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  • Computers and Smartphones Explained: Take the Fear Out of Tech

    Computers and Smartphones Explained: Take the Fear Out of Tech

    Some of our older generations are still hesitant to jump onto the latest tech. Who could blame them?  Some of this stuff seems terrifying if you don’t understand it. Take the A.I. assistants for example. It’s hard to wrap your head around a strange voice in a box listening to everything you say. I’m talking about senior cyberphobia.

    Cyberphobia is a real condition among our seniors today. Cyberphobia is the fear of computers or working on a computer. Senior Cyberphobia is a combination of cyberphobia and a disconnect with how tech operates. Attempting to overcome this phobia often leads to frustration and tech abandonment.

    Rejecting the tech can leave you aging at a much faster rate. Doctors are even going as far as to say the health risks for those who remain technologically and socially disconnected are close to smoking and obesity. It doesn’t have to be this way, as tech has come a long way in the last decade and can really improve the quality of life for seniors. Today we are going to talk about a few crucial pieces of tech that every senior should consider, as well as a crash course on how to use them.

    Apple Watch

    I know you think this tech is way beyond your level of comprehension. That is just not true. The Apple Watch, while it has some fairly advanced functions right out of the box, it is actually pretty basic and easy to use. It has many of the functions you would find in a medical alert bracelet, just a lot better. Like the fall-detection technology that works with the help of an accelerometer and gyroscope. The tech will work to identify when hard falls occur; then if you remain on the ground for a certain period,  it will even call for help.

    Apple says it does this“By analyzing wrist trajectory and impact acceleration, Apple Watch sends the user an alert after a fall, which can be dismissed or used to initiate a call to emergency services.” According to Apple “If Apple Watch senses immobility for 60 seconds after the notification, it will automatically call emergency services and send a message along with the location to emergency contacts.”

    Echo Show

    If seniors like you can get past the idea of talking to a robot, the Echo Show is an excellent way to video chat very easily. You are probably always saying you don’t see your grandkids enough. Well, with simple set up, you can easily say”Alexa, Call Jaxon,” and boom – you are looking at a live feed of your grandchild and hearing all about his day. Receiving calls is just as easy, Alexa will clearly state who is calling, and you just say answer or ignore.

    There is a great safety feature too; you can set up a password that will alert certain selected loved ones to “drop-in” and check on you via the video feed. With simple set up, Alexa and the Echo Show can read the news to you daily, play games and music with you, and even get you sports and weather updates – all automatically.  The Echo Show has an easy to see 7-inch color touchscreen and is available at Amazon.com for $230.

    The Colombo Method

    I bet these are starting to sound pretty enticing, but you might be worried that you won’t be able to use them. The most significant disconnect with seniors and their ability to learn tech today is the process in which seniors learn to do things. They were taught from a young age that everything has an order or set of steps involved. You start with step 1, then 2, and 3, and you memorize these steps.  This is not the case with technology. You cannot remember how an entire smartphone or computer works, the order, as the steps can be different based on any number of variables.

    When you look at your computer or smartphone, you need to think like Columbo. “What is there that wasn’t before, what is not there that was before, and what has changed?” Keeping a flexible mind and knowing the device only does what you tell it to do will help keep any frustration at bay. The most important thing to remember is that you can break anything by pressing the wrong button.

    All tech has a “home” button, so if you find yourself at a place or screen you don’t understand or didn’t intend to go to, just go home and try again. Try to have fun, and realize that you are in complete control.  Your device may not do what you “want” it to do, it will only do what you tell it to do. And one more thing… don’t forget to simply play around!  You will be surprised at what you can do and learn.

  • Essential Bathroom Aids for Seniors

    Essential Bathroom Aids for Seniors

    One of the things everyone dreads about getting old is not being able to take care or yourself, especially in the bathroom. It is a substantial ongoing fear for all adults, having to have bathroom assistance. Once seniors accept they need help a large part of there dignity dies.

    You don’t have to accept this fate just yet. With the advance bathroom aids for seniors, you can delay this unfortunate moment of your twilight. Here are some of the essentials you will want to equip in your bathroom as you age with grace. In addition, we have included some tips to seniorfy your bathroom as well.

    Lighting

    The first thing you will want to do upon entering seniorhood is to update the lighting in your bathroom. You will want to add bright automatic lighting as well.  Kohree automatic plug-in LED automatic night lights can really help seniors see in the bathroom at night, reducing fall risk. Cutting down your fall risk is one of the big priorities in seniorfying your bathroom. Kohree’s Automatic Plug-in LED Night Light Lamp is a great pickup for only $16 from Amazon for a two pack.

