Showing posts with label Entertainment. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Entertainment. Show all posts

Saturday, August 27, 2016

My Favorite Apps: From Apple to Android, #SocialMedia #Entertainment #Travel #Technology #Food and more!


I am reminded of the first time I told my mom to go to the App Store, and she said sure- what’s the address?  My, my how times have changed- most of us could not be found without our Smart Phones (Apple, Windows or Android) permanently affixed to our hands.  I for one am a huge fan of putting it down when there’s a place and time to be “present” ala the dinner table- but for those times where we can explore the wonder which is app world, my good friend Janet Schijns- Verizon's Global Channel Chief and fellow Chic and Geek #TechNerd recently posed a question on FB asking what our fav apps are?  I started to respond and pumped the breaks... I decided that I have WAY TOO MANY  many favs, I might as well write a blog and sort by category!  Some of these you probably know and love, others might be new (or present a new use for an old classic)- in any event hope you enjoy!

Entertainment: 


I love a good book – a real paper book- I miss the days of sitting in the aisles of Barnes and Nobles immersing myself in reading and drinking a Starbucks smack on the middle of an aisle floor.  As a technology early adopter and enthusiast I am remiss to say I have not yet fallen in love with virtual books (I have yet to give Kindle and Fire a serious try) but there is a variety of other tech ways to take in a plethora of other forms of entertainment from theatre to your home.  There are a variety of apps in this category- but these are the ones that keep me entertained when not reading my legacy but oh so delicious books.



·         Net Flix- I may never need cable or Dish- ever again.  Although I haven’t bit the bullet yet and completely severed ties- when our cable went down I was SHOCKED as to how many of my fav TV Series, movies, and kids shows are readily available.  Old school cartoon favs for Brooklyn and Cali, Orange is the New Black for Mommy, and hundreds of documentaries for Daddy and I- Tony Robbins – I am not your Guru my most recent fav.  Not to mention Cooking Shows like Cup Cake Wars, Home Shows like Property Brothers and so much more.  The only down side is they don’t always have my classic favs- and I would not be able to watch the Oscars, Tony’s, Super Bowl etc- #FirstWorldProblems but also a good excuse to go to a party and make it a social event, no?  Everything else gets Chromecasted or Apple TV’d from my phone to one of our TV’s around the house.

·         You Tube- So we have all watched it for the funny cat videos, and snickered when Charlie Bit his Brother’s finger but YouTube is more than enjoyable, original videos .  For Jay, my husband, - it is “mr fix it” where he can watch a how to tutorial and be a handyman extraordinaire and save hundred if not thousands of dollars (true story from cars, freezers, to dryers and more!).  For me, it is a way for me to watch music videos of all my fav songs – classic or yesteryear.  Plus the how to’s for make up and hair are on point! Everyone is a YouTube star, and some really make it big- such as my fav Jenna Marbles as she shares her random thoughts- sometimes vulgar, but always funny. Also- a great way to share our own content- so video upload your original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube… who knows, you may be the next “You Tube Stars”!


·         You Tube Kids- When you have children- and are cautious of what they watch I would recommend You Tube Kids.  YouTube Kids app is designed for curious little minds to dive into a world of discovery, learning and entertainment; Filtered by you, and parent & child approved.  Our personal favorite is Baby Bum videos – classic nursery songs, plus educational learning like colors, numbers for our 2 year old Brooklyn when alternating with Sesame Street and Elmo’s World.  Plus it’s ad and commercial free.

S   Snap Chat- Snapchat lets you easily talk with friends, add moments throughout your #RealLife day (exciting
or uneventful) as well as view Live Stories from around the world, and explore news in Discover. Their tag line, "Life's more fun when you live in the moment!" A super fun and silly way to send a quick photo or video to friends, and of course there are the absolutely addictive SnapChat Filters See my daughter Brooklyn and I  for exhibit A.  From a business perspective Snapchat is bringing behavioral targeting, or advertisement based on data gathered from user activity, to the app in the near future- creepy or helpful - you decide.  Personally, if you are going to advertise to me anyway, I much rather see things I might be interested in (a win win for both of us).


·         IMDB- These days as a mom of two at and under 2, I often watch more drive ins than movies.  But when I am going to the movies, or selecting what to watch- the International Movie Data Base- is the world's most popular and authoritative source (self-proclaimed, but I agree) for movie, TV and celebrity content.  As you will tell throughout this blog I am a huge fan of crowd sourcing and reviews.  Removing outliers, you often receive some great feedback, new genre fav recommendations, actor histories, and rankings on what is worth watching when there is not enough hours in the day to watch “all the things”.  Plus, I love watching movie trailers to get hyped up and find the closest theatre and movie times from one convenient app.



Photography/Videography:


  So it is no surprise I adore visual photo tools such as Facebook and Instagram- which I like to think of artistic virtual scrapbooks and time lines of my life.  In fact from the second Jay and I started dating- our first date, our proposal –skydiving video, our engagement our world travels, our wedding, the birth of our children and their FB pages starting from within the womb- every moment is captured.  I wish I could see my grandmother or great grandmother’s timelines from the time they were young women- their thoughts, their life, their love story, their struggles their journey in this crazy thing called life.  My social journey is my gift of my legacy, my children, and their children.  Plus, after relocating to 7 different cities before the age of 30, it is a wonderful way to stay connected with all of my friends and family around the world.

My secret passion is photography- others who do it professionally, and my attempts to do it myself with the same passion and magic.  I may not always have my DSLR Camera, but I always have the convenience of a phone handy with pretty darn good quality photos compared to previous versions.   I love apps who allow me to capture every day moments and make them artistic, magical or just plain fun. Of those here are some of my fav…



·         Photofy- Actually started by my friend Hazel Flores’s husband- this has become a world phenomenon.  Photofy is a super-easy photo editing app for consumers and businesses that combines all the features you need in one app: Templates, Filters, Light Effects.  A great way to capture months, moments, and decorate your images with fun flair.

