri, which is like your own personal assistant. Activating and using Siri will allow you to do things like take reminders, request information, and activate commands.

The reason why I put this as Honorable Mention is because the iPhone is still essentially an iPod. So you still can enjoy all or most features as you would an iPod Touch, but also use it as your mobile phone. This is just an iPod where you can also send and make calls with.





Most of the real part of this blog post is complete. Want to see more commentary from me on the iPod range? Make sure you are reading the full blog post if you want to see more. If you see "Read More," you are NOT reading the full blog post. Click on "Read More" to continue your experience of this post if you have enjoyed your reading so far. I have more to get to here.

--- My iPod Interests and Thoughts ---

Time now I share some iPod thoughts.

Basic iPod Thoughts.

For one, I've always considered the iPod to be one of the most significant and distinctive portable media players of all time. My initial interests began with the iPod Classic back in my community college days. I had interests in wanting to download videos and listen to music. I knew I didn't have the money to get any iPod. So to curb this, I bought myself a 2GB capacity SanDisk Sansa Clip back in 2008. I wanted a new MP3 player apart from a previous one I had. It served me well up until it finally gave out on me after Hurricane Ike. Since Christmas 2008, I have enjoyed my 4GB SanDisk Sansa Fuze.

I have long wanted an iPod all the while. With prices going down and me actually making money from blogging, I want to eventually get the iPod Touch- preferably the fourth-generation iPod Touch. Part of my reasoning is because I have been fascinated with what all the iPod Touch can do. Two of my family members have iPod Touch models. I just want my own. Really, one of the big reasons I want the Touch is because I want to enjoy WiFi access as well as being able to have this more-than-suitable device in this modern world. And in case you're wondering, the 8BG model iPod Touch is what I'd want. I don't have an excessive amount of media or want to get too crazy with apps that I'd want an iPod of any capacity greater than 8GB.

Also, I wouldn't go overboard buying and downloading tunes and apps from iTunes. That too is a reason why I'd let most of my iTunes activity be minor.

Would I Want the _____?

Just like in my "Apple Appreciation" post, it's time I answer if I want certain iPod models over others. So check this out:


Would I want the...

• ...iPod Shuffle?
No! I understand it as an entry-level iPod, but there are a number of reasons why the Shuffle just doesn't suit me. For one- it's so small, you barely even know it's there. I'd prefer a screen to actually know what it is I am listening to. But really, I've just never really wanted a Shuffle.


• ...iPod Nano?
Maybe the 5G, but especially not any other (including the new 6G Nano). The newer Nano was a downgrade for me with the camera feature gone. The newer Nano is surely the most stylish with its touchscreen and clean-looking visuals. Another redeeming quality is its ability to play FM radio. Other than this, I've never been fully excited about the Nano. The main reason I was interested initially in the 5G Nano was because of its camera feature.


• ...iPod Classic?
Yes... until I became interested in the Touch. Considering the 6G Classic iPod retails for about $249 US Dollars, I've lost interest in the Classic ones that I wanted a few years ago. I think it was the 4G or 5G Classic (this was before the "Classic" namesake came along for the standard iPod) I wanted around the time.


• ...iPod Touch?
Yes! All of the different features and capabilities of the iPod Touch are why I want one. You can say that I've been enamored with the Touch and its capabilities so much that I became very fond of it. The 8GB Touch is just right for me considering how much media I have on my PC and how much material I would plan to use with the iPod Touch. Of course, I'd even be interested in using WiFi to use the Internet as well as enjoy various forms of media from around the Internet with an iPod Touch. I haven't made mention to it or really want to engage in it, but the Touch is also its own solid mobile gaming device. More people (according to some reports I've read online) game with the iPod Touch than with the Nintendo DS and Sony PSP.

There is only one thing I'd be fearful of using the Touch- getting it dirty and smudged up. So I would have to invest in a cover or a skin for the iPod Touch and maybe even get a screen protector so that I won't have to continually clean the touchscreen after use. If I feel like I can't use the icons effectively, I may elect to get a stylus to cleanly touch the screen. So really, that's TWO things I would be fearful of- trying to clean it constantly, and spending too much money on accessories and such trying to make the most of the iPod Touch. Otherwise, I hope for my next portable media player to be the iPod Touch.


• ...iPhone?
No! Even though the iPhone came before the iPod Touch 4G, and even though the iPhone has some features even the iPod Touch 4G doesn't have (like Siri and GPS); I am not much of a phone person. So there would be no point in getting a mobile phone when you're not a phone person. An iPhone has usually been considered an iPod Touch 4G, but without the phone contract. I've seen from YouTube videos that the iPhone has some better capabilities than the iPod Touch. I saw how the iPhone has better video quality and picture quality than the iPod Touch 4G. The iPhone even seems like a device of great quality you can actually feel in your hands. I am just not a phone person, and it is unlikely you'll see me going around town with an iPhone doing whatever.


And those are my own iPod thoughts and if I would want any of these models.

--- iPod: Final Thoughts ---

I mentioned the iPod as one of the single most influential devices of any kind in this lifetime. What the iPod has done to go far and beyond what a portable media player should be capable of is just mind-boggling. This especially holds true to the iPod Touch and iPhone. Many imitators and those trying to topple the iPod range have all tried to steal the thunder and swagger from the iPod. You name it (some I am afraid to include in this sentence)- the SanDisk Sansa line, the Zune series from Microsoft, even various fake iPods- have all tried, but can't top the iPod range. I didn't make too many mentions to it, but part of the iPod's appeal (especially with the Touch) is in this being a solid mobile gaming device as well. I have great respect first and foremost for the iPod series.

The iPhone is everything good the iPod range is (especially with the iPod Touch), while also being a solid mobile phone. Here is a case of a portable media player that can also serve as a quality mobile phone. All this does is further expand upon the portable media playing capabilities of the iPod and iPhone. Not only expand, but also expand with a quality product. Only reason why you wouldn't want an iPhone (to me) is if you don't want to be tied to a certain contact to use it or to enjoy high-speed mobile material.

Regardless, the iPod series is something you have to appreciate and respect even if you are not a fan of Apple. It has been greatly significant in today's technological culture compared to almost any other heralded and popular device in our lifetime. Anything from the base Shuffle to the top-of-the-line iPod Touch and iPhone represent the goodness only Apple can provide, not to mention what only the iPod series can provide. You just have to show some respect for the iPod range even if you couldn't care less about it.

--- iPod (and iPhone) Resources ---

Resources online for the iPod (and the iPhone) are as follows (more may be added in future edits):

• Apple iPod
• iPod - Compare iPod models and find the one right for you.
• iPod on Wikipedia
• List of iPod Models - Wikipedia
• Identifying iPod Models « a helpful resource to aid you in identifying certain iPod models.

• iPod/iPhone on about.com
• All things iPod, iPhone, iPad and Beyond | iLounge


• Apple iPhone
• iPhone on Wikipedia

(More links may be added in future edits)





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Apple Appreciation

(UPDATED: May 1, 2012)

Many people use Apple computers or products. I use Windows because I'm comfortable with Windows products. The following blog post is... not sure how to explain it. Maybe call it an Apple appreciation post. It is my post of random musings regarding Apple computers and products. I will even share with you some Apple interests of mine.

