Returning to Civilization

With three weeks to go until we return to the States for the holidays, I find myself having to get back into "civilization" mode, specifically electronically. It's time to re-download the apps I deleted off my phone and iPad a year ago because I didn't need them. Time to add back Amazon, Walmart and Target! Time to add back Barnes and Noble, Southwest Airlines (we'll be taking a domestic flight while home), and the Disney Store! All these old friends have been missing from my life until recently, completely obsolete in a country with none of these stores. 

I'll also get to delete my Ela-Salaty app. This app tells me the time of each Muslim prayer and gives a countdown in minutes until the next one. With prayer being five times a day you WILL be caught unawares and highly inconvenienced without an app of this sort. DELETE! It'll also be nice to not have to engage my VPN all the time. Being back in the States means I can once again surf the net, visiting any site I want without being blocked by the government for what THEY deem is inappropriate, like the Victoria's Secret site! Crazy!

I'll need to add back the Watch Me Grow app, used by Kel's preschool to allow us parents access to watch the classroom. After a year spending every waking hour of each day with Kel, I suspect it'll be extremely hard to be away from him while I work; so this app should help to soothe my  initial separation anxiety. At least I hope, (fingers crossed).

Time to change my playlists in iTunes.  Because of our Mediterranean cruise this past summer, my phone holds all the sun-drenched bossa nova and samba inspired albums typical of what beautiful celebrities in gorgeous sun hats languishing on the beaches of the French and Italian Rivieras in the 50's and 60's would've listened to. Music from Stan Getz, Frank Sinatra, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Count Basie, Dizzy Gillespie and Henry Mancini. 

But now I'm going home, and Thanksgiving is on the horizon, with Christmas hot on its heels. Tine for new playlists. Time for timeless Christmas classics from the likes of the Andrew Sisters,  Bing Crosby, Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong, Rosemary Clooney, Dean Martin, Burl Ives and Perry Como. (Of course Frank stays on my phone, he never leaves, only his albums may change.)

For more contemporary Christmas artists, I'll include albums from Mariah Carey, Cee-Lo, Jackie Evancho, Andrea Bocelli, Cobie Caillat and the Jersey Boys. And before you freak out that I've left Michael Buble off the list, I point once again to Frank Sinatra. Why go with a cheap imitation when you have the REAL thing? (Listen, in our household, ALL roads lead back to Uncle Frank!)

 

The most important change I'll make on my phone? Adding back my Starbucks app. They emailed me yesterday telling me I'll lose my gold status unless I purchase the requisite number of drinks by my annual expiration date. And that date is 8 December. In a 9 day period I have to purchase 30 drinks or qualifying items. (Do they think I'm not up to the challenge?!)  Everybody better pitch in! "Kellan, time for breakfast...do you want a peppermint mocha or a spiced pumpkin latte?!?!":)