    Next, we will need to upgrade the toilet. You will want something up a little higher off of the floor. A commode that will make you feel like a gargoyle perched on the top of the Notre Dame. Drive’s Medical raised toilet seat with arms is precisely the toilet you will want for your senior bathroom. It’s an easy-to-install, raised toilet seat making it very easy for seniors get up and down. When it is easier to get on and off the toilet, you will reduce the risk of falls.

    The Tub is a Prime Place to Fall

    The next thing you will want to do is make getting in out of the tub easier. Your bathtub is a prime area for falls, which can be devastating in your later years. The Medline bathtub safety grab bar locks to the side of the tub for an easy in and out gripping handle. The bar simply locks into place on the side rail of the bathtub with a secure clamp. You will not need any tools for installation. It will also come with some rubber-lined pads to prevent the tub surface from being damaged by the bar.

    While we are on the subject of handles, it would be a good idea to install a few others around the bathroom. You never know when or where you will need to catch yourself before a fall, but rest assured it will always be the last place you would think. I recommend the Moen bathroom grab bar. They run around $20 and come in varying lengths.

    Now you’ll want to do smaller upgrades that will not only make using your bathroom easier but more enjoyable. Upgrade your shower head with something designed for seniors. The deluxe handheld showerhead 12041 by Lumex is a great bathroom addition. Six spray options provide ease of bathing for everyone. They list the six options as saturating, saturating & bubbling, bubbling, massage, saturating & massage, and pause spray functions. They all sound delightful.  It also has an 84-inch reinforced hose for extra convenience. You can pair it with the Lumex bath chair, it’s long enough and a bath chair will, of course, reduce your fall risk.

    If your mobility is getting limited, you may want to look into the Neptune Reclining Bathlift.  This bath lift will lower you securely into your tub.  It will help you to remain upright as it provides a  firm back support. It also has a great recline option to gently and gradually ease you into a comfortable, relaxing, position.  You can pair it with a nice bathboard to enjoy a little extra leg room.

    A Step Up

    All seniors should think about adding a bath step as well; as tubs seem to be getting higher by the day.  A good bathroom step with a large platform with comfortable, slip-resistant will provide a convenient measure to assist getting in and out of the bath or shower. This step will again, help you from slipping a falling. I think an on-going theme is emerging. The Council on Aging says that a senior falls every 19 mins.

    Last, let’s talk about the walk-in tub option.  A walk-in tub is a great option to reduce the risk of falling while getting into or out of the bathtub. These tubs have doors that allow users to walk in and sit down without having to worry about climbing over a traditional tub ledge. While these tubs are a little costly, the investment could very well help prolong your life.

  • Could a Psychic Reading Change Your Life?

    Could a Psychic Reading Change Your Life?

    Millennia have passed, and psychics have been both feared, worshiped, admired, and despised for their powers.  Psychics are met with both criticism and esteem.  Whether you believe psychic powers are accurate, altruistic, deception or hoax, psychics have played a significant role in shaping world history. Weddings were planned and kingdoms have been forged for centuries due to psychic insights.

    The reality is all living beings have energy flowing through them, and it connects our minds, bodies and energy fields. The flow of energy in our body’s pathways are called chakras, meridians, and nadis.  This energy radiates from our bodies creating an aura, surrounding our life force. Aura colors can reveal information about you, your thoughts, feelings and overall wellness.  Psychic healers are individuals with highly-tuned intuition and psychic abilities and can read these auras.

    The energy flow can be imbalanced or blocked, disrupting our auras. This disparate flow can lead to our bodies, minds, and spirits jumping out of balance.  This imbalance can lead to mental, emotional and physical contention. A psychic healer can sense or see these blockages and help the underlying issues.  They have the ability to connect with others energy, giving them what we call a psychic reading. Psychics don’t predict the future; what they offer is guidance, support, encouragement, empowerment, insight, and comfort.

    Guidance

    This first of there benefits and purpose is to provide emotional release from fear, guilt, depression, anxiety, and stress. Most of the time when someone is seeking out a psychic they already have a sensitive issue they are dealing with on a daily basis.  Often they have struggled through other outlets seeking assistance.

    This struggle will be evident to the psychic. A good psychic will be able to identify this through their energy reading very quickly. The recognition will provide an opening to offer guidance and peace.

    The next purpose of a psychic reading is to remove toxins from the body. They can identify the underlying issues in your energy and the blockages that occur. Once that is done they will be able to recommend the best practice for removing the toxic obstruction. Purging, and cleansing your aura. Spiritual hygiene will restore your innate wisdom.

