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Let's face it. Technology can be a major time suck — especially if you're like me and not super adept with it in the first place. But occasionally, you'll trip over an APP that might just make your life easier. I've found a couple of these over the years, via friends or my husband, who magically updates my computer with stuff when I'm puttering around the kitchen or watching Days of Our Lives.
Herewith, a few of my favorites.
Scrivener: It seems like this should be considered actual software, but hey, I downloaded it from the APP store, so I'm counting it here. The ultimate in writer apps, Scrivener is like a modern-day, uber-sleek take on the typical word processing software, with fun capabilities like folders for chapters that you can just rearrange however you please and a bulletin board for brainstorming, plus a place to store notes and a compiling capability that makes your manuscript look all fancy and official. There's a learning curve here for sure — I've been using it for months and have yet to really go exploring (because, let's face it, I'm scared) — but it's well worth trying even if you're tech-challenged like I am. $45.
Wunderlist: This is a really neat way to track all your to-dos all in one place. I've got separate lists for fiction and freelancing, home stuff and fun times. It let's you put things on your schedule, set a due date and send yourself a reminder, plus share tasks with others via email. There's even a spot for your movies-to-see, a shopping list and a Wishlist of things you're a hopin' for. The best part? Why, checking things off of course! Get the free version!
Pomodoro App: A classic productivity timer, Pomodoro clocks your tasks at 25 minute intervals, giving you a 5 minute break in between, until competition. You can use it online or download the actual app, which will track your tasks even when you're sans WiFi. Pomodoro, too, allows you to divide tasks into multiple to-do lists and also let's you set a deadline and reminders. Get the free version!
Mac Freedom: You know you're a procrastinator if your husband has to actually go and download this APP for you. (Yup, that's me.) Mac Freedom is scarily useful in that it disables your computer's WiFi access for a set amount of time, ensuring that you can not get on the internet to dilly-dally when you should be writing. Sigh. Very necessary. However, I'm still too weak to try their latest — Anti-Social — which blocks your access to time-suckers like Facebook and Twitter. $10 for Mac.
Crashplan: Another miracle my husband discovered for me, Crashplan quietly, efficiently backs up everything on your precious computer around-the-clock, ensuring that your writings are safely kept as you sleep or eat or whatever it is people do when they're not writing. Paired with a Time Machine or hard-drive back-up, Crashplan offers writerly peace of mind. Plans start at only $2 a month!
What's your favorite APPs for writers?


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Apartment for holidays in Bay of St Tropez - CV003715
- Bedrooms
- 1
- Sleeps
- 5
Provence has a varied landscape from rugged hinterlands and mountain ranges to the flat marshes of the Camargue where the Rhone flows to the sea and so has a wide variety of cycling options. Cycle through Orange and its 2,000 years of history with some of the best preserved Roman architecture in France. Or cycle down the tiny roads that sit in the shadow of Mont Ventoux - or, if you have the energy, cycle up it! If these don't appeal, how about meandering by bike down the back roads of the Vaucluse and Drome regions where your senses can enjoy the colours and scents of lavender fields and slow ripening grapes.

subset: commoncrawl


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Cal Ripken Jr. was in his second full-year in an Orioles uniform. Memorial Stadium still had eight more years of use.
The Colts were still in Baltimore. William Donald Schaefer would be elected to his fourth term as Baltimore mayor that fall. Completion of Interstate 97 in Anne Arundel County was still a decade away.
It's also the last time Orioles fans could rightly claim "We're No. 1."
That's a lifetime in sports years.
An Orioles' parade is overdue.
We've endured a 21-game losing streak to open a season (1988), 1983-born Jeffrey Maier (1996) and 20 losing seasons since Rick Dempsey was named World Series MVP.
The O's are...