I would like to give a special hello to all of you worldwide who may be visiting "John's Blog Space" on any Apple product! I hope you can appreciate my Apple chatter from a Windows/PC guy. :)

LATEST UPDATE(S)/REVISION(S):

MAY 1 2012 - added some more links in Resources

--- Beginnings of Apple Appreciation ---

Let's set the mood with a picture:


^ from: www.iphonelife.com - Micro... who? In case you didn't realize, this post salutes Apple and its products. I chose the rainbow Apple logo for nostalgia.

For most of my life, especially in school, I've always been around Apple computers mostly. I can recall in my elementary school and middle school days playing games like "Number Munchers" and "Oregon Trail" (MECC (Minnesota Educational Computing Corporation) for the win!). There were times when we had these programs to try to learn things as well as to refresh my mind.

I had used Mac computers in my Middle School when I took Business class as well as for basic computing skills. I have a banner hung on my wall over my bed that says "John" that I made back in my 8th Grade (1996-1997 for me) days. I then wrote on it with some messages.

Being so used to PCs and Windows, I have not been too comfortable or wanting to religiously use Apple products. Having a one-button mouse is most unusual when I'm so used to two-button mice. I am still comfortable with a two-button mouse than a one-button mouse.

My Apple Computer Experience(s).

The main computer I best remember is the Apple IIgs. In the early 1990s, I would be at my grandmother's house and play on the Apple IIgs computer in a back room. Most of what I played were games stored on 5 1/4 floppy disks. There were maybe two 3.5 floppy disks that were part of the Apple IIgs the computer had. One of them had a tour of the Apple IIgs where you controlled one man who is trying to escape through an underground tunnel. Along the way, you were taught things like pointing and clicking and dragging. The tour would finish up with a look at how to do other things, like word processing, spreadsheets, and more.

Maybe one game I best remember playing was this Donkey Kong game on a 5 1/4 floppy disk. At fortunate times, there would be a glitch to where I could easily clear stages without having to worry about dying just because I forget to jump or run into a barrel.

Some people say that the Apple II series (especially the Apple IIgs) is still one of the best Apple computer series of all time, let alone one of the best computers of all time. I still have my fair share of memories with this PC.

Apple Store.

At times, I used to drop into the Apple Store at malls. The one mall I best remember going to an Apple Store the most was the Apple Store at Baybrook Mall here in the Houston/Galveston area (in Friendswood, TX, USA). Apple Stores are stocked with loads of Apple products and accessories, including games made specifically for Apple computers. You could even get yourself an iPod or an iPad. You can surely demo these products (and more) while at the Apple Store. About the only other Apple Store I know of around here is the Apple Store at the Houston Galleria shopping mall.


There. These are some of my beginnings of Apple.

--- My Recent Fascination With Apple ---

These times have been a bit trendy for me seeing a good number of YouTube videos regarding Apple products. As of this post, I have NEVER owned a single Apple product.

It was about late last year when I became interested in getting an iPod Touch 4G. Part of the reason was because I wanted to step up from my SanDisk Sansa Fuze (I have a 4 gigabyte model Sansa Fuze). I was working myself up slowly to return to YouTube video making and watching. I started watching a handful of videos regarding the iPod Touch 4G, including even watching videos of unboxings from the YouTube channel, "DetroitBORG." I've even looked at channels like "SoldierKnowsBest" and "jon4lakers" for insight on Apple products.

I was looking at the Apple Store online and seeing video previews of various Apple products. For the most part, I was pretty impressed with a lot of what these Apple items offered and what they were capable of. So imagine how I felt about seeing certain recent Apple products in YouTube videos. Before preparing this blog post, I recently saw videos regarding the Apple IIgs computer I once used and some games I played on the IIgs. Needless to say- while I don't consider myself an Apple person, I do respect and admire Apple for what they offer.

You now know about my recent Apple fascination. Check out the next section for more appreciation for Apple.

--- Apple Interests of Mine ---

Let me share with you some interests of mine regarding Apple and Apple products.

Basic Apple Chatter.

I sense I get blog hits from Apple computers and Apple products. For example, I learn of people who visit using an iPod or an iPad. Apple's premier browser is Safari, and there are some who visit using Safari. There is also Mobile Safari for mobile users. As I've learned, Safari doesn't have Flash, so I wonder how it's possible to view certain Flash media in my blog (or in others) for Safari for my Apple visitors.

I saw one video about the Apple headphones that have a microphone for them and some remote access. These headphones are pretty ingenious in their design. I thought it was pretty cool how these headphones could also be used with certain headphone-enabled mobile phones for chatting and listening to calls.

iPod.

One of the reasons why I considered doing tech reviews was because of the iPod Touch. I have been fascinated with the iPod Touch and what all it was capable of. Maybe what I am most intrigued about this device is the WiFi ability of the iPod Touch. To me, the iPod Touch is more about having a marvelous piece of technology rather than having marvelous technology from an Apple product. I am starting to feel like the iPod Touch would be great for me for reasons other than music. I'd want the 8-gigabyte model for two reasons- (1) I don't have many gigabytes of MP3s on my computer, and (2) I'm not entirely app-crazy. Maybe there are a few games I wouldn't mind paying for (like Real Racing and Real Racing 2), but I wouldn't be too app-crazy. I am not sure if I'd go accessory and dock crazy either. If I was interested in doing Facetime with friends, I wouldn't mind doing so in chatting with others. I also would be interested in how blogs and sites look using Safari. I did a John's Corner on mobile blogging, and I still am very interested at if I could make my blog better for my mobile users.

Previously, I was interested in the 5th-gen iPod. The 5th Generation iPod Nano was what I was interested in as my YouTube video career was just getting warmed up. I wanted the 5th-generation Nano for its video-making capabilities. Ever since the Nano dropped the camera and went with the 6th-generation changes, I didn't want a Nano any longer.

I still enjoy my 2008-ish 4GB SanDisk Sansa Fuze. However, I want to eventually step up to the iPod Touch. I would prefer getting the iPod Touch 4G. I want a black one more than I'd would want the white model. There is no difference in performance with either the black or white iPod Touch 4G. Heck, I don't care if the iPod Touch 4G came in blue and gold (the official colors of "John's Blog Space")- I would really want to get an iPod Touch 4G. One thing I'd fear is getting the iPod Touch all smudged up and everything. So I would need to get a case to keep the iPod Touch as clean as possible while using it or accessing it.

Now before you spammers and scammers try to rip a brother off, I would rather pay for one at a store or online with my own money. I would rather even get one as a gift from a trustful person (like a family member or a friend) rather than get one through some seedy or suspicious offers. So don't even think about taking advantage of me with some sort of seedy offer.

iPad.

You know, I always wondered what it would be like to use the iPad. I would never want one, but I'd just be fascinated at what all could be done with the iPad. Many people just look at the iPad as a deluxe-size iPod Touch. What you can do with the iPod Touch, however, is much different than with an iPod Touch or an iPhone. I think having an iPad is like having a computer that you can carry around. What you're able to do with it is incredible to me. Imagine being on the go and be able to view the latest YouTube videos or read blogs or websites all on an iPad. Trust me- its allure and appeal are both there. I am not any kind of hater of the iPad. I wouldn't want one, but I think it is very cool.