·         Picstich- Sometimes I want to upload a ton of photos, and well, sometimes I just want one cohesive image to capture the day.  During those times- I love Pic Stitch because it quickly combine multiple photos into one beautifully framed picture! Be creative and get all the angles, capture all the looks, see all the faces together in one shot (And post on Instagram and share on FB, Twitter, and Tumblr of course! ;)).

·         Flipagram-  When you want to be creative, I love to create a Flipagram -especially for my fav people’s birthdays, anniversaries or special occasions- Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, etc. Flipagram helps bring your cherished moments to Life! You can create short photo video stories with your photos, videos clips, and favorite music.  Share some memories with someone you love, extra special and customized more than a generic Card.

·         PicPlayPost- If you can’t decide between photos, and videos- why not do BOTH? Over 10 Million users have discovered this simple way to create captivating stories with photos, videos, GIFs and music.  PicPlayPost makes it easy to combine different types of media into a collage you can share to your social networks. Share your daily workout, summarize your vacation, video collage selfies, fashion and beauty tips, and your musical range in an acapella collage.

·         I Movie- So this one is strictly for fellow apple-aholics (sorry Droid fans)-  Make Amazing  movies.  No film school required.  A great movie is right at your fingertips. Simply choose the photos and videos you want to use. Then tap and swipe to edit, add effects, and create a soundtrack. With a 64bit architecture and 4K support on iPhone 6s and iPad Pro, iMovie makes moviemaking faster and more entertaining than ever.  iMovie is designed to take advantage of the beautiful 4K video you can shoot and edit on your iPhone 6s. In fact, it is so powerful you can smoothly edit two streams of 4K video to create effects like picture-in-picture and split screen; and 3D Touch lets you speed up common iMovie tasks.  Than watch it all in full-resolution 1080p HD viewer.  I devices- once again making the complicated oh so simple, and beautiful. I recently made one for our Cisco Talent Show- stay tuned for that share.


Food:  


I love food- all food- from Michelin Three Stars to "questionable" Street Meat and every local delicacy in-between.  Out of 75 countries I have only gotten food poisoning once- and it was a rogue ice cube that took me out. There are some great apps I rely on locally or globally to help advise, find specials, and recommendations- they are as follows...


·         Yelp- Reading and leaving reviews for extraordinary food and services I often turn to Yelp.  Local crowd sourced user Reviews and Recommendations of Top Restaurants, Shopping, Nightlife, Entertainment, Services and More.  I especially like the menu recommendations and tips on child friendly (Schmoo inclusive) vs. romantic (Schmoo Free Date Nights)- or searching a craved cuisine like Italian, Chinese or miscellaneous a certain mileage (or what’s closest)  from where we are standing when we  get hangry (hungry +angry J).

·         OpenTable- My Go To for quick and easy Online Reservations- I need a table of 4 – in this city- what times are available and what are the reviews (but I usually check that on Yelp first).  OpenTable is an online real-time restaurant-reservation service. Make online reservations, read restaurant reviews from diners, and earn points towards free meals- as my uncle Joe would jokingly say- “if it’s free, it’s for me- give me three”. According to the company, it provides online reservations for about 31,000 restaurants around the world and seats about 15 million diners a month.  Word of warning- if you are going to cancel- don’t forget to cancel your online reservation on OpenTable or you get dinged. 

·         Swarm – formerly known as Four Square is the fun way to geo tag into a place – restaurant, airport, gym and more.  Swarm turns every day into a game! Earn prizes and compete with friends based on the places you go. Jay and I jokingly competed to see who would wear the crown by checking in more to our home… for all intents and purposes, and a happy marriage – it was a tie (wink wink #LonglivetheQueen).  You can also see when your friends are hanging out nearby.  The reason I list it under food is a surprise bonus that some restaurants give you a free perk just for checking in.  In fact, I have gotten awesome free desserts, appetizers and glasses of wine!  Plus some people leave funny reviews, like- make sure to check out the delish bread pudding- you can die a happy man, or stay away from the extremely questionable “meat loaf surprise”.

·         Pinterest- is. Life. From DIY home projects, motivational quotes, tips and tricks to food and drink.  It could fit into many categories but my primary use for it is recipes.  As a reformed cook book collector addict I have saved money, time, and diversified my cooking skills by turning to pinterest for new take on classics, decadent holiday treats, festive food art- especially Christmas and Halloween, and healthy options such as 21 day fix meals to work it all off (wash, rinse and repeat).  I love the simple steps, that every recipe has a picture and that there are so many new and exciting uses for food.  For example- every time I bought a butternut squash my go to recipe was soup. Thanks to Pinterest I took the same ol’ and transformed it into a delish butternut squash and spinach lasagna- a surprising take on a classic, and a huge hit at Brooklyn’s 2nd Birthday party!  When there is a school fundraiser, or party- this is where I turn.  I will give an honorable mention to my other favs for recipes BuzzFeed’s TASTY videos are a quick and easy way to leave your mouth watering, and Epicurious is delicious refined recipes- Epicurious has been the ultimate food resource for the home cook, with daily kitchen tips, fun cooking videos, and, oh yeah, over 33000 recipes!

·         Groupon/Living Social- For me it is a tie between Groupon and Living Social for most things (Dining, massages, concerts), but for some reason when it comes to food I tend to gravitate towards Groupon- but our relationship is not exclusive.  A great way to discover and save on 1000s of great deals at nearby restaurants, spas, things to do, shopping, travel and more.  Perhaps it is because Groupon is available in 28 countries and countless cities, and  Living Social has 70 million members around the world.  Some tips and tricks, I tend to sign up for the local deals when I have a tripped plan-for ex going to Chicago, I sign in and cancel after trip is completed,  so I can count on local deals in advance.  Even if it’s a short commute away (ie NYC for us) I always leave it populated for a good deal and an excuse to go home sweet home.  Another tip, should you find yourself at a restaurant- type in the name and see if they have any deals… if they didn’t require reservations in advance to use,  it is often a great last minute way to save some bucks- and room for dessert.

News & Media:  


What can replace your News Paper- sans paper cuts- check out these News Worthy Apps and never miss a thing!  