    Pain Relief

    We know the energy flow through our physical body impacts how we feel physically. The physical pain we feel can be relieved by a psychic restore stuck energy. When energy flows through your body freely, it will alleviate pain like headaches, cramps, tinnitus, and joint pain. These can even be symptoms that your energy balance and flow is out of balance.

    With their heightened sense, many psychics can express the energy dynamic of the tissues, organ systems, and physical body and releasing it. Making you feel a whole lot better very quickly. If you are having pains that Drs are having trouble diagnosing, check out a spiritual healer, it may just help.

    Better Sleep

    A lot of people may need to relieve mental and spiritual angst that could lead to many sleeping issues. The fragile health of our aura is vital to our sleeping process. Imbalanced energy can cause the mind to have trouble calming down. At a time that should be relaxing is becoming riddled with anxiety.

    We can’t stop focusing on and worrying about daily life issues, money, relationships, habits, and tasks. A psychic reading can address these issues and clear your mind and aura for better sleep.

    Issues with Psychics

    We have talked about the plethora of benefits seeing a psychic can do, but what do you have to look out for in the psychic world? If ever there was a profession or talent ripe with lurking probability for trumpery, it’s taking money in exchange for information on the future or afterlife, or the opportunity to speak with lost loved ones. Unfortunately, there are a lot of con artists out there giving real psychics a bad name.

    Another issue that comes up with psychics is there actually ability. In all things, some people are better and more talented in their professions than others. There are good and bad psychics, act accordingly.

    On the other side is people have skewed impressions and expectation about what a psychic can do. People will expect to get play by play instructions about love, money, careers, relationships, or even who will win the super bowl from their psychic reader. These expectations are a completely false narrative.

    They offer guidance, perspective and self-realization helping you see things that perhaps you already knew deep down. You want to remember your future is in your hands; psychics can only offer direction to the right path you choose.

  • Pulling a Six Figure Income Without a College Degree Could be Easier Than You Think

    Pulling a Six Figure Income Without a College Degree Could be Easier Than You Think

    No one will argue that a college degree can be worth its weight in gold, however unlike in the past, one can still get a lucrative six-figure job without the degree. It remains true that with associate’s or bachelor’s degrees employees do earn more on average but you can even get a relatively high-paying career without a college education.

    The focus has always been on getting students to focus on higher education; today we see a shift and demand back to skilled labors. Statistics show America’s labor shortage is approaching epidemic proportions. These statistics mean employers will end up paying more for the right employees. We are seeing nearly 80 percent of construction businesses are having a hard time finding qualified, skilled labors.

    Skilled labors on average earn 62,000 per year, but the potential is much higher in a few key areas. These are the skills that never go outdated and are always in need, learning one of these means you will still have a trade to fall back on. Five skilled labor professions do have a higher earning potential. These trades are plumbers, electricians, brick masons, painters,  and truck drivers.

    Brickmason

    Brickmasons and block layers. Currently, the top 10% of bricklayers and block masons are making over $100,000 per year.  10%  means 1 in 10 at this skilled labor position is in six figures. The average starting pay is significantly lower, and the annual average wage of Brickmasons and Blockmasons is $53440.

    No education is needed to lay and bind building materials,  brick, structural tile, concrete block, cinder block, glass block, and terra-cotta block. Just a good work ethic and a strong back, you could be in that 10%.

    Electrician

    We know power is crucial these days and electricians install the electrical systems that power our homes and businesses. Electricians also handle all the necessary maintenance, repairs, and power upgrades that these buildings require. The skill to wire a building for electricity is a valuable commodity in 2019.

    Electricians earned an average of $62,910 per year. This number is according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The average hourly pay for an electrician was estimated to be $31.68. The top 25 percent earn more a lot more, 1 in 4 electricians is pulling in over 100k.

    Painter

    Construction companies rely on painters to put the finishing touches on new homes and building. Interior painters are also in demand to paint houses, apartments and office building interiors as well as complete remodeling projects for existing structures. The Department of Labor says median annual income for painters is just $37,960 a year.

    For the 42% of painters that are self-employed, the pay is much higher. Over half of them make over 100k, and the expected demand growth for construction painters is 16%.

    Plumber

    Good plumbing is the cornerstone of the infrastructure and sanitation of civilization as we know it today. The plumbing profession has come along way since ancient civilizations first needed to provide clean potable water for a large number of people. From unclogging a toilet to designing complex pipe plans for new construction projects plumber are essential in all forms of construction today.

    To be a master plumber, you will have to a plumbing apprenticeship program through a union or trade school, but the income is worth it. A master plumber makes on average 79,000 per year, and the top 14% are over that 100k mark.