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Originally published Monday, March 15, 2010 at 7:29 PM
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Seahawks release Deon Grant, re-sign Darryl Tapp
The Seahawks cut safety Deon Grant, keep restricted free agent Darryl Tapp and sign receiver Ruvell Martin.
Seattle Times staff reporter
The Seahawks announced a minor addition Monday, the signing of receiver Ruvell Martin.
They also retained a key player as restricted free agent Darryl Tapp signed a one-year qualifying offer in time to participate in any offseason program.
But Seattle's biggest news Monday was the subtraction of safety Deon Grant, who was released.
Grant, 31, was a three-year starter and defensive captain for Seattle after signing one of the largest contracts ever for an NFL safety in 2007. Grant was scheduled to make $4 million this season and $13 million total for 2011 and 2012.
Given Grant's age and the size of his salary, Seattle's decision wasn't a complete shock, but Grant said in a phone interview he wasn't expecting it.
"Not really," Grant said. "I just got the phone call the other day."
Grant just returned from Hawaii, where he attended meetings held by the NFL Players Association on behalf of his teammates. Now, those are former teammates, and Grant was disappointed, mostly he said because he felt the defense would make strides in a second season under defensive coordinator Gus Bradley.
Instead, Seattle will now look for at least one starting safety. Jordan Babineaux was Seattle's other starter last year.
Grant never missed a game in three seasons with Seattle and intercepted eight passes. Grant expressed no hard feelings.
"Me being in it for a minute, you do know that it's a business," Grant said. "I don't have anything bad to say about them. They gave me the opportunity to come here and continue my career."
Tapp re-signs
Seattle didn't need to be all that worried about losing Tapp, a restricted free agent. The Seahawks would have had the right to match any offer he received or get a second-round pick from the team he signed with.
The Seahawks couldn't be certain they would have Tapp for all offseason activities, though.
They are now. Tapp signed Seattle's qualifying offer of $1.176 million Monday. Tapp is a player coach Pete Carroll has repeatedly talked about featuring in the role of a roving pass rusher, and Tapp's decision to sign the tender indicates the enthusiasm is mutual.
Seattle adds Martin
At 6 feet 4, Ruvell Martin is a big receiver. He's just not a big name.
The Seahawks signed Martin to a one-year contract. Martin played for St. Louis last season, catching six passes in eight games for the receiver-strapped Rams. Martin, 27, was undrafted out of Saginaw Valley State, initially signing with San Diego in 2004. He went to training camp with the Chargers in 2004 and 2005 and played in NFL Europe.
He was signed to Green Bay's practice squad in 2005, and made the Packers the next three seasons. John Schneider, who is now Seattle's general manager, worked in Green Bay's front office while Martin was with the team.
Seattle will host running back Quinton Ganther for a free-agent visit on Wednesday. Ganther, 25, is an unrestricted free agent from Washington who gained 201 yards last season.
The Seahawks' interest in Ganther comes as it appears Mike Bell is headed elsewhere. Bell is a restricted free agent from New Orleans, and he was planning to visit Philadelphia. The Seahawks hosted Bell to a visit early last week, but that initial interest was not followed up with an offer sheet. Now, he may head to Philadelphia.
• Long-snapper Matt Overton, a former Western Washington player, was released. Overton was signed last month before the team added Pat MacDonald, another long-snapper.
• Fullback Tyler Roehl was released by Seattle. Roehl, an undrafted free agent from North Dakota State last year, suffered a torn knee ligament in April.
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Congress far apart on border crisis plan as summer recess looms
With just eight working days left before Congress breaks for its five-week summer recess, the House and Senate continue to barrel down separate paths in their response to the influx of unaccompanied Central American children at the U.S.-Mexico border.
Republicans have offered several bills that tweak a 2008 anti-trafficking law that makes it more difficult to quickly deport children from countries other than Mexico and Canada. They say changing the law to speed the quick removal of all children who don't have legitimate claims to stay is key to reducing the number of children who attempt to enter the U.S.
House Republicans haven't settled on one bill but has several proposals from members taking part in a working group studying the border crisis. The head of the working group, Rep. Kay Granger, R-Texas, is set to brief her fellow House Republicans Wednesday.
But Democrats have rejected any changes to the 2008 law, arguing it will violate due process for the children arriving at the border. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., told reporters Tuesday that the slew of different GOP proposals was a sign that "Republicans can't agree on what they want."
"The Democrats aren't going to support some of their crazy ideas, and the Republicans can't agree which crazy idea they want to put forward," he said.
Reid indicated Democrats will line up behind a plan from Senate Appropriations chairwoman Barbara Mikulski, D-Md., who plans to introduce an emergency supplemental funding bill Wednesday that will provide $2.73 billion to deal with the crisis, $1 billion less than President Obama's initial request.
"I believe this bill provides the most effective path forward to meet our nation's obligation to protect the safety and health of the children seeking refuge, speed determination of their asylum status, and create a strategy to go after the smugglers, crime, and violence that are driving children and families from their home countries," Mikulski said in a statement.
- Full coverage: immigration crisis
- Gov. Rick Perry deploying up to 1,000 National Guard troops to border
Republicans have also indicated they don't want to give Mr. Obama such a large sum to deal with the crisis, but have not yet committed to a specific amount.
Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson warned Tuesday that immigration control agencies will run out of money to confront the crisis if Congress fails to act by September. He also said that there had been a decline in the number of immigrants arriving at the southern border in the last four to six weeks, though he cautioned that could be merely a seasonal anomaly.
"We are not declaring victory. This could be seasonal, but the numbers are dropping," Johnson said. "Nevertheless the recent rise in illegal migration requires a sustained aggressive campaign by our government."
Johnson otherwise indicated that the Department of Homeland Security had greatly sped up the process of repatriating adult border crossers. The time to return adults to their home countries has dropped from 33 to four days, and the department is now returning six to 10 planeloads of adult border crossers home from the Rio Grande Valley per week. DHS also began repatriating adults with children last week.
Most of the children will also not qualify for humanitarian relief and be allowed to stay in the U.S., Johnson said.
He touted the agency's recent success in targeting smuggling organizations. A 60-person investigative team sent to assist with border control has made 192 arrests, seized about 28 vehicles and have interrupted the money flow between child smugglers, he said.
A new Pew Research Center analysis released Tuesday showed that there has been a huge spike in the number of apprehended children ages 12 and younger. The previously-unreleased government data they studied showed a 117 percent increase in unaccompanied children 12 and under apprehended at the border this year over last year. The growth among teenagers ages 13 to 17 has been just 12 percent.
Still, the majority of crossers are teens: nine out of every 10 children apprehended at the border in 2013 was a teenager, and they comprised 84 percent of apprehensions in the first eight months of fiscal year 2014.