I mentioned doing tech reviews for the iPod Touch 4G as part of my deal in reviewing products. Well, the iPad is another one I probably wouldn't mind doing a product review for either.

iLife and iMovie.

Many people make movies from their Apple devices. One of the premier programs in making movies is iMovie or iLife. You may remember I did a post here on John's Blog Space where I talked about certain popular iMovie songs you hear featured in YouTube videos. I mentioned songs like "Headspin" and "Stepping Out" among various other songs. Well, I've always had respect for this program because some high-quality videos were made using iMovie. It even has some effects I wish I could use or fake from Sony Vegas Movie Studio HD 9 (that I use to edit my videos). Even if just for the iMovie jingles and some of the video effects, I'd really want to use iMovie to edit my videos and add some extra flavor to them.

iTunes.

Even if I had some money lying around, I probably wouldn't mind buying songs from iTunes. Same would apply for getting apps. Maybe my biggest motivation to use iTunes would be to subscribe to podcasts. I try to find some stuff (usually free) to enjoy listening to away from the PC. So speaking as a lover of electronic dance music, I'm subscribed to things like Trance Around the World, VONYC Sessions, and stuff like that. Haven't downloaded anything recently, though.

Would I Jailbreak?

As I understand it (maybe you all can help me understand better), jailbreaking is the process in which you basically hack into an Apple product to make it be able to run more programs, most of which not authorized by Apple. Jailbreaking will go against your Apple warranty for a product. However, it is not considered illegal to jailbreak from what I'm told. So would I jailbreak? I wouldn't chance anything. So, no.


And that concludes some of my various Apple-related thoughts.

--- Would I Want... ---

Would I want any of the following Apple products? Answers and thoughts to come:


Would I want...

• ...an iPod (regardless of model)?
Sure- the iPod Touch 4G! I would pass on the Classic, the Nano, and especially the Shuffle.

• ...an iPhone?
No, and for three reasons- (1) I am not much of a phone person to begin with, (2) I'd rather an iPod Touch anyways than an iPhone, and (3) I'd rather not have to deal with a phone contract tied to a device like this. I'm okay even if I don't get to use things like Siri.

• ...an iPad?
Not really, but I'd surely enjoy playing around with one and seeing what all it has to offer.

• ...an Apple TV?
I saw videos about the Apple TV on YouTube. Nice package and everything, but not for me.

• ...a Mac Mini?
Maybe, but I'd barely realize it's there. So much computer from one tiny device. Very interesting piece of hardware.

• ...a MacBook (regardless of Air or Pro)?
No. I am not out and about constantly, so I don't think I'd need a laptop. Only reason I'd own a MacBook is if I wanted to manage my music selection on the go using Apple products.

• ...an iMac?
This is stepping into the territory of owning an Apple product and using it. I still consider myself a Windows/PC user, so I'd pass on the iMac.

• ...a Mac Pro?
The Mac Pro has to be the ultimate Mac computer. Its specifications are staggering. Even if I had the money for one, I'd pass on it.


So there you go. You now know what I would be interested in from Apple if I was shopping around for Apple products.

--- Final Thoughts on Apple ---

Apple has been great for a reason. There isn't a monopoly in the computer market to where you are forced to go with Microsoft and Windows. Apple has made its own mark in technology with their products and has distinguished itself in its own way even outside of computers. What all Apple has been able to accomplish since its founding in 1976 is nothing short of incredible. Apple really established itself outside of computers when they came along with the iPod starting in 2001. Since then, Apple extended its appeal from computers to portable media. The iPod- especially the iPod Touch- is an even bigger portable gaming device than even the latest portable gaming systems. So all in all, Apple is distinguishable and distinctive in its own rights.

One Last Thing...

...I'd be remiss if I didn't pay tribute to one fellow who helped made Apple such a success (besides the many Apple lovers). You all know who I'm talking about- Mr. Steve Jobs. People on YouTube will commonly post something similar to "RIP Steve Jobs" whenever he's shown in videos. Goes to show the amount of love and support people have for a visionary like Steve Jobs. Thanks for all you have done to make Apple such a hit with computers and with the iPod range, including the iPhone as well.

--- Apple Resources ---

This blog post is over for the most part. Do you want more Apple? Here are some links for you to visit:

• Apple Inc. home page
• Apple Company Store
• Official Apple Store
• iTunes « download the latest iTunes software there, too.

• Apple iPod - official
• Apple iPhone - official
• Apple iPad - official
• Apple Mac - official

• Apple Inc. Wikipedia entry
• 9to5Mac - a blog about Apple products
• Apple Inc. Facebook Fan Page
• Apple's YouTube channel
• Macworld (ADDED: May 1, 2012)
• Cult of Mac | Breaking News for Apple Fans (ADDED: May 1, 2012)
• Mac Rumors: Apple Mac iOS Rumors and News You Care About (ADDED: May 1, 2012)


More links may be added in future edits.





That concludes my Apple Appreciation post. I hope this was to your liking. I expressed everything in a professional manner. If you enjoyed my blog and/or this blog post, Subscribe and Follow Thank you for reading! Now here is how you get social with me:

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Be Amazing EVERY Day!

Need motivation today? Recite any or all of these quotes to yourself as your own personal mantra and give yourself empowerment on making this day special. Give yourself a chance to read these quotes while also trying to live up to these quotes. Remember- be AMAZING today! Here's my inspiration to you all:

• Every day is a chance to be amazing and do something amazing. Today is one of those chances.

• I will make the most of this day to make myself amazing.

• I will work to make today an amazing day.

• I will work as best as possible to make today a great day, even if it ultimately ends up a bad day.

• If today ends up a bad day, then at least I did my best to make it as best of a day as possible.

• I will not let anything stop me in making the most of this day.

• I was granted the opportunity to be great today, and I will not fail myself or others.

• Being amazing grants me strength and power. You, nor anything else will not break me in my attempts to make myself stronger.

• Even if uninspired today, I am inspired to be amazing and do amazing things regardless of what today brings or will/could bring.

• Even if I lack motivation to be amazing today, I still willingly drive myself to be amazing in some sort of way today.

While I may commonly say "have a great day" to friends, every day is a chance to be amazing in some sort of way. Your life is a book with many pages and chapters left blank. How will you fill in those pages? Don't tell me your answer(s) to that question- answer this on your own with your own input. Who wants to read a book on someone whose life was without promise, without hope, and without any real determination to make himself/herself better than the day before? Every day is a chance to be amazing. So...

BE AMAZING EVERY DAY!
(a public service announcement by John B. Marine)

Thank you for reading! Hope this gets you going for the day! :)

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United Kingdom and Ireland Beauties

The United Kingdom and Ireland boasts some beauties worthy of being posted on John's Blog Space. I will try to feature some of the many in this Beauties-themed post. I regularly get hits from the United Kingdom, so I hope my UK readers can find some enjoyment in this post. This is a look at many different ladies born in this specific region.

BEFORE I BEGIN...

I'd like to send a special hello to those of you from the United Kingdom and Ireland. I hope I can showcase some of your lovely ladies in this post. This is the least I can do since I get so much support and views from the United Kingdom and Ireland.