    Truck Driver

    Few other careers offer such a fast track into financial viability coupled with long-term job security and satisfaction as a truck driver. Throw on your trucker hat, make a thermos of coffee and enjoy the road. Truck drivers are on the high average of non-college educated employees. Over the road truck drivers are in increasing demand with half the current OTR driver set to retire in the next ten years.

    The national average for truck drivers is $63,464. OTR team drivers are averaging $71,065, while the top companies like; Wal-Mart, Hobby Lobby, and Amazon are paying their drivers over 100k. Over half of the self-employed drivers with their truck are bring home over 100k profits.

    The Final Thought

    This cost of higher education is growing by the day, and with less guaranteed upon completion of your degree. Skilled trade laborers will always have a demand and an option for work.  With far less money spent on schooling, you would be surprised to learn that being a tradesman could get into that six-figure salary bracket in much less time than just about any other field of work.

    The potential is still higher than only six figures; there are plumbers, electricians and brick masons making a million bucks a year.

  • Military Service Has More Benefits Than Just a Steady Paycheck

    Military Service Has More Benefits Than Just a Steady Paycheck

    Global power with global interests is the fundamental core of America’s military. We are powered with the most advanced, skilled, and trained military force in the world.  This is a tremendous accomplishment for America and shouldn’t be taken for granted. What has made America’s military so great for so long? The People, including the 18-year-olds that enlist every day.

    Almost 80,000 proud, honorable and brave young people join each year. These men and women don’t just sign up because they want to be patriots serving their country, there are plenty of other great reasons to join the world’s most advanced military. Let us check out some of the best reasons to join the U.S. military.

    Incredible Training Opportunities

    Skills and training is one area where the American military shines. The U.S. is unmatched anywhere else in the world where the military is concerned. Our youngsters know that the best way to get their hands on the tech of the future and get a jump start on the competition is to take advantage of the advanced technical training that the U.S. military offers.

    Utilizing their training opportunities can advance a career field, earn certifications or degrees, or help prepare for leadership in a civilian career. If you want to fly the fastest jets, control the most advanced drones, get hands-on in the latest emergency medical tech, or experience in nuclear power, the U.S. military is the best place to do this.

    Our military specializes in developing, advancing and adopting the most advanced weaponry, vehicles, and technology. If you want to get a chance to experience this incredible technology, stop by your local recruiting office.

    The Travel, Did We Mention the Travel?

    What about the travel? The travel opportunities and vacation time the military can provide are unbelievable. The U.S. military has installations all around the world – everywhere. They literally pay for you and your family to go to some of the world’s most interesting locations. Most of the time you are on your assigned duty but the off duty time is yours and you are free to travel and see the world as you please.

    Plus, you will get 30 days of paid leave per year, including the weekends and federal holidays. You also get access to the Hale Koa resort in Hawaii, Shades of Green at Disney World in Florida, and resorts in Japan, Germany, and South Korea.  All of these are U.S. military resorts for you to enjoy. There is also the option to take advantage of base lodging and military hotels. You can stay on a space available basis for less than the cost of an off-base hotel, how fantastic is that?

    A Killer Home Loan

    The benefits don’t stop once you leave the military either.  You will at some point find yourself out of the service, settling down to buy a home. The military offers all servicemen a VA loan, which allows you to buy a home with no money down. This makes it easier to purchase a home while you are serving, or after you have left the service.

    The Nest Egg

    Lastly, the retirement opportunities. Some people have no clue about retirement plans given to employees by the companies they worked for when they retire. Not social security, but a regular employee could get paid once they reached a certain amount of years with the same company. The military is one of the only places you can still get this. It can be worth millions. Follow my math.

    An officer with 15 years of service, who earns over $120,000 per year, could retire with a pension of over $52,000 per year for life at the age of 38. This gives you the training and ample time to start a second career. Imagine earning over $4,300 per month for the rest of your life, starting at age 38. This equates to an accumulative pay of $520,000 after 10 years, $1.4 mil in 20.

    Plus, you still get full health care coverage and a higher income from a second job because of your military training. Why would you pay hundreds of thousands of dollars to get a degree when the military will pay to give you experience?

  • The Gift of Music: How to Do It the Right Way

    The Gift of Music: How to Do It the Right Way

    Everyone has those people in life that are very hard to shop for. I mean what are you to get the person that has everything? Music. Music is always the best gift,  and for the people that have everything, it’s often the only gift. Music is universal and received by everyone. No one can have all of it or appreciate all of it,  which makes it such a great gift.

    The best part about giving music as a gift is there are so many different ways to do it. You can give equipment, earbuds, speakers, listening peripherals, or just new music that you think they would enjoy. The options are virtually endless. Let’s take a look at some of the best music gift ideas you can give your friends, family,  and loved ones.