·         Flip Board- Flipboard created a new type of reading experience on mobile, one focused on engaging the reader with the most exhilarating stories of the day and a magazine-style aesthetic. Hundreds of publications are now available on the news reader, and Flipboard offers a generous amount of topics, whether you’re into technology or entertainment or anything in-between.

·         Buzz Feed- BuzzFeed has it all: the news you want now, the stories and quizzes that our constantly buzzing on your social networks, and the recipes – YUM- do they make you hungry, or what?  Oh, and of course the hilarious life tips you didn’t know you needed.

·         Mashable- THE source for digital culture, breaking news, innovation, inspiration and entertainment.  What was the most notable things that happened on Jimmy Fallon, Sports, Media, politics- Don’t miss it with a first glimpse and a morning read of Mashable you will have plenty to talk about what’s trending in a variety of subjects.

·         Twitter-  Twitter has a  plethora of uses from social connections to business networking- but one of my favorite uses is to see what’s trending.  Today, when someone sees or hears of something from politics to natural disasters they quickly tweet and retweet until it becomes a trending topic. With a click of the mouse the world’s news has never been more connected than it is today.

Financial:  


Working at one of the world’s most secure Internet working Companies, I realize the concern some people have putting their finances in the cloud.  Recent events have showed certain things can be hacked (celebrity selfies and retail customers would agree)- nothing is 100 % guaranteed, but there are two tools that I personally trust for my finances, as highly safe, secure and extremely beneficial in terms of financial knowledge and planning.

·         Mint- free, web-based personal financial management service for Canada and the US.  Safe and secure Mint allows you to manage your money, pay your bills and track your credit score.  Mint takes security extremely seriously and understands some people’s trepidation to share personal bank information.  In response, Mint.com recently introduced a service aimed at helping consumers reach their long-term goals that doesn’t require the entering of any financial account information.  I personally feel safe- and helps me keep track of credit, loans, banking, rental properties, all in one sweet banking stop.  If you still have concerns, read this fascinating article by the NY Times on If You Should Trust Mint? 

·         Credit Karma- Helps provide easy-to-read credit reports and personalized score insights Tools & tips to help you understand your financial situation.  Plus it gives you free credit monitoring and can help you spot potential identity theft!

      Bank XYZ- I have two banks- and two apps and honestly have non returned to a bank since getting them.  Transferring money, depositing checks, paying bills are all done in a matter of seconds from my secure, and convenient mobile banking.

      Pay Pal- PayPal is the faster, safer way to send money, make an online payment, receive money or set up a merchant account compared to checks and money orders.  Paying my nanny, handy man, or collecting rent, or buying something on Etsy I do it all from there simply and easily. 

Travel: 

Everyone who personally knows or follows Jay and I know we are huge fans of World Travel- or travel in general.  After exploring 75 countries, countless states and cities- here are some of the tools of the trade we cannot live without!




·         Hotels.Com- We use it- everywhere we GO.  The company has 85 websites in 34 languages, and lists over 325,000 hotels in approximately 19,000 locations. Its inventory includes hotels and B&Bs, and some condos and other types of commercial lodging.  Even if it has only one apartment for rent in Belarus- we were never disappointed in the accommodations, reviews- and for every 9 stays your tenth stay is free based upon the average of the 9 prior hotels.   I have tried other sites – I always come back.

·         Kayak- KAYAK, is a fare aggregator and travel metasearch engine operated by the Priceline Group. It searches hundreds of other travel sites at once to find the information you need to make the right decisions on flights, hotels & rental cars.  It even tells you the ideal times to buy or wait.  The only downside is not all airlines are on their site (IE other low fare competitors such as Jet Blue, and Southwest etc.)

·         TripAdvisor - World's Largest Travel Site (Made in America). 200 million+ unbiased traveler reviews. Search 200+ sites to find the best reviews on where to go, eat, or stay!  A live interactive forum- my fav part as we globetrot is looking at the top 10 recommended places to go!  The way we travel right now is to see as much in as many places as we can, in as little time as possible.  Stack ranked we can hit off the most popular places to visit, dine, or experience a specific place-  A wanderlust dream come true!

          Navigation:


Some people have great spatial relations and can look at the sun and know where to go, others get lost in the Aiport Parking Lot.  I am closer to B- so when in doubt I use the following logistical apps.

       Waze- Waze is the world's largest community based traffic and navigation app (More Crowd Sourcing). Join other drivers in your area who share real-time traffic and road info (construction, accidents, road work delays, police etc) , saving everyone time... and speeding tickets.;)

       MapQuest- when driving, walking, or paddling across from Hawaii- I  find driving (sometimes creative) directions, maps, live traffic updates and road conditions from this creative and accurate app.  Plus you can geo-search and find nearby businesses, restaurants and hotels.

       Tile- This is more of a Life hack but in order to drive anywhere you need to first need to find your keys!  Tile app key finder tracking device used to find lost keys and locate keys, phones, luggage, ...With a melodic sense of victory you can once again find your keys and your way.

       Uber- Growingup in NYC with the iconic stream of Taxi Cabs outside your door is nothing new but Uber raised the bar, and spiked the competition. They are finding better, cleaner, friendlier, nicer ways for cities to move, work, and thrive. Download the app and get a ride in minutes. Or become a driver and earn money on your schedule- without paying hundreds of thousands for a standard yellow cab monopoloy - which refuses to pick you up, or deliver you (safely), price gouges, and does all this with sub par vehicle conditions.  I would happily choose an uber any day!

Retail: 


I love Shopping. Cliche? Sure, but it doesn't make it any less true.  I love stores, Home Imrpovements/Goods- SuperMarkets/Specialty Foods, and a vast unending array of Clothing. I love a variety of clothing and styles.  Brands, No Brands - Bohemian Chic, Romantic, Sporty, DRESSES (I have a whole closet dedicated to dresses)- Shoes- All. The. Shoes.  So picking one app for clothing or shoes would be much too difficult, plus I feel that all depends on your personal style...but one thing I think we can all agree on is a deal! So here are my fav tools for retail deals.