I will update this blog post if there are pictures that I can not use. I don't have pictures for every featured personality, but I will do my best to keep my audience entertained with pictures I can actually use. Please let me know I can not use certain pictures for some of the people I will feature here, and I will find some other way to showcase the featured people here. All images were as a result of Google Image searches.

WARNING: This post features many YouTube videos. You may have some trouble viewing this blog post if on a slow connection.

About the Label: "UK and Ireland"

All topics relating to or about either/or the United Kingdom or Ireland are featured under this label. They may even partially involve topics relevant to being featured under this label.

--- United Kingdom and Ireland Beauties ---

While I do value my readers all around the United Kingdom, there are some who may feel sad that I may be neglecting certain parts of the United Kingdom. Like there are some people who are proud the UK is represented, but would feel better if the various individual nations of the UK are featured. So I broke this up into the different representative countries to spread the wealth (so to speak). Because I also value my readers from Ireland, I lovingly included Irish beauties. This is how my post will work:

• England - ladies born in and/or of British descent.
• Scotland - ladies born in and/or of Scottish descent.
• Wales - ladies born in and/or of Welsh descent.
• Northern Ireland - ladies born in and/or of Northern Ireland descent.
• Ireland - ladies born in and/or of Irish descent.
• UK Crown Dependencies - ladies born in or of descent; such as those from the Isle of Man, Jersey, or Guernsey among others.

The featured ladies may be fully of certain descent or of part descent from the nations represented in this post. So let's talk lovely ladies of the United Kingdom and Ireland! Please remember- you can visit official websites, fan pages, and other material if you click on the heading of each featured beauty.

One thing to note about my "Beauties" posts is that this is not a post featuring all of the various beauties. These are usually people I find off the top of my head or during searches. They are all whom I think are lovely. And often times, I do include others that I think people MAY appreciate I make mention to. Otherwise, these are all my own personal picks for lovely ladies of the blog post's category.

Some of these featured beauties have been covered in my blog before, so click on any blog post links I've included to read my blog post on certain ladies featured here.

--- United Kingdom Beauties: England ---

(THIS REGION: England)

I love all of my readers worldwide. One of the biggest regions regularly is the United Kingdom. One of the biggest countries? England. When I usually learn of people who visit my blog(or even my YouTube channel), I don't usually get that it's a certain country within the United Kingdom. It just comes out at United Kingdom. However, a good number of hits I get usually come from England. Most of the hits I usually see are usually from around either London or Manchester. Regardless, I love and respect all of you people from England. It's time I talk about some of the loveliest British ladies. Cheers, mates!

Leona Lewis.

Leona Lewis was the champion of the UK's X-Factor in 2006. Leona has a beautiful voice both singing and in speaking. She is an Afro-Guyanese singer born in Islington in London, England, United Kingdom. This (born: April 3, 1985)-year old has come up with great songs such as "Bleeding Love" from her debut album, "Spirit."

My blog post on Leona Lewis: "Leona Lewis" - John's Blog Space. And if you've never heard her sing, introduce yourself to Leona Lewis by listening to this song:

Layla Kayleigh.

^ from: recent-movies.com - The gorgeous Layla Kayleigh.

London is a lovely city, and one of its loveliest natives is Layla Kayleigh from South London. This (born: January 26, 1984)-year old first caught my eye during G4TV's coverage of E3 one year. A lovely face with gorgeous hair and a lovely voice made me fall head-over-heels in love with her. Her media work has mostly been as a reporter and as a correspondent. Layla Kayleigh was also the lovely lady who covered The Feed for G4TV's "Attack of the Show!" For the longest, I've wanted to do an individual blog post on her. Never found the time to do so (or at least make a quality post). So therefore, I am here to announce it- Layla Kayleigh is one lovely London lady. Here is a sample of her speaking:



Layla Kayleigh, ladies and gentlemen...

Kelly Osbourne.

^ from: www.stylenow.info - British beauty Kelly Osbourne.
If you are a regular watcher of "Fashion Police" on E!, you may have heard of Kelly Osbourne. I only know of Kelly Osbourne as the daughter of the great Ozzy Osbourne as well as in hearing a remix of "One Word" by her. She's from Westminster, England, UK.

Adele.

Adele is among my Plus Size Beauties. She was born in Tottenham, North London, England, United Kingdom; but her origin is from West Norwood, South London, England, United Kingdom. Her brand of music is primarily rather soulful and with passion. Adele is very loved by many people. While I'm not any crazy fan of hers, I do respect the (born: May 5, 1988)-year old. "Rolling in the Deep" remains my favorite song of hers... and really the only song I really like from her. Others enjoy some of her other songs, like "Someone Like You," "Set Fire to the Rain," and songs like that.

If you are on YouTube, you can check out Adele on YouTube through this VEVO channel: "AdeleVEVO" on YouTube.

Natasha Bedingfield.

She has a pocketful of sunshine. Today is where your book begins, and the rest is still unwritten. This lady can only be one (born: November 26, 1981)-year old Natasha Bedingfield from Sussex, England, United Kingdom. I personally love both "These Words" and "Pocketful of Sunshine" from Natasha Bedingfield. Have a listen to Natasha:

Melissa Peachey.

Melissa (or Mel) Peachey was a host of a former Game Show Network show called "PlayMania." PlayMania was a phone-in show whereas people called on their cell phones to play games to win cash. This British beauty was one of the hosts of the show along with Missouri native Shandi. This video below features her as the host of a game show similar to PlayMania in Scotland called Brain Box. Here is a look at Mel Peachey:

Kate Moss.

^ from: topnews.in - Kate Moss- perhaps the world's most famous muse.

Who into fashion HAS NOT heard of Kate Moss? The (born: January 16, 1978)-year old is perhaps one of the world's most famous models. She was born in Addiscombe, Croydon, London, England, UK. She has gone from a controversial sort of figure to a style icon. She was best coined as exhibiting "heroin chic" as well as even being caught doing cocaine. Look at this video to get a profile of Kate Moss and her style: "Fashion File: Kate Moss" - YouTube.

Vicki Butler-Henderson.

I was first introduced to the sweet and sultry Vicki Butler-Henderson back when Speed Channel shown episodes of "Fifth Gear." I have even seen Vicki cover pit reporting duties for ITV Sport for the British Touring Car Championship. Vicki has been racing in her past and still does a good bit of racing. She hails from Hertfordshire, England, United Kingdom. Here is a sample of Vicki Butler-Henderson in a car as sexy as she is:



:D

Pippa Mann.

Do you know what makes my own picks different from others? I actually can talk about certain people based on fields and sports I am familiar with. One of those is motorsport. Among the many ladies I featured in my "Women in Motorsport" blog post, (born: August 11, 1983)-year old Pippa Mann is a beautiful British blonde who knows a thing or two about going fast. One of her best performances was when she led the most laps at an Indy Lights race at Kentucky in 2010 and ended up winning the race. She is immensely talented. Then again, can you expect anything less from a factory of racing talent like the United Kingdom?

If you're interested in seeing Pippa Mann talk about her win at Kentucky in Indy Lights long ago, I invite you to have a look at this video: "Pippa Mann Wins Kentucky" - YouTube

Katherine Legge.