    Streaming Subscriptions

    When gifting music the first place to start is the easiest place to start. That is a subscription to new music. Starting at $9.99 a month there is a plethora of streaming music subscription services. The subscriptions will allow you to stream, download, and listen to unlimited music, new, retro or classic. Whatever you wanna hear, whenever you wanna hear it.

    The first one I would mention is Apple Music. Apple Music has the largest subscription-based of users as well as the largest database of music. They’ve been compiling music in their iTunes software since the beginning of digital music. Almost all the music you could ever want to listen to is there is a very easy to use, intuitive,  user-friendly platform that syncs perfectly amongst all your iOS devices.

    The next option is Amazon’s Prime Music. Prime Music functions mostly like the Apple subscription services. Prime music will sync across all your Amazon prime devices,  you can even download the prime music app to your iOS or Android devices.

    This provides flexibility in your multiple and various OS mobile devices. There are also services like Iheartradio, Pandora, and Spotify. All the services will run you $9.99 a month and make an excellent gift for anyone who doesn’t have unlimited streaming music service.

    Harmonica?

    Maybe you want something tangible to give? Another great option to give somebody is the gift of a musical instrument. Regardless of talent level, Giving the gift of a musical instrument is always welcome. This will give you some options as well, the classic iconic instrument, a keyboard or guitar,  or you can get interesting like a banjo or harmonica. It’s fun, always remembered, and just may improve someone’s life.  If that’s not exactly what you been looking for, Here are some specific music listening devices that will make great gifts.

    Amazon Echo

    The Amazon Echo is one of Amazon’s premier speaker systems. It is an elegant and easy to use this quality speaker. It doubles as a speaker for most of your devices and comes with Amazon’s Alexa voice-enabled assistant fully built in. Full cloud sync-ability to prime music,  you can add in that subscription for a total music package. Synchronization across your devices lets the Amazon echo provide the ultimate in home music listening enjoyment. The Echo gives the gift of high-quality speaker along with the content to play through it.

    The Sonos Vinyl Set

    Are you looking for a gift for someone who likes that hands-on music experience? Do they like the sound they can feel and touch? At the same time want to have that digital proficiency and quality without suffering the nostalgic sound of crackles and pops. Look no further than Sonos’s new vinyl set. Picture this, the Play:5, the best-sounding, most powerful speaker, matched with the Pro-Ject vinyl record player, allowing you to stream your vinyl to every room. Masterful.

    Did I mention, the Pro-Ject includes built-in phono preamp. Outstanding. They will be able to just plug in any audio device, from a record player to a friend’s phone, and listen to their favorite music on the fantastic Play:5. Like all Sonos speakers, it is expandable.  The Sonos vinyl easily let you go from streaming your favorite music and high-quality sounds to spinning from your own record collection.

    Give the gift of streaming vinyl across the connected Sonos speakers to every room in a pure, balanced sound,  unmatched by anybody else in the industry. Give the gift of their own musical completion, The Sonos Vinyl set.

    Beats Studio3

    You could just try keeping it simple and just go with the old trusty Beats headsets. When you want to give the gift of quality music look no further than beats headphones. The best of the beats headphones are the Beats. Featuring intuitive balanced, pure noise canceling functionality in the most robust and authentic sounding headphones on the market.

    These headsets function flawlessly regardless of the situation or noisy environment that you’re in,  always providing the perfect pure balance sound and they look pretty great.

  • Google Assistant is About to Take Over Your Life

    Google Assistant is About to Take Over Your Life

    Our world has in a very short time become almost totally voice controlled by an autonomous A.I. robot with a pleasant female voice. One voice is always listening,  to answer, or facilitate your every whim. She can order your food, turn on your lights, tv, and set your A/C. She can settle debates, do calculations, wake you up in the morning.

    “She” has many uses and many names, Alexa, Siri, some call her Bixby or Skynet, Clarice, Cortana, Whatever you call her, she has a name. Then there is the unnamed, just known as the assistant.

    “Hey Google”. This phrase is the next big thing in A.I. assistants. Google’s very own assistant to help you verbally command across devices, computers, speakers, Google Home, your phones, tablets, and everything else with a plug. No Google’s assistant isn’t new, but it is improving faster than the rest of the field.

    While Siri and Alexa are getting complacent with their functions, focusing on expanding. The Assistant is getting smarter at all the things she does, she is learning, evolving…

    Google Assistant will be the A.I. Assistant that wins the war and establishes dominance. Even though it looks as though Google is falling behind at the moment. Alexa is sexier, and Siri is already everywhere. Why will it be Google? Google CEO Sundar Pichai  says the companies priorities are shifting from “mobile-first to AI-first.”