·         Amazon- Everything I buy from tires- books, movies, music and games along with electronics, toys, apparel, sports, tools, groceries and general home and garden items comes two days free shipping from Amazon Prime.  There might be a slight higher cost with prime (I usually don’t notice one) but when time is money, and shipping- especially weekend shipping cost big bucks- I choose two days and free.  This is especially true with a busy working mom of two who remembers she has to send last minute presents! Plus, I actively use the QR Code reader when I go to places to price check- even Walmart!  Most of the time, people price match- so if Amazon is cheaper, I get the same price from them; and if they don’t price match I click purchase and anxiously await it in two days for free.

·         CartWheel – I grew up with a great aunt who we would visit every Sunday.  My job she assigned me was to scour the Sunday Newspaper and clip her coupons.  Well, fast forward 25+ years later since Danica, my beautiful stepdaughter became a Target Employee, I have reinvented my love of a deal and coupons.  With a Target card I get 5% off every purchase (debit or credit) + Manufacturings coupons + Cart Wheel + in store deal discounts I on average save $200 on every supermarket trip.  Target’s Cart Wheel App is especially helpful because you save on the things you already buy whole new spin on coupons. Find & share the best deals in all your favorite categories: grocery, baby, apparel, health & beauty & more - a .  You can select from hundreds of discounts ranging from 5% to 50% off, and add them to your personalized cart.  Plus, it then uses an algorithm to make suggestions on things “you might like” based upon previous purchases and sends you an email weekly.  Extreme Couponers watch out, every dollar counts and 200 buck-a-roo’s is not too shabby!

       Etsy- A virtual global marketplace is a world of vintage and handmade goods.  More than a million independent sellers from everywhere are right here.  Etsy handles and protects every transaction, so you can shop with confidence.  If you want to find something unique, and extaordinairy- Etsy is your place.  Examples of things I have bought- both girls hand-made christening gowns, cake toppers, leather personalized and engraved luggage tags, birthday posters, special  wedding decor, jewelery and so much more!


Health & Wellness:


 Born with a rare heart condition I have always taken fitness, health and wellness to heart - literally and figuratively.  Also having family members with depression, and anxiety I know the importance - sress relief, and endorphin creation fitness can give you to combat these things naturally.  With that said, these are some of my fav fitness tracking tools.

       Withings Scale- The revolutionary new scale that takes your health to heart.  Get to know a scale that coaches, rewards, and records all data automatically. And with tools at hand such as trend screens and nutrition tracking, you can set smart analytics to a healthier, happier, more self-aware you.  PS This was my Valentine's  gift to Jay! #HowRomantic

      Apple Watch/FitBit- You name it, I've worn it (Jawbone, Apple Watch, FitBit, Polar etc)..Apple Watch and FitBit are my fav because you can Track Your Sleep, Calories & Steps, All in One Device (Apple Watch being a more robust device, but JawBone being more stylish (IMO). Honestly, without a heart rate strap I have worn three at once and feel all are slightly off from one another so I am not sure who is the best source of "truth".  Maybe V2 for AW and V3 for FB will be even better. The FitBit has come leaps and bounds from the fist versions which I either lost from unclipping off my clothing, or a casualty of the washing machine and forgetfulness.... I like it MUCH better as a colorful discreet bracelet, and the battery life is 3 x's as good as Apple's Watch  #TheBestisYettoCome

      MapMy Run/Walk GPS Running, Jogging, Walking, Workout Tracking and Calorie Counter extraordinaire. Start running/walking and track and map every run with MapMyRun. For every mile you go, you'll get feedback and stats to help you improve your performance- plus the occasional applause to cheer you on and celebrate victories.

     DietBet- Perfect for anyone who needs some extra motivation to lose weight, DietBet is the fun way to get fit—and get PAID to do it. DietBet is a brand new way to lose weight and it works! Their challenges have helped 150000+ people lose weight and win over $6 million dollars- I personally have won several hundred and found it helps me saty accountable and fun to do as a challenge alone, or with my friends and family or strangers who share the same goals. #GetFitGetHealthyGetHappy

Games:


 Although I do not have the time to play that often, there is a little board game lover which lingers on in each of us.  Living in remote Albany, I get to play with my mom, family, friends and strangers some of my fav classics when I have the time and pick up in a day or two if I do not.  I also run an Employee Engagement Quarterly Bracket competition at Cisco –friendly competition and an opportunity for people to meet new colleagues and friends no matter where in the world they sit.



·         Words with Friends- Words with Friends is a multi-player word game developed by Newtoy, Inc. Players take turns building words crossword puzzle style in a manner similar to the classic board game Scrabble.  It really tests and enhance your language skills for a broader vocabulary –especially if you guess and are delightful surprised when you come up with a unique new word.

·         Trivia Crack- Trivia Crack is a mobile app that allows users to compete against friends and people around the world. Modeled after popular games such as Trivial Pursuit, Willy, the Spinner Wheel will select one of the 6 categories for you from sports, entertainment, science, geography history, and art.  Whoever has the most knowledge and useless knowledge wins- addictive and fun.

·         Song Pop- If you love music and/or movies this is another simple and fun trivia game.  Challenge your friends or play with other music fans.  Hear song clips from thousands of ORIGINAL artists in over 300 genres of songs and of movies.  Guess the artist or song faster than your friends.  If you unlock more songs, more playlists open and you become a true music master (at least at Guessing if not Singing J)!  For Song Pop- Today’s Hits to Classic Rock, Country to Rap and Hip-Hop, Young Pop Stars to Indie and Latin Hits, Collections for every decade: 2000s, 90s, 80s, 70s, 60s and more!  Plus New music & playlists added every week to keep it fresh.


·         Movie Pop- From the same makers of Song Pop- Fresh Planet challenges if you are a huge movie fan. Get some buttered popcorn and turn down the lights! Guess clips from some of your favorite movies and send challenges to your friends or fellow movie fanatics.  Choose your favorite genre of movies with thousands of titles to play with from classics to today’s blockbusters.  Y”ou want the truth? You can’t handle the Truth…The little things in life, there’s nothing bigger...  There’s no place like home”- with this app! 

