Top Ten #5 - Covid19 Memes-part 2

Top Ten #5 - Top Ten Covid19 Memes - part 2

[This post was meant to be posted on Saturday 28th March - it helps not to save as a draft !]

There are hundreds are funny memes around at the moment about Covid19. From the safety of my own bubble, I have the choice to view these memes and decide with they are appropriate, funny, cruel or nasty. 

While memes are designed to help us see the ridiculous in life - to provide us with a smile - or to make a valid point- memes are also seen through our own particular lens.

It is a matter of perspective - New Zealand is coping relatively well so far, despite several thousand 'tip offs' of Bubble Busters out not heeding our self isolation rules.

I post these memes as a way of providing a little laughter into this tense time. I do not post them to make a mockery of the serious situation our world is in.

Having said that...here we go...!

I finished Netflix today.

Top Ten #4 - Apps on my phone

Day 4 27th March

Top Ten #4 - Apps On My Phone

[This post was meant to be posted on Friday 27th March - it helps not to save as a draft !]

There are a lot of apps that have resided - or still do - on my phone over the years. As I change phones, most of the apps travel to the new device - unlike my phone number, which I think hails back to 1997.

There are generic apps that of course come with my Android - all the Google suite for example. If I counted them all - I'd seriously dent my Top Ten. I regularly use:

1. Maps
2. Books
3. Photos
4. Gmail
5. Drive
6. YouTube

There are also the 'almost made list' - that's another whole story.

These are the apps that I wouldn't be without now.

• aWallet Cloud  http://www.awallet.org/  This great app is run off my fingerprint and allows me to forget my passwords. It has a 'master' password (or fingerprint if you want) and then displays categories of passwords. At one stage for work there were a total of 35 passwords that were used infrequently - which made this app critical to my memory.

• Gaspy can be found at https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=nz.hwem.gaspy Is a very useful app when travelling around our island nation. Petrol prices vary so much and with this clever app you can check on the prices in your location ...and the next location as well. A little bit of app reading can save a lot of money. For example, In Picton often the NPD self serve pumps are cheaper than the rest of the toen - and Blenheim, which is close by. 

• Pixlr at https://pixlr.com/  and https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.pixlr.express&hl=en is a very versitile tool for making collages as well as editing a photo on your phone. Add text, stamps... straight after you have taken the photo.

• Back Country Navigator https://www.backcountrynavigator.com/ it's an app that requires a little pre-planning. Before I head into an area, I use the app within wifi and go over the are I am likely to be in. This downloads the relevant topo maps for the trip. It will record where you are, your route as well as give lots of useful data around your trip - not the least of which - how far you have walked ! It has sat on 4 phones now and has performed very well on each.

• Netflix - almost goes without saying. I love the chance to view programmes on the phone or casting them to the TV.

• ManageMyHealth is a must at https://www.managemyhealth.co.nz/m/. It's an app that links in with my doctor's surgery and the DHB. I can make appointments, order repeat scripts, look over test results, review Drs notes. It's really useful. As someone who could never remember what the last cholesteral results were - they are at my finger tips.
• Spotify
  
  has become a top rater for me. I do remember a few years ago not being able to work it out - at all ! But now it is my goto for my music and podcast collection, as well as some ongoing collections that I am building for future use. It was Renee how showed me how easy it was to build a shared playlist, and now I have all sorts of weird and wonderful playlists.  
• TripleOne https://apkcombo.com/emergency-call-new-zealand-111/com.familytrak.newZealand/ 
  is an app that I thankfully haven't used very often - but it is an essential one. When you open the app - it tells you exactly where you are - by road or street AND by GPS Co-ordinates. This tells a 111 operator exactly where you are, which can be a real bonus. For example there are at least 10 Anderson Roads in NZ. TripleOne will let you tell the operater exactly where you are. It also has your own emergency contacts on the home page. press their button and it rings them straight away. A cool app to have on your homescreen. Please note that doesn't come from the app store.
• Stocard - I use this a lot. It has all my regular cards stored on it - Library, Fly Buys,AA, Kathmandu etc... saves a lot of room in my wallet
  
  .
• MyTracks is my number one favourite old school distance tracker and mapper. I used it back in 2013 walking the Camino to Santiago in Spain and still love looking at the day sections and totals. Yes I know there are newer ones that link into your friends, but I still love the simplicity of My Tracks.

Top Ten #3 - Parody Songs

Day 3 26 March
Top Ten #3 - Parody Songs

I have loved parodies for a long, long time. Some people enjoy them with me and others...well enough said!

I really enjoy the clever reworking of the original lyrics...and how they can completely change the message.

Favourite artist for this would have to be 'Weird Al' Yankovic - he is prolific! He's been going since 1976 and recorded more than 150 parodies. His version of  'Eat It' was the first parody I remember buying way back in 1984 or there abouts.

His skill is getting the parody to really mimic the original musically. I understand that he plays all the instruments himself, laying the tracks down himself.

Needless to say he features heavily within this Top Ten.
Also we have Flight of the Conchords, James Corden and Laura Daniels - (ex Jono and Ben)

I'm not sure if I can link in the actual songs for this post... but can I suggest you at least follow the links  to experience them for yourself.

I'll start of with Flight Of The Conchords, who mix original and parody into most of their music

• Bowie's In Space   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g8f_XCH3zmM

• Bethlehemian Rhapsody  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oUxxYHwQdWA&list=RDIxvMkSKRWOA&index=2
• The Star Wars That I Used To Know  https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=10&v=qJlbPXZEpRE&feature=emb_logo
• Hello  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NMnIoOvOk_M&list=RDynwojwoJOvE&index=22

• All About That Change  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ORq6O5x0zOQ
• Corona Rhapsody   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dE9U9lDnBTE

• Tacky    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zq7Eki5EZ8o

• Eat It   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZcJjMnHoIBI

• Fat      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t2mU6USTBRE

• Amish Paradise   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lOfZLb33uCg

• White and Nerdy  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N9qYF9DZPdw

• Word Crimes  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Gv0H-vPoDc

Top Ten #2... Top Ten Asterix Books

Day 2 - Wednesday 25th March

It was sad to see that Albert Uderzo died - he was the artist from the awesome Asterix series.

I was at Bohally Intermediate in Blenheim when I discovered this series of books - there were about 5 in the school library. From memory in tatty condition. Not Mrs Bloor's fault - they were just so well read.

Hastings Boys' High was were I started reading them as often as I could - one of the perks of being a librarian. That, and the privilege of being locked in the book return bin and pushed down the stairs of course!)

One of the reasons I loved them were the puns throughout the stories and the fact that my French and Russian teacher - Mr Whitehead- referred to the stories in class.

So it seems fitting that I have chosen my Top Ten Asterix titles. The hardest part has been ranking them in order for this.

So, here goes....

Top Ten # 1

Day 1- Tuesday 24th March

I was looking at the next four weeks of enforced self isolation and wanted a way of exercising my brain a little - and to get me back into a little thinking and writing. 

I asked Naomi and Sarah if they had any ideas - but me dancing and posting to Tik Tok didn't immediately appeal.

But...I did have an idea early this morning...a collection of Top Tens.

Things that appeal to me or even annoy me. 

So today's Top Ten..... Corona funnies!