    For Google, that priority will be AI-powered intelligent assistant, Google Assistant. That is why they will prevail and take over the A.I. world. A.I. first and design devices and peripherals around the assistant,  instead of A.I. just being a component or another feature.

    In short, the Google Assistant is a voice-activated digital assistant created by Google. Much like all the others out there it can perform actions on a user’s behalf and provide conversation and contextual information. Google Assistant is now the primary focus of Google’s AI-first strategy. In cohesion with the mountain of user data, Google has on all its users will create the dominant voice-enabled A.I. assistant to lead the world into the roaring 20s.

    Most of the world’s smartphones operate on Google’s Android OS, which supplies Google Assistant already for free. If you haven’t tried out the Google Assistant on your smartphone, now is the time to yank out the device in your pocket. I think you will be very impressed with your assistant. Try it, ask your Assistant to look up the last book you read, music, your favorite bible verse or send a quick text message.  See what the weather is like in Temecula or turn off your bedroom lights. Google can do it, just ask.

    Why is So Much Data Needed?

    The biggest disadvantage of the Assistant is that it requires users to give access to a lot of data. If you want it to turn off your light, you need to give it access to your home. If you want her to remind you of an important meeting tomorrow, she needs your calendar. You get the picture.  This disadvantage is also why Google will improve in the near future.

    It has all the data to play with already.  Yes, we are creating a monster, a self-serving monster. How, when, or if this will come back to bite us is all up in the air. It all seems like that is someone more important’s problem, and now is just the time to enjoy the best of all times to be alive. We want all this glorious tech without giving up any private data, which is just not possible. Or is it?

    What About My Privacy?

    Don’t be terrified, It’s going to be great. While privacy in the 21rst century is going extinct, it’s not really linked to you… think of it as one person with two personalities, the in real life “IRL” and your digital personality. You can control every part of your digital personality, it can even be a caricature of your IRL self.

    Yes, everything you say, post, think, search or learn is being tracked. What is not being tracked is you, just your behaviors, then compiled into a database with 5 billion other people and used to develop patterns. When strong enough patterns are compiled, very accurate predictions can be made. Take solace in the anonymity of it all, or you can take the next step.

    A third personality, make a second digital personality. New email, second twitter, FB, Insta, use this solely to create erratic online behaviors. Search for random things, click on ads you are not interested in, simply skew the data. If enough of us do this we can restore privacy. Maybe. Who’s with me?

  • Are These The Best Earbuds for Working Out?

    Are These The Best Earbuds for Working Out?

    There is a phenomenon going down with the culture in our youths today. It seems the younger people have ditched the self-destructive and human deprecative behaviors of adolescent debauchery and replaced it with working out.

    Yes, I have said it before and that won’t stop me from saying it again, the gym is the hot new bar or club scene of the 21rst century. These young misguided adults have ditched the drugs, booze, and promiscuous dancing for the gym.

    Now instead of getting the hot new designer clothes and dancing the night away, one dawns on their finest spandex, water bottle, and sneaker, in the wee early hours of the day. As weird as it sounds, it’s the new world we live in. There is still one constant though… Music.

    They all are still listening to music at the gym. Music, radiating from little tiny buds stuck in everyone’s ears, helping to keep this new health generation motivated and achieving.  I know this took me a while to get here, but let’s talk about the best earbuds for working out, shall we?

    Earbuds at the gym are crucial, they are not only the peripheral sense that interacts with all of your smart gym tech, but they pump the music to keep you on that elliptical for just one more song.

    Plus you need the best pair to look cool, this is the new club scene after all. Like everything these days, you don’t have to sacrifice quality for aesthetics. These are the top 5 best sounding and best-looking earbuds for working out.

    Bose SoundSport Truly Free Wireless Sport Headphones

    Bose, of course, Bose, would be number one. They are the most elegant and fantastic sounding earbuds on the planet. These beautiful little buds just screw into place right in your ear. This will form a snug fit in all ears, just adjust the sound for the perfect earbud.  Rocking the company’s highest-quality speakers, the sound is incendiary. They give up t0 five hours of play time with each charge.

    If that is not enough for your workout, the case can give you an additional charge of 10 hours. Inspired sweat-resistant headphones with the Bose Connect app’s “find my buds” feature, there is no risk of damage or loss.

    Jabra ELITE ACTIVE 65T

    Number 2 should be Jabra’s motto. Never better than Bose,  but demolish everyone else. They are the Mack Robinson of earbuds. These completely wireless headphones have a waterproof coating. They also sport an astonishing call drop rate, next to zero.

