Flexible Stuff - Article 2, Sunday, May 12, 2024
No, I can't live happily without my computer
Has anyone ever challenged your with the question "Could you live for a month without your computer or cell phone?" This question, of course, suggests that computers have left us with weak minds.
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Well, OK. Once upon a time, in the 1960s through 1990s, I could not live a month without magazines, newspapers, TV, and maybe a book or two.
Today, I could not live a month without communications between family, friends, and employers via Zoom + movies (going back to when they were first invented) + TV/streaming programs (going back to my youth, allowing me to catch up on what I missed) + unlimited music + unlimited books (ones I could read or have read to me) + YouTube, all features on the great World Wide Web + online games + the ability to make my own travel arrangements + and while knowing I probably missed a few things, ultimately, I could not live without GPS!
Family values
Where would families be today without Zoom?
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Sing Along
There was a time when owning the latest music meant buying it or possibly more commonly, stealing it over the radio. Well today, Spotify, plus a number of other online music services, deliver millions of tunes for free or low monthly fees on a daily basis.
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But what's better than ever before is that Spotify provides song lyrics so while you might have the urge to belt out Sweet Caroline, with Spotify, you can now sing all the words instead of just a reframe.
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Pad it yourself
Aging is blamed on a lot of aches attributed to arthritis, with sitting too long in the wrong position seemingly the primary reason for back pain. No matter how physically fit any of us may be, sitting often is what does us in.
While it is obvious that sitting puts pressure on our butts, reducing blood flow, and ultimately causing tissue inflammation (swelling), it's more likely that the origin of the pain we feel when getting up relates to our seated posture.
Poor seated posture causes our back, neck, and shoulder muscles to become tense, thereby reducing blood flow, and overworked, but not in a good way like with gym equipment. This puts pressure on nerves up and down the spine, causing further discomfort and stiffness.
While there is no perfect solution to the problem of sitting, we can fabricate some solutions that we can use no matter where we plop down. Here are three fixes that I’ve found helpful:
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Travel with a waist-sized lumbar support pillow that is easy to position on a hard chair or bench. When used correctly, a lot of stiffness fades away.
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If possible, rest your arms so that your shoulders don’t hang or droop. In a car, for example, support your arms using pillows. Even if your car has arm rests, they might not properly support your body. To correct, consider buying a car door elbow rest that attaches your cars current (way too low) armrests in a way that fits your needs!
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Sleep better using a standard-foam, 3 inch, egg-crate mattress topper, with the crate-side down (don’t believe the ads). If you have hip or leg hot spots at night, you may find that the relief you get by using a really soft topper will help rejuvenate your body after a chair-crushing day.
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