As one of many of England's finest racing talent, Katherine Legge of Guillford, England, United Kingdom has loads of experience in single-seat formula cars as well as some DTM experience. The (born: July , 1980)-year old was someone I first heard of in the former Champ Car World Series. I think she is a very solid racer. I love Danica Patrick, but I have immense respect for Katherine Legge.

I think this video tells you everything you need to know about Katherine Legge:

Elizabeth Hurley.

Elizabeth Hurley (also known as Liz Hurley) is a lovely British actress. She hails from Basingstoke, Hampshire, England. Among her many roles has been in "Four Weddings and a Funeral" as well as "Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery" among others. The (born: June 10, 1965)-year old has been involved in many different arenas. Despite her age, she looks as fabulous as any much younger celebrity.

Sarah Brightman.

^ from: amazon.com - Sarah Brightman sings as beautifully as her looks.

One of the loveliest and most diversified singers is (born: August 14, 1960)-year old Sarah Brightman. Her music career spans a few decades, starting out in 1976 including many lovely soprano pieces. I am a fan of hers. I've had two of Sarah Brightman's CDs- "Time to Say Goodbye" and "La Luna." I absolutely love her "La Luna" CD much more than "Time to Say Goodbye." My favorite song of hers is "La Luna" from her 2001 CD. If you've never heard Sarah Brightman sing, I invite you to look around on YouTube or something to hear Sarah Brightman sing. Sarah Brightman hails from Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire, England. She is a beauty both in looks and in singing.

Georgina Doull (Cupcake's Clothes).

The delightfully sweet fashion blogger Georgina Doull has a very lighthearted blog called "Cupcake's Clothes." This plus-sized British beauty is very creative with her fashion style. Many of her looks are very cute and charming. Georgina really has fun showcasing her looks and her outfits. I got exposure to her blog based on a post from my blogging friend, Principessa Gabriella. Besides fashion, she also takes part in making accessories through her Dolly Darling (formerly Dolly Mixx) line.

Charlotte Doull (Sugar and Spice).

Georgina's younger sister, Charlotte, is the creator of "Sugar and Spice." Charlotte Doull is every bit as beautiful as her older sister. The fashions aren't as fantasy-like as on "Cupcake's Clothes," but Charlotte does a great job showcasing very cute and girly fashions in her blog. Her contribution besides fashion is in her Pet Pawtraits, a collection of lovely pictures drawn by Charlotte featuring animals.

Queen Elizabeth II.

I believe this is the very first time I have featured a political leader in my "Beauties" posts. This is probably the best way to thank my readers from the United Kingdom than to offer my respects to Queen Elizabeth II. She was born in Mayfair, Greater London, England. She has reigned as Queen for over 60 years. Only Queen Victoria has reigned longer- 63 years.

Queen Elizabeth turned 86 back on April 21, 2012; so happy belated birthday to Queen Elizabeth II! Here is a video showcasing Queen Elizabeth II from her younger days to now:



More may be added in future edits, so if you enjoyed this post, I may feature a few more!





That concludes England, but I still have many more parts of the United Kingdom to mention! Also, I haven't even discussed Ireland yet! Nor have I mentioned the United Kingdom Crown Dependencies. I am including this Jump Break to improve the performance of this blog post for those who are not reading the blog's main page or some archived page. Are you reading the full blog post? You are NOT reading the full post if you see "Read More" below this paragraph. So click on "Read More" to continue your reading experience if you enjoyed this post! Or of course, disregard this paragraph if you are reading the full post.

--- United Kingdom Beauties: Scotland ---

(THIS REGION: Scotland)

How about I pay some respect to you Scottish folk? Here are some Scottish sweethearts I'd like to feature in this section...

Ashley Jensen.

^ from: www.dailymakeover.com - Scottish actress Ashley Jensen.

Christina on "Ugly Betty" is Scotland's Ashley Jensen. She is from Annan, Scotland. Her television and film resumé extends as far back as 1990. I became fond of Ashley Jensen in "Ugly Betty" as she played Christina. This is a beautiful blonde with plenty of acting talent.

Susie Stoddart (or Suzie Wolff).

Another British girl that knows how to go fast is (born: December , 1982)-year old Suzie Stoddart (now Suzie Wolff). She was born in Scotland. So I have her in the Scotland part of my blog post. She was born Suzie Wolff. Her racing resume ranges from single-seater races to the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters (DTM). She was recently (as of April 2012) signed as a development driver for Williams F1.

Watch as Suzie pilots the beautiful Mercedes-Benz SLS GT3 and talks about her progression through racing: "Susie Stoddart tries the Mercedes SLS GT3" - YouTube.


I may have some more Scottish ladies I may want to feature in future edits. These will do for now.

--- United Kingdom Beauties: Wales ---

(THIS REGION: Wales)

Wales can be quite a beautiful place. I usually know Wales for their great rugby football. The only two cities I know of in Wales are Cardiff and Swansea (I know of Cardiff more than I do Swansea). Here are some Welsh ladies whose beauty are as hard-hitting as the Welsh national rugby team:

Charlotte Church.

Charlotte Church captivated audiences worldwide with her glorious singing voice as a teenager. This singing beauty was born Charlotte Maria Reed from Cardiff, Wales on February 21, 1986. She was marketed as having the "Voice of an Angel." She would later progressively change her music style from soprano to pop. One of the most transitional pieces was felt in her fourth album, Enchantment. Her pop debut came with her "Tissues and Issues" album in 2005. One constant has remained true ever since the world learned of her- Charlotte Church is one beautiful lady from Wales.

More thoughts on Charlotte Church can be seen in my blog post on her: "Charlotte Church" - John's Blog Space.

Sophie Moulds.

The winner of Miss Wales is one young (19 years old as of this initial post) Sophie Moulds. Many say her looks vastly resemble Kate Middleton. This beauty will be among many to contest for Miss World for 2012 in Mongolia. The young beauty from Ferndale, Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales stands 5'10" (177.8 cm) and beat out Theresa Ashley and Alice Ford (both from Cardiff) for the honor of Miss Wales.

See this link for more images of Sophie Moulds, and how much do you think she looks like Kate Middleton? See for yourself: "Sophie Moulds, Kate Middleton’s Look-A-Like, Crowned Miss Wales" - The Inquisitr

--- United Kingdom Beauties: Northern Ireland ---

(THIS REGION: Northern Ireland)

This one was tough. I had to basically look on Wikipedia to find certain ones to feature here.

Charlotte Coyle.

^ from: celebguru.com, by way of www.instablogsimages.com - Curvy Irish beauty Charlotte Coyle.

Born in 1982, Charlotte Coyle is a plus-size beauty from Derry, Northern Ireland. She is perhaps best known for her reality TV series called "Plus-Size Beauty Contest," dedicated to finding the most beautiful plus-size women in a pageant setting. You can learn more about this lovely lady by reading this page on www.judgmentofparis.com.

Nadine Coyle.

Representing the group Girls Aloud, Nadine Coyle is a (born: June 15, 1985)-year old beauty from Derry, Northern Ireland. She has both beauty and singing talent. How hot is Nadine Coyle? I think this music video says it all:



I can't find too many more to feature.