    Plus smart features like Amazon’s Alexa, Apple’s Siri, or Google Assistant. Got to stay connected when you want to disconnect and run right? Five hours of battery life, but with the jabra, you can go 15 before needing to charge up your carrying case.

    Skullcandy METHOD WIRELESS IN-EAR HEADPHONES

    Skullcandy slips into the 3 holes here for its quality and for separating itself from the pack. Individuality, you want to be unique at the gym. Skull candy packs the hardware to a flexible collar leaving your buds light AF. To make this list they have to be sweat- and water-resistant headphones. Light, great, flexible and different, not to mention cheap. $39.99, a magnificent bargain.

     Powerbeats 3

    Yeah, as expected beats make an appearance in the top 3. Monster and Dr. Dre have some terrific sound equipment, like the Powerbeats3. You never need to worry about these guys Shifting or moving at the gym. The universal ear hooks keep them right in place, and comfortable. 12 hours of battery life, That will last me a month of gym time. I know, I should spend more time at the gym.

    Aftershokz

    Bone conduction? It transfers sound via vibration of your cheekbones. That means nothing goes in or on your ear. You can hear your surroundings and the music at the same time with no blockage. Imagine being able to hear the music at the gym and have a conversation too, music to my ears.

    The sound is different but terrific, it’s not like it is playing but rather being produced in your head. Truly amazing distraction free headsets, comfortable and easy to use. These tend to stay on after the gym.

    Honorable Mention: AirPods

    As a full fledge apple fan geek, I must mention the Airpods. While they were not designed for working out, their weight acts as a terrific counterbalance. This keeps these insanely light buds in place through almost any workout, while remaining totally comfortable.

    They are not the best sounding option on the list but hold no liability.

  • Suffering From Dry Eyes at Work?

    Suffering From Dry Eyes at Work?

    Tears, sometimes you just need a great cry. Tears of joy. Tears of laughter. Even tears of pain, sorrow or loss. Crying is a reaction remedy for any emotional overload. Natural human crying is “a complex secretomotor phenomenon characterized by the shedding of tears from the lacrimal apparatus, without any irritation of the ocular structures”, according to all available information. That basically means, it feels good and relieving to shed salted water from your eyes.

    Tears have some very vital components. First is water, you know, for moisture. Tears also have natural oils in them for lubrication. Oil makes water wetter, if that makes any sense. They have mucus to ensure they spread evenly and special proteins and antibodies, that keep infection in check. A magical cocktail of soothing as I like to think of them. Your body makes this easily, naturally, and constantly. If that’s the case why are my eyes so dry all the time?

    Dry eyes could mean something in your body is off. Are your eyes giving you a gritty feel? Do you constantly feel like there’s something in your eye, like an eyelash? Got itching, redness, blurry vision or light sensitivity? especially at work? You could have an issue in your tear-flow system. Don’t panic, odds are its something simple like your air conditioner, fan, or heater that are causing your dry eyes

    Dry Eye Causes

    But what if it isn’t any of those things? First, we will want to rule out some of the other simple explanations. Menopause and the natural human aging will cause your eyes to dry up. So will certain antihistamines and conditions that don’t allow your eyelid to fully shut. Even things like our blood pressure medications or viagra can cause an imbalance in your tears. Then there are more complex issues like Sjogren’s syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis, and collagen vascular diseases. These diseases affect your eye’s tear making capabilities.

    None of those?  It could be the bright lights, dry air, and computer screens of your office. The office environment is a prime place to dry out your tear film. There are a lot of reasons your office environment is causing your dry eyes. Staring at your computer for long periods of time will cause you to blink less often. Couple that with the glare of your computer and overhead fluorescent lights and that dry office air, it’s no wonder your eyes are red, dry, irritated. It’s your office causing your dry eyes…

    Easy Natural Solutions

    Fortunately, this isn’t a very complex issue, and we can solve it pretty easily. First, take breaks from your computer. Use the 20-20-20 rule. This is something experts recommend not just for dry eyes but your overall eyesight as well. They say, every 20 mins take a 20-second break and look at something 20 feet away. In all honesty, we should all be doing this, even from just our phones.

    Next, ditch the contacts and go with the glasses look. The glasses will act as a shield protecting your eyes from wind as well as dry air. The glasses will also slow down the tear evaporation process. Water, add more water daily. It’s just common sense and helps a multitude of other issues. Lastly, adjust the lighting in your office. Cut down the over headlights, and add a few soft LED lamps. Or try one of those cool himalayan pink salt lamps that look so cool I just want to get one.

