Sunday, August 20, 2017

Life's Crazy Twists and Turns...

It has been quite awhile since my last post, disregarding my Apple Airpods review.  Life always seems to throw curve balls.  Sometimes, I may think about posting something, but think better for it.  I feel that with freedom of speech also comes great responsibility, especially in recent days.  Being misunderstood or misinterpreted can very well lead one into a hell that was never intended.

Health-wise - My left knee has had several issues.  During the whole master bathroom tub replacement debacle, I started experiencing a great deal of pain.  Come to find out I had bursitis.  I got a cortisone shot in that knee, but I still deal with pain.  Some days are better than others, but it is just another monkey on my back.

I tried to go to 24 Hour Fitness to get some help, but that turned into another headache.  I made the mistake of paying for personal trainer sessions.  The problem - I was trying to go in early in the morning, say 8 AM.  Well, that turned into a huge mistake because I was constantly having to be on calls about that time in the morning.  If I tried to go for after 5 PM, this trainer was not available.  Maybe, I need to work on looking for another trainer.

Trying to decide if I should change primary care physicians, again.  My last one moved away and I decided to go with another doctor in the group.  Unfortunately, the last time I tried to see this doctor, I waited over an hour to be seen and dealt with a grumpy nurse's aide.  I was frustrated and angry.  I did not have time for this during the middle of the day and what made the situation worse was that no one made an effort to say that the doctor was running behind schedule.  I left completely pissed off.  The next day, the counselor told me that I was justified in being upset.  Not sure why I feel this way, but I feel like I am supposed to be ashamed of walking out like that.  However, why?  I was not being treated properly and it is my time being wasted; not their time.

My work area is undergoing constant upheaval and sometimes, I am not sure if we are coming or going.  I try to make sense of it all, but how can you?  Being on the low end, you just have to watch what changes take place and see what falls out.  It is pretty nerve wrecking.

Grieving over lost friendships - sometimes, I have to realize that maybe those relationships really were not meant to be.  I will leave it to the other side to decide if they want to continue and in what capacity.  What I would like may not be what someone else wants and I have to understand.  I have a few close friends that I can lean/rely on and I will continue to appreciate those relationships and let those people know I do.

Caring for myself - I have not been doing well in this area.  I feel that I succumb quite a bit to just crawling back into bed as my mother used to do.  Most of that is related to the constant back and knee pain I experience.  Could be depression, but I do try to fight it as much as I can.  Trying harder to walk more with Bo - as much as I can withstand.  I will walk a good 10 minutes or more, then look for a place to sit to relieve some of the pain.  Once I feel better, I get back up and walk more.  This way, I spend more time with Bo and talk with him in a positive tone so that we both are smiling and having a good time.

At this point, I feel that the shots in my back are useless.  Maybe the only cure is just dependent upon weight loss.  I simply have to get out of the rut I find myself and work harder on turning my life around from where I am.  While it is a scary proposition, maybe I need to look at possibly vlogging for me to get some accountability as well as seeing a change.  Even when I lost 120 lbs in 1996-1997, I still saw a very overweight person in the mirror.  I never felt that I got anywhere, even though the numbers showed differently.  

Also, I have to build a tougher exterior to prevent the pain of abuse from others.  I get angry at people who say mean, nasty things, yet they hide behind their computer screens.  No videos - nothing.  It is so easy to sit behind the computer screen and say nasty things.  It is hard to invoke change within one's self and when I see someone trying hard, I would rather hear encouragement, rather than breaking down the spirit.

That brings me to the "damned if you do and damned if you don't" situations.  If you are overweight, people discriminate against you and say awful things because they feel that they can.  If you lose weight, same people make the similar nasty comments.  You simply cannot win.  I finally had to come to the conclusion - if people make nasty comments, just delete them.  If those people complain, they need to look within themselves.  I need help; I need support.  I do not need someone bringing my day down with their useless abuse.  Making a change within one's self is never an easy task - it takes time and work.  That is what I am trying to do.

So, with that, I will continue to blog from time to time, but look out for my channel.  I am not gorgeous or even beautiful, but I am a person.  I have a heart and feelings.

Techno Joy - Apple's Airpods!

While I am one of those crazy technology freaks, I do have my limitations.  I do not purchase a new computer every year.  I do not get the latest iPhone, unless mine breaks down - and it is not because I physically broke it.  However, I have always had the "Dennis the Menance" addiction to "playing with technology".  My latest find has been the Apple Airpods.

The Airpods came out about the same time as the iPhone 7 and 7 plus.  With the advertisements, I thought that the new phone came with the new wireless ear buds.  Alas, that was not to be the case.  A new wired headset was made available, but not the Airpods.

In May, I purchased the Apple Airpods.  Currently, I own the following Apple products:

iPhone 7
iPod Touch - 2
iPod Nano - Several
iPad - 3rd Generation (Probably about to be made obsolete at some point)
iPod Mini
iPod - 3 - ranging from 1st generation (It still works but has to remain connected) to a 160 GB that I need to setup
MacBook Pro

For the most part, the Apple AirPods connected immediately to both my iPhone 7, iPad 3, and both iPod Touches.  The AirPods will not connect to any of my iPod Nano devices, which is a bummer, but I am good with that.

The Apple AirPods allow the following:

Two hours of talk time
Three hours of listening time
Case allows up to 3 to 4 AirPod recharges
Can charge both case and AirPods when connected with the Lightening connect
Can double tap the AirPod to connect/disconnect from a phone call

In the past, I tried using the popular LG headset that I had seen people wearing for the past 3-4 years.  When I used it, I felt like I was being choked.  To make matters worse, the model I had did not work well with my iPhone.  I ended up returning the device to Best Buy.

With the airpods, I am really thrilled to use them.  I have no "wires" restricting or getting getting in the way.  I feel comfortable wearing them and have not incurred any serious connection issues.  I am rather bummed with the short life span, but I tell myself - every great product has to have a starting point.  As more people discover the airpods, I am sure Apple will do more with enhancing the listening and talk time.  One of the main reasons I still have a Plantronics earbud - the talk time on my current Plantronics is about 6 to 7 hours.

I have learned how to use Siri to make phone calls and such using the airpods.  I also love how I can easily connect the airpods to my MacBook Pro computer.

Those of you who love exercise would enjoy the airpods for your running/jogging/walking routines.  The only time I have had any issues with the airpods falling out was when I was pulling a shirt over my head to either remove or wear.  The airpods fit snugly in my ears and are comfortable for me.  If you are not used to how the current Apple wired ear phones fit, you may not enjoy the airpods.

Curious about how much battery life you have left with both the airpods and the case?  Very easy - make sure your phone is close to the airpods case, then lift the lid.  A screen for the airpods will appear and show you how much battery life is left in the case and each airpod.  You can also go to the "main" first screen where you have a "Search" entry, scroll down to look for the "Batteries" widget - you will see the battery level there as well.

Overall, I am really enjoying my experience with the airpods.  Friends that have called me while I was wearing the airpods say that the sound quality is better than the wired earphones and the Plantronics ear piece.  I always get good clarity with the airpods.  Heck, I loved the airpods so much that I bought my father a set for Father's Day.  I really love wearing/using the airpods - it has brought my listening and iPhone experience to a new level.