--- Irish Beauties ---

(THIS REGION: Ireland)

I don't know as much as I'd like to about Ireland, but I do know there are lovely places like Dublin, Limerick, Galway, and places like that in Ireland. Time to showcase some Irish beauties that are as beautiful as some of Ireland's many lovely locations. You ready?

Pearls, Lace, and Ruffles.

Here is a beautiful lady from Ireland with an eye for girly and vintage fashions. Dee is a lovely young fashion blogger. Her blog posts feature a handful of lovely looks of hers. Become enveloped in her beauty by visiting "Pearls, Lace, and Ruffles."

M.N.A.

M.N.A. is an Irish pop trio featuring three lovely ladies. From youngest to oldest, MNA consists of Shauna Buckingham, Shauna Kavanagh, and Jenny Bowden. All three are from Ireland. This is their song, "Flying" from Eurovision Ireland in 2009:

Maggie Flecknoe (Honorable Mention!).

While she was born in Aurora, Colorado, USA; Marguerite (better known as "Maggie" or nicknamed "Blondie") Flecknoe has some Irish heritage in her. Many people know Maggie for her voice overs as well as various anime roles. She is now popularly known for "Online Dish With Maggie" as part of the CW Networks' Eye Opener program. "Online Dish With Maggie" is all about Maggie expressing her opinions on certain interesting topics. Through it all, the native of Aurora, Colorado, USA delivers with sassy style and a voice that is both sultry and sweet at the same time.

I cover "Online Dish With Maggie" in more detail here: "Online Dish With Maggie" - John's Blog Space.

Ana Ortiz (Honorable Mention!).

Ana Ortiz is perhaps best known for her role as Hilda in Ugly Betty. The reason why she is featured here in the Irish section is because she has both Puerto Rican (father) and Irish-American (mother) heritage. Ana Ortiz was once a fledgling actress before finding real fame playing the saucy Hilda on Ugly Betty. In addition to being a great actress, she also has some great singing talent.

--- Beauties from U.K. Crown Dependencies ---

(THIS REGION: Isle of Man, [Bailiwick of] Jersey, Guernsey)

I will try to feature some ladies from the United Kingdom Crown Dependencies. This one will be tough, but I'll do my best. Remember that in regards to Jersey, I am talking about the Bailiwick of Jersey, not the state of New Jersey, not the Jersey Shore- I'm talking about the Bailiwick of Jersey.


I'm sorry I couldn't find a famous lovely lady from the Isle of Man. So I'll move on. My apologies to my readers from the Isle of Man. Maybe I'll replace this part with a Manx lady in the future. For now, let's move on.

Nerina Pallot.

Though born in London, Nerina Pallot's origin is from Jersey. She is a singer-songwriter representing the Bailiwick of Jersey. Meet Nerina Pallot now. Here is her in one of her songs, "Put Your Hands Up." Pretty good singing voice in my view:

Heather Watson.

Heather Watson is a tennis player whose origin is from the Bailiwick of Guernsey. This (born: May 19, 1992)-year old resides in Florida but was born in Saint Peter Port, Guernsey. There is a little South Pacific in Heather because her mother is a national of Papua New Guinea. Here is a look at the young Guernsey girl:



That's it.





Just so you know... I've done North America, South America, Africa, Asia, the South Pacific... and I hope to do a series of Beauties posts regarding continental Europe. If I do, then my beauties of continental Europe will be broken up into multiple sections. That's for if I eventually do beauties for Europe. Thank you for reading!

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Take Your Pick - Mykonos or Santorini?

Take your pick- Mykonos or Santorini? Many people instantly fall into the appeal of the Greek capital of Athens, but some may not know of the beauty of the South Aegean islands of Mykonos and Santorini. These are two beautiful Greek islands with immense charm. Semi-inspired by my blogging friend Jelena of "Glam and Fab Chameleon," I'd like to offer this "Take Your Pick" on two of Greece's most beautiful islands of the South Aegean region.

A Special Hello...

If any of you are from Greece or are Greek, I'd like to extend a special welcome to you to "John's Blog Space!" I do get a good deal of hits from Greece, so it's nice to welcome you Greeks and Greek-based folks over to my blog. Enjoy your stay. Hope this blog is to your liking.

--- Take Your Pick: Mykonos or Santorini? ---

They are two beautiful Greek islands- Mykonos and Santorini. They both have sapphire or turquoise seas. Angelic white buildings and structures. Both are eccentric party locations with great nightlife scenes. For all intents and purposes, these are islands with heavenly beauty.

--- Why Mykonos? ---

I have been more educated with Mykonos than I have been with Santorini. Mykonos just appealed to me more as I didn't know as much about Santorini than before I prepared this blog post.

Here is a video of Mykonos:


After looking at this video, my love of Mykonos has been verified. It seems like the kind of place an A-List celebrity can hang out at and enjoy life. Ancient and modern come together so nicely with an island like Mykonos.

--- Why Santorini? ---

How about a look at Santorini now? Santorini seems to be a lot less of glitz and glam of Mykonos, while still remaining a fantastic place. It has very gorgeous appeal that seems a lot less modernized than Mykonos. It also seems like you can do a bit more if you're the adventurous type compared to Mykonos.

Or if you want a video reason of "Why Santorini?", this is for you:


I'll tell you what- I now know more about Santorini after preparing this post than I have previously.

--- Which Would I Pick? ---

If I actually did travel, I'd want to visit both islands. Mykonos tends to appeal more to me than Santorini. Of course, that's not to say that Santorini doesn't have any appeal, because Santorini has PLENTY of appeal.

--- A Quick Salute ---

It was Jelena of "Glam and Fab Chameleon" who semi-inspired me to make this post. For you fans of fashion blogs, Jelena is a fashion blogger from Serbia based in Greece. She even designs her own jewelry with a line called Glam Chameleon Jewelry. For as much as she makes her own jewelry, Jelena is a beautiful gem herself, and so is her blog.

Here are various posts of Jelena in Santorini. The link is from a search result for "Santorini" when I visited this blog recently: "Santorini" pictures of Jelena


Jump into Jelena's Glam and Fab world by visiting "Glam and Fab Chameleon" today! You may also visit her blog and "like" her Facebook fan page. More information when you visit her blog. If Jelena herself is reading this, let me welcome you to John's Blog Space and thank you for your continued support of my work!





That concludes another "Take Your Pick" along with another blog post. I thank you for visiting. Which would you favor more- Mykonos or Santorini? Feel free to share your thoughts here. Thank you for reading!

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Perfectionism

Nothing is ever perfect, yet we push ourselves to be perfect or as close to perfect as possible. Even I must admit I push to be perfect in all I do. I want as few faults as possible in my videos and blog posts. If nothing is perfect, why do we push to be perfect? Why does a sports team think they could finish undefeated? Why can a student feel he/she can pass everything with the highest-possible grades? Why does a gamer think he/she can complete any game without taking any damage or dying in a game? It is because we push to be perfect all the time.