LifeStreaming:


As a fan of life streaming I love all tech apps- but especially those that make my life simpler or more memorable.  There are tons to choose from, but this is my personal fav.

      TimeHopTimehop helps you celebrate the best moments of the past. It's like #tbt every day! What were you doing a year ago today? Two years? Three years?    I especially love watching what I did on my birthday/holidays/our anniversary each year, remembering special moments with loved ones (and fur kids) I love and miss or have lost, Jay and my travels, and watching the girls grow before my eyes.  Enjoy, re-share and celebrate  the cherished memories of life.  As Dr. Seuss once said,  'Sometimes you will never know the value of something,until it becomes a memory.

I hope you give some of these apps a try.  Comment below and let me know what you use, like, or alternatives you might recommend. Have an App-filled day… but remember to turn it off and be present when it counts! 

Sunday, January 4, 2015

My Favorite Songs of All Time- sorted by Decade


Music

I have always loved music- it soothes the soul, it expresses your inner most feelings, it says the words you are longing to say or hear.  It calms you when you are upset, it energizes you when you need motivation, or brings you to tears due to the raw emotion.  I LOVE music- all sorts, Pop, Rock, Country, Hip Hop, Reggae, Classical, I have very eclectic tastes.  So in an effort to consolidate my musical interests for myself, my baby bear and future generations- I have created this time capsule blogs (which will continue to grow and evolve as I do).  I have separated each category by Decade.  My original goal was 10- that was near impossible- so I have gone with approximately 50 in every decade starting with 1950 (which only has 25- but some real contenders).  Some you may love, and sing along to- some you may never have heard of.  In either case- give it a listen when you feel the desire ( I have included the hyperlinks for each song for your convenience- a labor of love). It sure was a lot of work- but 24 hrs of vegging and listening to music isn't a terrible way to spend a night in with the ones you love.

 I find it so fascinating how music flows and begins changing -from year to year, and one decade to the next. Constant evolution and change- just like our lives. Each moment captured a fond memory with a verse and a tune. A narration of our life identical to the background of a movie.

The song playing, during your first kiss, the song you listen to (and shriek along to after your first break up), the one you select for you first dance at your wedding with your spouse or parent, the song you sing to your little girl- every one meaningful in it's own way!

Jay McBain made his list of top 72- I couldn't do mine that way! How can I compare Frank Sinatra with Gwen Stephani? To hard! I love many different artists and styles of music that have nothing in common. So, I chose to break it down by decade- which also proved harder than I thought it would be. I know I must have missed some and will  keep adding and changing as I go (much like life).Let me know if any of mine struck your fancy, feel free to list your favorites in the comments (if you can choose- easier said than done, as I found out). Also, as they are all You Tube Links you can create a play list with your favs (my compliments!).
 Let your heart sing!

2010's (thus far 1/2 way mark- subject to change :) ):

Listening to some songs really brought me back, but that is much harder in the current position.  As I can only do (self imposed limitation) approximately 50 per decade- I limited myself in 2010's to 25 ish as we are only half way through  (EVEN HARDER lol). Those there are the ones that inspire me, are completely unique or uplifting, sing to my soul, or I think will last the test of time-- but we will see...  Only time will tell which one speaks to my heart 5, 10 or more years from now...
  1. All Of Me - John Legend & Lindsey Stirling
  2. Christina Perri - A Thousand YearsJar of Hearts, Human and our Wedding Song Arms
  3. Jason Mraz - I Won't Give Up  and The World As I See It
  4. Adele - Someone Like You
  5. Bruno Mars, Marry You and Bruno Mars - Just The Way You Are
  6. Michael Buble- New Day
  7. Lady Antebellum - Need You Now
  8. The Lumineers - Ho Hey
  9. A Great Big World & Christina Aguilera - Say Something
  10. Miley Cyrus - Adore You
  11. Colbie Caillat - Try
  12. Beyoncé - Run the World (Girls) and Beyonce Flawless
  13. Imagine Dragons - Demons
  14. Jason Derulo -Marry Me
  15. Tove Lo - Habits
  16. Taylor Swift - Blank SpaceRonan  and Mine
  17. Pink- Just Give Me A Reason ft. Nate Ruess
  18. Enrique Iglesias - Bailando (English Version) ft. Sean Paul, Descemer Bueno, Gente De Zona
  19. Meghan Trainor - All About That Bass
  20. Maroon 5- Animals
  21. Eminem Ft. Rihanna - Love The Way You Lie
  22. The Fault In Our Stars I Charli XCX - Boom Clap
  23. Ke$ha - TiK ToK
  24. AWOLNATION - Sail
  25. Gotye - Somebody That I Used To Know (feat. Kimbra)
  26. Katy Perry - Dark Horse or Pharrell Williams - Happy hanging in there for now... :)
  27. Carrie Underwood - Mama's Song *

2000's:


  1. Enya- Only Time
  2. Coldplay - Fix YouColdplay- The Scientist and Green Eyes
  3. Savage Garden - I Knew I Loved You
  4. Train - Marry Me
  5. Tim McGraw - Live Like You Were Dying
  6. Johnny Cash - Hurt
  7. Evanescence - Bring Me To Life and My Immortal
  8. Norah Jones - Don't Know Why and  Norah Jones Come Away With Me 
  9. Katie Melua - 'If You Were A Sailboat'
  10. Rascal Flatts - Bless The Broken Road
  11. Plain White T's - Hey There Delilah and Plain White T's 1,2,3 and 4
  12. Jason Mraz - I'm Yours
  13. Lee Ann Womack - I Hope You Dance
  14. No Doubt - Underneath It All ft. Lady Saw
  15. Linkin Park - In The End      2:  Breaking the Habit    3:  Linkin Park- Crawling
  16. Kid Rock - Picture ft. Sheryl Crow
  17. Eminem - Lose Yourself
  18. James Blunt-You're BeautifuL
  19. Shania Twain - Forever And For AlwaysFrom This Moment On &You're Still the One
  20. Santana - Maria Maria and Santana Feat. Rob Thomas - Smooth
  21. Shakira- Waka Waka , Shakira - Whenever, Wherever, and Shakira Hips Don't Lie +  Beyoncé, Shakira - Beautiful Liar
  22. Destiny's Child- Independent Women and Destiny's Child - Survivor 
  23. Alicia Keys - Fallin'No One, and If I ain't got you
  24. Justin Timberlake - Cry Me A River and Justin Timberlake - What Goes Around...Comes Around
  25. Carrie Underwood - Before He Cheats and Carrie Underwood - Jesus, Take The Wheel
  26. Dixie Chicks - Landslide
  27. R. Kelly- Ignition
  28. Gwen Stefani- Cool  2.  Hollaback Girl  3. Gwen Stefani - The Sweet Escape ft. Akon
  29. Lifehouse - Hanging By A Moment
  30. Avril Lavigne - Complicated and Avril Lavigne - I'm With You and My Happy Ending
  31. Kelly Clarkson - Since U Been Gone
  32. Christina Aguilera - Beautiful
  33. Lil Jon & The East Side Boyz - Get Low
  34. Big & Rich - Save A Horse [Ride A Cowboy]
  35. Uncle Kracker - Drift Away
  36. Fergie - FergaliciousGlamorousClumsy
  37.  Black Eyes Peas- Pump It   The Black Eyes Peas- Hey Mama 
  38. Usher-Yeah and DJ Got Us Fallin' in Love
  39. Missy Elliott - Get Ur Freak On & Work It
  40. Nelly - E.I.and Nelly - Hot In Herre and Shake your Tail Feather 
  41. Alan Jackson, Jimmy Buffett - It's Five O' Clock Somewhere
  42. Sean Paul - Temperature  and Beyoncé featuring Sean Paul - Baby Boy ft. Sean Paul
  43.  The Pussycat Dolls - Don't Cha ft. Busta Rhymes and   Busta Rhymes - Break Ya Neck 
  44. Toby Keith - As Good As I Once Was,  I Love This Bar and Toby Keith - I Wanna Talk About Me
  45. Kenny Chesney - There Goes My Life   2. Kenny Chesney & Gretchen Wilson-Hurts so Good
  46. Outkast- Hey Ya! 
  47. Leona Lewis - Bleeding Love
  48. Britney Spears - I'm A Slave 4 U and Circus
  49. Ashanti - FoolishFat Joe feat. Ashanti - What's Love and Ja Rule - Always On Time ft. Ashant
  50. Natasha Bedingfield - Unwritten  and Natasha Bedingfield - Pocketful Of Sunshine
  51. Hinder - Lips Of An Angel  and/or  Lit - My own worst enemy
  52. Nelly Furtado - Say It Right
  53. Kanye- Gold Digger

1990's:


  1. UB40- Can't Help Falling in Love With You
  2. Inxs - Never tear us apart
  3. Bryan Adams - (Everything I Do) I Do It For You
  4. The Proclaimers- I would walk 500 miles
  5. Savage Garden - Truly Madly Deeply
  6. Somewhere Over the Rainbow -Israel Kamakawiwo'Ole
  7. Chris Isaak Wicked Game
  8. Alanis Morissette-You Oughta Know  and  Ironic
  9. No Doubt - Just A Girl and Ex- Girlfriend
  10. Red Hot Chili Peppers - Under The Bridge and Zephyr  and Can't Stop
  11. Bon Jovi, Jennifer Nettles - Who Says You Can't Go Home
  12. Sugar Ray Someday  and Sugar Ray Every Morning   and Sugar Ray When it's Over
  13. Salt 'N' Pepa - Whatta Man  and Salt-N-Pepa - Shoop
  14. Michael Buble- Home
  15. Jennifer Lopez - If You Had My LoveWaiting for TonightAin't it Funny
  16. Reggae Dance Favs:  Cutty Ranks- Limb By Limb,  Chaka Demus & Pliers - Murder She Wrote and Money Money- If I was a Rich Girl
  17. Marilyn Manson - Sweet Dreams and Tainted Love
  18. Destiny's Child - Say My NameJumpin Jumpin
  19. Green Day - When I Come Around, and Green Day- Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)
  20. The Cranberries - Zombie
  21. Nirvana - Smells Like Teen Spirit
  22. Linkin Park - Numb
  23. blink-182 - All The Small Things
  24. Incubus - Drive
  25. Mariah Carey feat. Boyz II Men - One Sweet Day and Fantasy and Mariah Carey - Dreamlover
  26. Sublime Wrong Way and Sublime Santeria
  27. Boyz II Men - End Of The Road  and 
  28. Matchbox Twenty - If You're Gone
  29. Bonnie Raitt - Something To Talk About
  30. Ace of Base - The Sign and Ace of Base - Don't Turn Around
  31. Céline Dion - Where Does My Heart Beat NowBecause You Loved Me
  32. Bryan Adams Rod Stewart Sting All For Love
  33. Third Eye Blind- How's It Going To Be  and jumper
  34. Spice Girls - Wannabe and Spice Girls - Say You'll Be There
  35. Natalie Imbruglia - Torn
  36. The Cover Girls - Wishing On A Star
  37. Jewel - Foolish Games
  38. Madonna - This Used To Be My Playground
  39. Technotronic - Pump Up The Jam  and Technotronic - Move This
  40. Montell Jordan - This Is How We Do It, and Coolio ft. L.V - Gangsta's Paradise
  41. Blackstreet - No Diggity ft. Dr. Dre, Queen Pen
  42. Divinyls - I Touch Myself, and Next - Too Close
  43. Smash Mouth- All Star
  44. Oasis - Wonderwall
  45. Usher - Nice and SlowYou Got It BadBurn
  46. The Notorious B.I.G. - Mo Money Mo ProblemsThe Notorious B.I.G. - Hypnotize
  47. TLC - Waterfalls and TLC - Unpretty
  48. Counting Crows - Mr. Jones
  49. Sheryl Crow - If It Makes You Happy
  50. Soul Asylum - Runaway Train
  51. 4 Non Blondes - What's Up
  52. Lauryn Hill - Doo-Wop (That Thing) and Forgive Them Father
  53. Sophie B. Hawkins - Damn I Wish I Was Your Lover
  54. Radiohead - Creep
  55. Janet Jackson - That's the Way Love Goes
  56. Brandy & Monica - The Boy Is Mine
  57. Puff Daddy & Faith Evans Feat. 112 - I'll Be Missing You
  58. Silly Bonus Songs that Made me Smile Rico Suave and Aqua - Barbie Girl The Offspring - Pretty Fly (For a White Guy), and of course  Sir Mix A Lot - Baby Got Back

