Sunday, December 29, 2019

Copy & Paste Screen Shot Info

I recently received a screenshot of a USPS tracking number. It was well over 20 digits and I found it extremely burdensome, on my phone, to go back-and-forth to copy the numbers from the screenshot to the usps.com website. So, I tried something different and it worked...

I said to my HomePod, "Hey, Siri, remind me to 638373947374..." and then a reminder appeared on my To Do list of only the digits which I could easily copy and paste into the post office tracking website.

VoilĂ !

I'm sure this will work equally well with other smart speakers.    

Friday, December 13, 2019

Cryotherapy

-225°F
I tried cryotherapy for the first time, today. It's basically the opposite of a sauna. Instead of extreme heat, it's extreme cold.

How cold? About -225°F. Yup, two hundred twenty-five degrees below zero for three minutes.

If pain's a good thing because it means you're not dead then I felt very alive at the end of my three minutes. The hairs on my legs were frosty brittle. I don't know if it had any health benefits – but what are the health benefits of a sauna or steam room? If heat is relaxing, then cold is invigorating.

Three minutes cost $25 and, without an appointment, I was in and out in less than 15 minutes. I only wore my underwear, gloves, and flip flops with socks (not exactly a fashion statement).

The woman administering my treatment, who coincidentally had the same last name as me, chatted with me throughout my session. Probably to make sure I didn't pass out. It was chilly.

Wednesday, December 11, 2019

Investment Litmus Test

I had a discussion about timeshare vacations properties, today. Timeshare sales seminars are notoriously high pressure. They're pitched as an investment... but, even though they can be real property, they're a liability.

The litmus test for an investment is simple. If you buy something, today then you can sell it tomorrow for the same price, less a small amount of fees or commission then it's an investment. Real estate (fee simple) and stocks can be bought today and sold tomorrow for virtually the same price. Gold also falls into this category as an investment. However, cars, jewelry (i.e. diamonds, rubies), and timeshares most certainly do not.