--- Perfectionism ---

Perfectionists think the best way to be fully satisfied with their work is to be perfect in all phases of our craft. If not perfect, then as close to perfect as possible. Perfection is the ultimate form of gratification. It means you've done everything absolutely right with no faults to speak of. Think of unbeaten sports teams- they won every game regardless of how they all played through the season. They didn't have to dominate every game, but they did the most important thing- win. Even in victory, however, perfectionism also relates to the fact that things can be done better and more efficiently. That can be pretty natural when you think about how you could have done something better. For example, you may be a basketball player that scored a lot of points for your team, but you may be upset because you missed a few layups or open shots.

A perfectionist always thinks he/she should be able to accomplish anything efficiently and have it all done as flawless as possible. Whatever "perfect" means to the person in question relates to what he/she deems perfect for a given task. You will need to do everything possible to do a certain task brilliantly. Doing things from a perfectionist's standpoint means doing things to a certain standard. Sometimes, going beyond a certain standard or standards.

Fear of Imperfection.

The one thing that gets to all of us is in making or having imperfections in our work. Realistically, we would like as few imperfections as possible- and I am not just talking about in fashion. I try to post my blog posts and videos with as few faults or forgotten content as possible. Whatever I post online is the best material I could post at the time of that post. Often times, I note I've made certain errors that must be corrected. Everything I put into my posts or videos is everything at my best level. Anything less than acceptable doesn't get posted or featured. My biggest fear is to have too many imperfections to where I felt I could have done a much better job than what I could have done in my very first post. Remember that I am in charge of myself, so there is little fear of me trying to publish something quickly and with professionalism and mastery of skill. However, I do feel like a school/college student, having to do everything right (or as close to right) as possible for the best results.

Imperfection vs. Just Being Sloppy/Lazy.

Is there a difference between imperfections and just being sloppy? Sure! Imperfections usually involve errors that can be corrected. Just messing up facts and content is purely unacceptable. Do you honestly want your published work to be full of errors and faults if you care so much about making quality content? Even if you don't care too much about what people think about your work, you at least want to work to make your material acceptable. Acceptable means... suitable and useful. The other side is just about posting something and not caring about what anyone thinks.

--- Am I a Perfectionist? ---

I think of myself often times as a perfectionist, but even I know I can do so much. I think too much about many things. So you can say I am a perfectionist... to an extent. I often edit and re-edit my posts using NoteTab as well as spell checking with Firefox. I care deeply about posting the best version of something the first time around so that I don't have to keep editing it all the time. If I have to edit something initially posted on a constant basis when I could have done almost everything right the first time, all I am doing is degrading the quality of my material as well as wasting your time. You (as a reader/visitor) deserve my best all the time because I hold myself to such high standards. If I am not doing my blogging at an acceptable level, I am just negatively wasting my creative energy to all of you, which is unacceptable to me.

--- Final Thoughts on Perfectionism ---

You can't let imperfections rule over you. You sometimes have to allow some imperfections to be made so you can make yourself a better person. I always feel learning from errors and imperfections help make us better. How can you make yourself better if you disallow yourself to have faults? Even the very best in any industry has had to overcome faults and shortcomings to eventually be great.





There is nothing wrong with being a perfectionist or having a perfectionist's mindset. However, don't allow yourself to be broken down by focusing too much on making everything extremely perfect. Just work to make everything as acceptable as possible. If there are any faults you have or have experienced, work to resolve those faults in future applications. Most important of all- don't let yourself down if you don't do everything perfectly right. Until next time, thank you for reading!

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The Battle of Olympus

The Battle of Olympus is a game for the NES released in 1989 by Broderbund. A Game Boy version was released by Radical Entertainment and Imaingeer in 1993. This game helped me to appreciate Greek Mythology. So you can imagine this game has helped me to become a fan of Greek Mythology. Maybe more people today may get their fix of Greek goodness from the God of War series, but WELL before that game series, there was "The Battle of Olympus." This blog post is a look at this classic game.

--- The Battle of Olympus ---

^ from: timewarpgamer.com - The box to "The Battle of Olympus."


Here is the text from the box of this game:

"This is an ancient story- a time when men and gods lived together. The peaceful village of Elis was the home of the fairest maiden and a gentle yet brave young man named Orpheus. Helene and Orpheus swore eternal love to each other. But alas, one day, Helene fell victim to the fangs of a venomous serpent and was turned into stone.

"Your adventure will take you through ancient Greece on a classic mythological quest. It may be easy to defeat the snakes and centaurs that inhabit most of the cities but how will you defeat Hydra? Or the terrible three-headed dog, Cerberus? You'll need to use all of your adventuring skills to find the magic items that will allow you to rescue your beloved Helene."

-text from the box of the game

The Story and General Information.

You play as Orpheus as you try to save your girlfriend, Helene, through the clutches of Hades. Your girlfriend was cast into stone, and three hearts will help restore her. A vicious journey awaits you as you battle through a monster-ridden Greece. Can you save your girlfriend and Greece from the wrath of Hades?

You will have to rely on bay leaves to help you recover health, and you will need olives (a maximum of 99) to purchase items. You start off with a mere club. Three more weapons can be obtained. Five different items and five equipment items will help make your quest easier. Talking to gods and goddesses in their temples will help you to track your progress. They will even lend you their powers to help you complete your quest. You need to remember these passwords to access your game progress in future plays.

A number of real Greek mythological beasts and monsters await you, ranging from various smaller enemies to larger bosses such as the Lamia, Minotaur, the Centaur, and Cerberus among others. You are in for the fight of your life in your journey to rescue your girlfriend.

The Areas.

Let's look at the areas you can visit:

• Arcadia - a simple and easy realm. Visit Zeus as you start out.

• Attica - a major city. Goddess Athena resides here, and two different areas can be accessed through Attica.

• Argolis - an underworld area dominated by two caves. In one of the caves, however, there is a secret area if you have (a certain item). Apollo can be found here.

• Peloponnesus - a maze set in a dense forest. Many perils exist here including thorns and spider webs.

• Laconia - a coastal area with many tall pillars. Poseidon resides here, and if you have enough olives, he'll lend you his strength. It is important you get [this item] here because you will need it to enter Tartarus.

• Phythia - an area high into the mountains. This is one of the most difficult areas of the game, and you will need a good amount of olives to acquire the game's most powerful weapon. A lot of careful jumping and intense fighting awaits you here.

• Crete - on this island lies a maze guarded by knights and soldiers. This is also where you need a lot of olives to purchase two different items. You need to have enough of *something• in Argolis before getting one of the items.

• Phygria - an area featuring a large castle that you can enter. This is a difficult stage with hazards both inside the castle and outside the castle. Goddess Artemis awaits you if you are able to reach her temple here.


Once you have everything and been everywhere, only one more challenge awaits:

• Tartarus - the road to Hades and your love takes you through here. Tartarus has a few different realms for you to access before actually accessing Hades' temple. Once you arrive in Hades' temple, you will need to use all of your skill and might to get through to fight Hades himself.

--- Overall Review ---

The Battle of Olympus is an intense game. Some of the battles can be fairly monotonous and frustrating at times, but it is otherwise a very good game. You will especially be feeling frustrated when you reach Phythia and Phygria. The game is a very nice way to get exposed to some of the many figures and creatures of Greek mythology. It helped me to appreciate The Odyssey when I had to read it in my 9th Grade days. I have beaten this game multiple times.

Video Preview.