1980's:

  1. Roxette - It Must Have Been Love
  2. The Cure - Lovesong 
  3. Queen- Bohemian Rhapshody
  4. Bonnie Tyler - Total Eclipse of the Heart
  5. Cyndi Lauper - Time After Time
  6. Sinéad O'Connor - Nothing Compares 2U
  7. Richard Marx - Right Here Waiting
  8. The Cranberries - Linger
  9. R.E.M. - Losing My Religion
  10. Journey - Faithfully  and  Journey - Don't Stop Believin
  11. U2 - With Or Without You   and  U2 -- I Still Haven 't Found What I'm Looking For
  12. MeatLoaf - I'd Do Anything For Love
  13. Bon Jovi - Livin' On A Prayer
  14. Toto- Africa
  15. HEART - ALONE
  16. Berlin- Take My Breath Away
  17. INXS - Never Tear Us Apart
  18. Dirty Dancing - Hungry Eyes
  19. UB40 - Red Red Wine
  20. Chris De Burgh- Lady in Red
  21. Lionel Ritchie duet w Diana Ross- Endless Love
  22. Kokomo - The Beach Boys
  23. Dirty Dancing - Time of my Life
  24. The Human League - Don't You Want Me
  25. a-ha - Take On Me
  26. REO Speedwagon - Keep on Loving You
  27. Foreigner- I Want to know what love is
  28. Air Supply - All Out Of Love
  29. The Spinners- Working My Way Back To You Girl
  30. Wilson Phillips - Hold On
  31. Chicago - You're The Inspiration
  32. Daryl Hall and John Oates- You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling or Man- Eater
  33. Peter Cetera - Glory Of Love
  34. Starship - Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now
  35. Pink Floyd - Another Brick In The Wall
  36. INXS - Need You Tonight
  37. Tiffany - I Think We're Alone Now
  38. John Waite - Missing You
  39. Blondie - One Way Or Another or The Tide is High
  40. Duran Duran- Hungry Like The Wolf
  41. Foreigner - Waiting for a Girl Like You
  42. Patrick Swayze - She's Like The Wind
  43. Tears for Fears- Everybody Wants to Rule The World
  44. Wham! Careless Whisper
  45. REO Speedwagon - Can't Fight This Feeling
  46. Gloria Estefan & Miami Sound Machine - Anything for You
  47. Heart - All I Wanna Do Is Make Love To You
  48. Belinda Carlisle - Heaven Is a Place on Earth
  49. Johnny Cash - Ring of Fire and Johnny Cash- I Shot a Man in Reno
  50. Bruce Springsteen - Dancing in the Dark and Springstein -Glory Days
  51. Paula Abdul - Straight Up  and  Opposite's Attract
  52. Tom Petty- Free Fallin
  53. Madonna- Immaculate Collection - Entire CD (Best for last....Queen of the 80's) 
  54. Michael Jackson- Remember the TimeBeat ItSmooth CriminalBad & Thriller! (King of the 80's)

Big Hair Band Favs:

1970's:




















  1. The Beatles- In My Life ,  Beatles- Let it Be and SO many others! 
  2. John Lennon-Imagine
  3. The Eagles- Hotel California
  4. Queen- Bohemian Rhapsody
  5. Lynyrd Skynyrd - Free Bird and Sweet Home Alabama
  6. Ike & Tina Turner - Proud Mary
  7. Billy Joel - Just The Way You Are
  8. The Partridge Family - I Think I Love You
  9. Terry Jacks - Seasons In The Sun
  10. Eric Carmen- All by Myself
  11. Peter Frampton - Baby I Love Your Way
  12. Meat Loaf - Two Out Of Three Ain't Bad
  13. Billy Joel - Piano Man
  14. The Carpenters- Close to You
  15. Three Dog Night- Joy to the World
  16. Don McLean- American Pie
  17. Al Green- Let's Stay Together
  18. Chicago - If You Leave Me Now
  19. Bee Gees - How Deep Is Your Love
  20. The Who - Behind Blue Eyes
  21. Pink Floyd - Wish You Were Here
  22. Grateful Dead - Truckin'
  23. Roberta Flack- The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face
  24. Bee Gees- How Can You Mend A Broken Heart
  25. Tony Orlando and Dawn- Knock Three Times
  26. James Taylor You've Got A Friend
  27. Robert John - The Lion Sleeps Tonight
  28. Elton John and Kiki Dee - Don't Go Breakin' My Heart
  29. John Denver - Take Me Home, Country Roads
  30. Simon & Garfunkel - Bridge Over Troubled Water
  31. Main Ingredient- Everybody Plays the Fool
  32. Stevie Wonder You Are The Sunshine Of My Life
  33. Gladys Knight & The Pips- Midnight Train To Georgia -Midnight Train To Georgia
  34. Johnny Nash - I Can See Clearly Now
  35. The Temptations - Papa Was A Rolling Stone
  36. Gloria Gaynor- I will survive
  37. Barbara Strisand- The way we were
  38. Elton John - Bennie and the Jets
  39. Harry Chapin- Cats In The Cradle
  40. Billy Joel - My Life
  41. Paul Anka and Odia Coates- You're Having My Baby
  42. Vicky Sue Robinson- Turn the Beat Around
  43. Blue Swede - Hooked On A Feeling
  44. Stealer's Wheel- Stuck in the Middle with You
  45. Earth, Wind and Fire - After the love has gone
  46. The Knack - My Sharona
  47. Charlie Daniels Band - Devil Went Down to Georgia
  48. Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band - We've Got Tonight
  49. Alice Cooper - School's Out
  50. Yvonne Elliman ~ If I Can't Have You
  51. Dona Summer - Last Dance (not because it's my least favorite, but because it *HAS* to go last!) 
Shout out and honorable mention to my Disco Diva Mom's fav song (everytime I hear it I think of her and smile):  
  1. Frankie Valli - Swearin' To God

