Friday, April 01, 2011

The wonder of apps

Yesterday Iris and I were in the pasture when I heard an airplane-like roar somewhere off to the east, a roar getting nearer all the time.  Finally it came within seeing range.


This is sort of what I saw, an aircraft totally unfamiliar to me.  I silently cursed myself for not having my new camera with me.  The sound receded, then started getting louder until it almost shook the earth.  I looked up and recognized the aircraft from this different angle and closer proximity.  It was so close, I wondered if it was about to crash.  


The Stealth Fighter!  I looked on the Internet for a picture of one from beneath, the way I saw it yesterday, but couldn't find one.  
The trouble was, this morning when I wanted to tell Cliff about my experience as I was laying in bed watching him drank his coffee, I couldn't remember what the plane was called:  I tried to describe it to him, knowing he was familiar with the thing, using words like "batwings" and "kite".  
He didn't have a clue what I was talking about.  I was going to come to this computer and do some googling to find the name of it until I remembered the Ipad, which I could take to bed with us, google up "fighter planes", and find not only the name of this craft, but a picture of it, as well.  Which I did, and Cliff, of course, was amazed that one had flown over our property.  Now, keep in mind we're only forty miles from an Air Force base, so it really isn't so surprising.  Still, it's a first, seeing one here.  
So we had a discussion about this, me telling Cliff how I hated that he wasn't with me when this happened.  Then, since the Ipad was in bed with us anyhow, I decided to show off some off my apps.  
I started with Craigslist, Cliff's favorite website ever.  But it's so much better on the Ipad, with options that aren't even offered on their website... at least, so far as I know.  
After he was all caught up on tractors and implements for sale on Craigslist, I showed him my newly-installed dictionary app, and he told me to find the meaning of some word or other.  Not only did we find the meaning, but I clicked on a little sound thingie and a lady's voice told us how to properly pronounce the word.  
I clicked on my Google Earth app and said, "OK Cliff, where do you want to fly?"  
"Oh, I've always wanted to go to Spain," says he.  
So by way of Google Earth, we went to Barcelona.  
"That thing is cool as hell," says Cliff.  "I'll give you that." 
We checked the forecast on both Fox 4's app and the Weatherbug app.    
I clicked to my IMDb app and we watched the trailer for "Water for Elephants", which will be released this month.  I decided I need to read that book again; it's one of my all-time favorites.  There's no way a movie will do it justice.    
Iris was in her bedroom bed (she also has one in the living room and one in the computer room), so I demonstrated the dog-whistle app.  I probably won't keep that one, although it's really fun to watch my dog tipping her head from one side to the other, trying to figure out where the high-pitched noise is coming from.   
I'm thinking I'd better stop showing Cliff all the things my Ipad can do; I might end up losing it to him.  

9 comments:

  1. The AFB you speak of is home to the stealth, at least I'm assuming it still is. When I was a teenager, I had a poster of the stealth and other fighter planes in my room (along with one of Def Leppard and New York City)... that poster was one of many things that inspired me to go in the Air Force. My eyesight is HORRIBLE, though, and I failed the flight test in under two minutes flat. Thus, supply became the heart of my AF career.

    Anyhoo, that ipad is sounding more tempting all the time. :)

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  2. Lindie12:21 PM

    I remember the first time I saw a Stealth and when it turned it just kind of disappeared! I was on 50 highway just past Warrensburg. Whiteman got quite a facelift when the Stealth came to it. The base is no longer one of the ugliest ones I've ever seen! You should go to one of their summer open houses when they have all the planes etc on display.

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  3. I wonder if there is going to be an air show this weekend near you. We had a Stealth Fighter come to our local air force base one time.

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  4. It may have been one that flew over Kauffman Stadium for the Royal's opener.

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  5. I remember years ago when my son and I saw a Stealth at an air show near us. He was just a youngster then, and was really "into" military aircraft. It was a thrill!

    I haven't been brave enough to get an i-pad yet.... still working with my Blackberry.
    Found you over at PW!

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  6. What a sight that plane must have been. I've never seen one for real. Glad you are enjoying your Ipad. I know they are way out of my budget but they do sound like a lot of fun.

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  7. Aren't they awesome to see. They have come over my house a couple times also. And the guys flying them look like children. They used to come in at a RV sale place where I worked in Lincoln, Missouri.

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  8. You need to stop that; you're making me want an iPad again! :) We have an air base right by our house too and are in their flight pattern. I think I've seen one of those a few times. The first time I thought it was a UFO. HA!!

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  9. boy, that would be a shock. one time back in the early 90's we had a helicopter fly so low and looked in our window. there were 2 men in it and we could see them as plain as if they were standing in our yard. i never did know what was the reason but i thought they were goverment men. i alway thought they were marijuana hunters and i can assure you we never had any thing to do with the weed.

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