So do you want to see the game in action? I invite you to see this game on YouTube. This is courtesy of "NESGuide": "The Battle of Olympus - NES Gameplay" - YouTube.





Do you have a Nintendo Entertainment System? If you want to get this game online, have a look here:



You can visit "Old School Gaming Consoles" on John's Shop Space if you want to get an NES. Please help support my work any way you can. I would appreciate your support, whether monetary or non-monetary.





Thanks so much for reading! I hope you have an amazing day/night. Come back to John's Blog Space (or any of my other blogs) anytime!

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Take Your Pick - New York City or Los Angeles?

New York City. Los Angeles. You want to go to either city. You've never been to either city. Which one would you want to visit most? Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to a new concept for my blog that I've long wanted to introduce- "Take Your Pick!" This blog post in the Take Your Pick category is one about which city you'd want to go to if given this choice. I'll share my own ideas here in this post.

About the Label: Take Your Pick.

"Take Your Pick" is a blog label where I invite my readers to choose between one or more items featured. There are certain parameters put into play to keep things interesting. I hope to have this as a method of generating a little debate and getting some more involvement from my readers.


Now, let's begin!

--- Take Your Pick: New York City or Los Angeles? ---

Why care about either location? Both are major cities. Truly international cities. They've somewhat been must-visit cities for almost anyone in the United States including internationally. These are two major cities on two different coasts. But which is better- New York City or Los Angeles?

Important Details:

When making a choice on this topic, here are some parameters to keep things interesting:

• You must have not been to either location. If you have been to both cities, you are free to choose which is better.
• You must not be specifically from either location, including suburbs of the respective cities.


So let's do it!

--- Why New York City? ---

There's just something about a place like New York City that really draws people to it. For me, it's tough to argue against New York City- bright lights, tall buildings, unique character... quintessential American city.

Here is New York City in a video:



Here are some random talking points...

• You have a number of locales such as the Empire State Building, Central Park, Rockefeller Center, Brooklyn Bridge, Rucker Park (for my basketball folks), and Madison Square Garden among many other locations. Don't forget about Times Square as well! If you're into fancy shopping, 5th Avenue is for you. Also- don't forget about that beautiful woman on Ellis Island: the Statue of Liberty.

• If you're a sports fan, you have plenty to be proud of- the New York Knicks, the New York Rangers and N.Y. Islanders, the New York Jets and Giants (even though they both play in New Jersey), New York Mets, and of course, the New York Yankees. Football (as in soccer) fans can enjoy the New York Red Bulls of Major League Soccer who play at the beautiful Red Bull Arena in Harrison, NJ. The New Jersey Nets will be moving to Brooklyn and will become the Brooklyn Nets starting with the 2012-2013 season of NBA basketball. There is also the New York Liberty of the WNBA. You may even be a fan of St. John's basketball as well for you college basketball fans.

• Your education options are vast in and around New York City- Columbia University, Fordham University, St. John's University, Manhattan College, New York University, City College of New York... all among MANY other institutions.

• Lot of media outlets are in New York City including many different shows that are aired in NYC. Some shows and businesses are mostly located within NYC. Shows like the Bill Cunningham Show and the Jeremy Kyle Show are filmed in New York City. Daytime talk shows like Maury and Jerry Springer have taped in recent years in a studio in Stamford, Connecticut, USA. Stamford is also the world headquarters of World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE). Popular nighttime shows like "The Late Show With David Letterman" and "Saturday Night Live" are shown in New York City. Let's not forget the COUNTLESS movies, TV shoes, video games, and things like that are either based in New York City or inspired by New York City. You gamers are probably playing two recent games that have NYC as its backdrop- "Crysis 2" and "Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3."

• New York City is its own proper fashion hotbed. Therefore, you become accustomed to NYC fashion style including the allure of New York Fashion Week. I need only say Fifth Avenue for you fashionable types. Don't forget about New York Fashion Week as well if you are a fashion lover. Also, New York City is the home grounds for two of the most popular fashion blogs- Fashion by He and The Sartorialist.

• New York is great for eating out. The only one I know of, unfortunately, is Katz's Delicatessen. There was once a show called "24 Hour Restaurant Battle" (which I blogged about here on John's Blog Space) where people wanting to make their own restaurant had to prepare everything from food to furnishings to make their own restaurant. All of the action from this reality show was in New York City.


New York City just has so much to offer. And if you're from the other side of the Atlantic Ocean, you won't feel too far away from Europe or Africa.

--- Why Los Angeles? ---

It seems like everybody is from California or living in California, especially Southern California; and almost especially the Los Angeles area. Come on now- Torrance, Santa Monica, Venice Beach, Long Beach, Beverly Hills, Riverside, Azusa, Studio City... you name it. Don't forget about the big "Hollywood" sign in case you forget where the heck you are. I would need an entire blog (not just a single post) to discuss the many movies, TV shows, and all that take place in Los Angeles. I mean- there are SO many movies and such based in Los Angeles, you almost wonder if everybody and everything is in Los Angeles.

This is a video showcasing Los Angeles:



• Why Los Angeles? Obvious reasons- lots of star power. Rodeo Drive. The USCal Trojans and UCLA Bruins rivalry. If you're into sports, you love you some Lakers basketball (and the Clippers) and some Dodgers baseball. You may even be fond of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. Also, who doesn't love being among the stars and celebrities that call L.A. home? Who doesn't love being in the movie-making industry?

• Care to learn in Los Angeles? Many institutions are within reach- the University of Southern California, the University of California-Los Angeles (better known as UCLA, of course), Loyola Marymount University, California State University-Los Angeles... all among many others.

• One instantly feels star power in Los Angeles, especially knowing you are within distance of various studios and media outlets. Paramount Pictures, Universal Studios, 20th Century Fox, Warner Brothers... I can go on.

• Los Angeles has a number of famous eateries and chains. Among others, Roscoe's Chicken and Waffles and In-N-Out Burger come to mind immediately to me.


I talked about NYC and not being far from Europe and Africa. With Los Angeles, you feel closer to home, if home to you is Asia or Australia.

--- Which Would I Choose? ---

I've never been outside of Texas as of this post, but would I choose New York City or Los Angeles?

Through my childhood, I've always seemed to want to visit New York City more than I do Los Angeles. Both cities are surely worth visiting. I just seemed always more enamored with New York City than I do Los Angeles. The city is truly classic to me. I would absolutely enjoy seeing the New York City skyline from across the Hudson River at night.

This is going to sound funny- I would feel more lost in Los Angeles than I would in New York City. I honestly do wish I knew more about Los Angeles and surrounding areas than what I do know. I would probably most want to visit Rodeo Drive and all the various shops and such. I may even be interested in seeing Watts and the Watts Towers.

Most of all- I have one big fear about being on the West Coast (or even Japan)- fear of being in an earthquake. That kind of is a deterrent for me being around the Ring of Fire. It's also why I'm a bit fearful of going in another California city I love- San Francisco.


So I would most want to visit New York City if I had to choose between New York City and Los Angeles.





I would like to specially thank the YouTube channel, "vidatown" for allowing their videos to be embedded. So that's the concept of "Take Your Pick." Which would you choose- New York City or Los Angeles? Thank you for reading! Get social with me! Here's how:

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