    Hit Them With Chemicals

    As much as we bash our chemical use in today’s world, they do work. Just look at my lawn and fish tank. Chemicals can solve all life’s problems, like dry eyes. With your dry eyes being a mild issue you can get an artificial tear solutions. You can use these to supplement natural tears. Artificial tear solutions are a great solution and don’t have preservatives or additives that can cause more eye irritation.

    If those don’t help you can get a small bit of silicon implanted in your tear ducts to conserve tears. It sounds a bit extreme but keeping your natural tears is a good way to reduce your dry eye issues. The gel-like plugs are inserted in your tear ducts and you can easily remove them to let the tears out when needed. Your optometrist can also prescribe an omega-3 fatty acid teardrop nutritional supplement to increase your tear production.

    Lastly try prescription eye drops or ointments, warm compresses and lid massage, or eyelid cleaners. This will reduce the inflammation around the eyes and boost tear production. I like to call this the kitchen sink approach.

  • They Left the House, Now What?

    They Left the House, Now What?

    It’s been a long 36 years since you first got that pregnancy test results back in the early 80s. You watched your child grow and blossom, TCBY’s come and go, grunge music, and then they finally turned 18 and graduated high school. That was gonna be it, time to take your life and home back, or so you thought. College came and went, along with relationships, but they just seemed to stay around. Then the crash of 2008 happened and you thought this was it, they will be home for life. All of theirs, or the rest of yours.

    That was ok though, you almost took some comfort in it. No shame in the game, all of your friends still have their middle-aged kids at home too. It’s like a whole new culture thing and you got pulled in to it. Then as quickly as it the situation evolved, times turned in America. Jobs and money are flowing like the 50s and the stock market is doing incredible things with everyone’s money. Just like that, your precious 35-year-old couch potato is employed, buying a house and a car, and moving out to start his life. They are gone now.

    Meals for two again, quiet, serene peace. It’s almost frightening. Time seems to be fast forwarding and days melting together, all the while nothing feels like it’s being accomplished. Am I getting close on this one? Are you suffering from an unanticipated empty nest long after it should have been emptied? So now what? I’m glad you asked that, let’s talk about what is next.

    Do I have Empty Nest Syndrome?

    Depression, alcoholism, identity crisis and marital conflicts can all stem from the unexpected sense of loneliness you will feel with an empty nest. There is no real reason this has to become you, you can use this empty nest to solve and alleviate family and work-related conflicts. This will, in turn, improve the quality of your life.  Once a child leaves the home, finally, leaves the home, parents can find the chance to reconnect with each other.

    Take the time to quiet your mind and rekindle those long lost interest you once had. This will offset the loneliness and avoid you falling into the empty nest syndrome.

    Yoga

    By the year 2050, the senior population will expect to double.  Medicine is getting pretty scientific. It is great for keeping us alive. That’s not quite good enough, I want to get old without the pain. My dream is to give my body back to the earth without the complaints.  That’s where Yoga comes in. We all need to get into some Yoga stretching. Yoga classes for seniors include poses in forward bends and twists that protect the fragile bone system. There are classes designed, supported and taught with seniors in mind. The benefits include pain management, balance, spirituality, and graceful aging.

    Take the best of modern, evidence-based medicine matched with the ancient wisdom, experience, and tradition.  Yoga teachings for seniors can vastly improve your quality of life. Seniors come across a lot of issues that yoga can help, including reducing high blood pressure, easing back pain, enhancing sleep, as well as greatly improving your mood. I can’t stress enough how much Yoga will help improve your aging process as well as help you cope with your newly found empty nest.

    Find a Challenge

    There is one constant in all life advice. Its challenges and victories. It is a universal theme that can combat whatever is going on in your head. Stop the deconstructive behavior, challenges yourself,  and bask in the mini victories. This will inevitably change your perspective and get you over any tumultuous issues in your life. Empty nest syndrome is no different. It is simple. First set out to ease the sense of loss and loneliness by taking on a new and unrelated challenge. Have fun with it, do something you have always wanted to but never could justify.  Whether you’ve dreamed of completing a marathon, finish your degree,  or remodel your bathroom, today is your day to jump in.

    You can even get really crazy with it,  like volunteering with habitat for humanity build or spend time with sick kids. This will help you focus all that parenting wisdom to someone that could really use it. Set yourself up to achieve what I like to call mini victories, give a sick kid a smile and a toy, your first yoga class, install a new sink,  a weekend getaway or an afternoon on a job site for charity. These will all give you these mini victories. String a few together and like magic, you will find yourself transforming into the you that you had had always thought you were.