1960's:


  1. Frank Sinatra- My Way
  2. The Beatles- Hey JudeBeatles- Can't Buy Me Love etc etc...
  3. The Drifter's, Save the Last Dance for Me
  4. Frank Sinatra- The Way You look Tonight
  5. Righteous Brothers- Unchained Melody
  6. Rolling Stones- Paint it Black
  7.  Elvis Presley- Are You Lonesome Tonight  and Elvis Presley- It's Now or Never
  8. The Monkees - I'm a Believer
  9. Tommy James & The Shondells- I Think We`re Alone Now
  10. Righteous Brothers- You Lost That Loving Feeling
  11. The Turtles- Happy Together
  12. Temptations- My Girl
  13. Frankie Valli and The 4 Seasons- Can't Take My Eyes off You
  14. Neil Diamond- Sweet Caroline
  15. Nancy Sinatra- Bang Bang
  16. Jimmy Soul- If You Wanna Be Happy
  17. The Tokens- The Lions Sleeps Tonight
  18. Louis Armstrong- What a Wonderful World
  19. The Association- Cherish
  20. The Tokens- The Lions Sleeps Tonight
  21. Little Peggy March - I Will Follow Him
  22. Neil Sedaka- Breaking up is Hard to Do
  23. Louis Prima- Angelina
  24. Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrel -Ain't no Mountain High Enough
  25. Patsy Cline- Crazy
  26. Little Anthony and the Imperials- Tears on my Pillow
  27. Smoky Robinson & The Miracles - You Really Got A Hold On Me
  28. Supremes- You Can't Hurry Love
  29. Sonny and Cher- I Got You Babe
  30. Temptations- Ain't to Proud to Beg
  31. The Doors- Light My Fire
  32. Lesley Gore- It's My Party
  33. Van Morrison - Brown Eyed Girl
  34. Monkees - Daydream Believer
  35. Otis Redding-Sitting on the dock of the bay
  36. Tommy James And The Shondells ~ Live ~ Mony Mony
  37. The Four Tops-I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch)
  38. Bob Dylan- Blowing in the Wind
  39. The Young Rascals- Groovin
  40. Johnny Rivers -- Baby, I Need Your Lovin'
  41. Spiral Staircase- I Love You More Today Than Yesterday
  42. The Angels - My Boyfriend's Back
  43. The Rolling Stones - (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction
  44. Herb Alpert - This Guy's In Love With You
  45. Jimi Hendrix - Wild thing
  46. Peter, Paul and Mary - Blowing in the Wind
  47. Bobby Vee - Take Good Care Of My Baby
  48. Brian Hyland - Itsy bitsy teenie weenie Yellow polka dot bikini
  49. Aretha Franklin - Respect
  50. The Marvelettes - Please Mr. Postman

1950's:


  1. Peggy Lee's, Fever
  2. Dean Martin- You Belong to Me 
  3. Dean Martin- That's Amore
  4. Frankie Lymon & The Teenagers - Why Do Fools Fall In Love
  5. Gene Chandler- Duke of Earl
  6. Everly Brothers- All I Have To Do Is Dream
  7. Dean Martin- Volare
  8. Kingston Trio- Yellow Bird High Up in Banana Tree  (My Babci <Gma> used to sing this all the time)
  9. Paul Anka - Put Your Head On My Shoulder
  10. Conni Franics - Besame Mucho
  11. Elvis- Love Me Tender
  12. Gene Chandler- Duke of Earl
  13. The Shirelles- Will You Love me Tomorrow?
  14. The Platters, Smoke Get's In Your Eyes Only You
  15. The Drifters- Under the boardwalk
  16. Bill Haley & His Comets - Rock Around The Clock
  17. Pat Boone - Moon River
  18. Rosemary Clooney - Come On-A My House
  19. Bill Haley and His Comets- Shake, Rattle And Roll
  20. Mr. Sandman - The Chordettes
  21. Sheb Wooley - The Purple People Eater
  22. Fats Domino - BlueBerry Hill
  23. Bobby Darin- Mack the Knife
  24. Connie Francis: Lipstick on Your Collar
  25. Jackie Wilson - Lonely teardrops
  26. Perry Como- Papa Loves Mambo 

Bonus:  Musicals



  1. Sarah Brightman & Antonio Banderas - The Phantom Of The Opera
  2. Come What May- Nicole Kidman & Ewan MczGregor- Moulin Rouge
  3. Olivia Newton-John - Hopelessly Devoted to You- Grease
  4. Anne Hathaway- I Dreamed A Dream Performed- Les Mis
  5. Somewhere Over the Rainbow- Judy Garland- Wizard of Oz
  6. Circle of Life- Lion King
  7. Barbara Streisand- People
  8. A Whole New World - Aladdin
  9. It's a Hard Knock Life- Annie
  10. John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John- You're The One That I Want- Grease
  11. Audrey Hepburn's Wouldn't It Be Loverly -My Fair Lady
  12. One Day More! - Les Misérables
  13. Elaborate Lives- AIDA on Broadway
  14. Cell Block Tango- Chicago
  15. Cinema Italiano- Kate Hudson- Nine
  16. Tomorrow- Annie
  17. Be Italian - By Fergie- Nine
  18. I could have Danced All Night- My Fair Lady
  19. West Side Story- America
  20. Seasons of Love- Rent
  21. Little Girls- Annie
  22. West Side Story- I feel Pretty
  23. Don't cry for Me Argentina - Madonna - Evita
  24. Memory-Cats
  25. If I only had a Brain- Wizard of Oz
  26. Dancing Queen - Meryl Streep -Mamma Mia
  27. Empty Chairs at Empty Tables
  28. You Can't Stop the Beat-Hairspray
  29. Cabaret - Cabaret