Technology can be the absolute best thing.

There was the wheel, the ceiling fan, the electric tea kettle. And now, there are voice memos — ready-made, easy to use apps on your smartphone that create an almost-professional level recordings of your thoughts, reactions, feelings, and stories for us to incorporate into our podcast. We feel 0.0% technological ambivalence about this development in our history as a species... and we really hope you'll send us one. 

Here's how to record a voice memo on an iPhone:

Note to Android users: These steps will work for you as well, you'll just have to download a voice memo app first. We like Smart Voice Recorder. Windows Phone? Try Creobe Voice Memos.

1. Get out your phone.

First, find the app on your phone. It's often bucketed with "utilities."

Older iPhone models will have a different icon in front of the voice memo app.

(Ariana Tobin/Note to Self)

You should see this when it opens: 

Again, older iPhone operating systems will have slightly different interfaces.

(Ariana Tobin/Note to Self)

3. Hold the mic close, but not not too close.

Hold the phone about four fingers away from your mouth, preferably at a bit of an angle (like at the end of Don Draper's cigarette or this bunny's carrot). Push the red button and wait a few seconds before you start speaking...

You don't have to hold it down the whole time.

(Ariana Tobin/Note to Self)

...and watch to make sure it's recording (you'll be able to tell when it starts counting down time). If the sound levels look really soft or really loud, move the phone closer or father away until they are mostly in the middle of the sound meter while you speak. 

3. Introduce yourself.

It always works to start with: "Hi my name is ______, and I live in _____." 

It's a good idea to decide what you want to say in advance, but don't read off a script. The best voice memos sound natural, like you're talking to a friend. Sometimes it helps to actually talk to a friend as you record. 

The best plan is to make a single point, and make it well. Many of our favorite voice memos come in under 15 seconds, and there's almost no way we'll be able to include anything longer than a minute. 

When you're finished, wait a few seconds, and tap "Done."

4. Save it with a name you'll recognize.

You should see this:

If you don't see this, double check to make sure you were actually recording.

(Ariana Tobin/Note to Self)

It's helpful on our end if you include your own name in the title of the recording. Tap save.

Name, Title, Blurb.

(Ariana Tobin/Note to Self)

You should see your memo in the list of recordings. 

Always good to name it something identifiable so you can find it later.

(Ariana Tobin/Note to Self)

5. Email it to us.

Open up the file, and click the share button on the bottom left hand corner of the screen.

It's the same share button you'll see on other apps as well.

(Ariana Tobin/Note to Self)

Choose "mail":

We're notetoself@wnyc.org.

(Ariana Tobin/Note to Self)

And finally, send us an email at notetoself@wnyc.org. Be sure to include where you live and the correct spelling of your name. 

Make sure you're sending from an email address you'd want us to reply to.

(Ariana Tobin/Note to Self)

We can't wait to hear from you!