technology | At Home with Tech

December 6, 2020

Why my Magic Hour is my Super Power

This is the story of my favorite time of day and how this found hour became my most productive.

I was born a night owl. And I spent much of my life using late-night hours productively. It felt natural, like I was hard-wired to do that. Mornings, on the other hand, were my kryptonite. And I struggled through them as I ramped up into my day.

Then, about fifteen years ago, I needed to get up earlier as part of a new schedule. The shift was painful. But over time, my body began to adjust. And once I recognized the need to also go to bed earlier to make up for the lost sleep, I began to find a new balance for my daily rhythms.

When I no longer needed to get up at the crack of dawn, I didn’t immediately return to my former schedule. And I found the extra hour to ninety minutes in my mornings.

The Power of my Magic Hour
I explored this time and discovered an amazing benefit. While I thought it would be a period of brain sluggishness, in fact it was the opposite. I was entirely clear headed.

I was sharp and unburdened by all of the clutter that tended to fill up my head throughout the day. You could call it a sense of clarity. I began to call it my magic hour.

It was a time where my creative self was most fully present. And my cognitive productivity levels went through the roof.

Sure, part of that equation was the fact that I had no outside disturbances. (Nobody else was awake yet.) But it was more than that. I had discovered the zone when my brain worked best.

People ask me when I find the time to write this blog. Yep, it’s during my magic hour that begins at 5:30am.

My magic hour became my super power.

Discover and Protect
When our son was born, my magic hour was challenged by a new family schedule. And after things settled a bit, son of Barrett proved himself to be a natural morning person. That also threatened to infringe on my magic hour. But I was able to adjust it back a bit to maintain its integrity.

I think everyone values having enough ‘me’ time. It doesn’t necessarily have to happen before the sun rises. It can be when the clock strikes midnight or when you’re in the middle of a solo activity like commuting.

Everyone should know the best hour when they can be fully in their own head. And then, you’ve got to make the time for that!

The Need for Me-Bubbles
But life during this pandemic is, of course, quite different. Much of our ‘me’ time has evaporated due to the physical compression caused by family units feeling forced to spend as much time at home as possible.

I think a reaction to that is the desire to create virtual ‘me-bubbles,’ and of course, technology can help generate them.

That said, these me-bubbles can’t interfere with others who may be only feet away. So that means using headphones more and not blaring your whole-house speaker system.

Technology can also strengthen certain me-bubbles that you may not want to promote.
(I don’t have to tell you parents about the current pressure for more iPad screen time. It’s a force from your kids that can require the Force to properly keep in check.)

Don’t Become a Bubble Stranger
Yes, creating and protecting quality me time is important. That said, maintaining the right balance at home needs to be part of the equation. You don’t want to inadvertently birth a family of bubble strangers through technology.

To summarize:

Magic Hour = Good
Brain Clutter = Bad
Me Time = Good
Bubble Strangers = Bad

Retraining your body for a new sleep schedule = actual results may vary.

Good luck!

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October 18, 2020

What Would my Younger Self Think of Me in 2020?

As a child, I thought about flying cars, especially when I got my haircuts. 2020 was a distant year I could barely count to. Here’s how my expectations met reality…

When I was a young boy growing up in New York City, I dreamt of living in my distant future, and 2020 was the year that represented that faraway reality. To me, it felt like a time beyond which I could not fathom myself inhabiting. Too much would be different. And I would be… old. Someone else, in fact.

Technology would be infused into every part of my life. I had “Star Trek” as my guide, and though I was fully aware of the limits of science fiction, I was hopeful that the future would still have many crazy-cool gadgets to play with. (As we all know, pieces of ‘Trek’ tech are now real, like hand-held communicators, universal translators, and yes, motion-sensor sliding doors.)

When Barrett meets Barrett in a Temporal Nexus
Fast forward to 2020, and the truth is I got about half of it right. Although there are no flying cars and we can’t travel at warp speed, technology is indeed infused into many parts of our lives. And while I have, in fact, aged, I’m kicking the can of ‘old’ down the time portal a couple more decades. (I reserve the right to revise my view again in 2040.)

I think what I got most wrong was my prediction that I would be someone else. To know for sure, I would need a time machine to bring the two Barrett’s together. (And we’d sit six feet apart to avoid both a temporal paradox and COVID time travel.)

If my younger self sat me down and interviewed me, I think he would be surprised.

I know I’ve changed in any number of ways. That’s supposed to happen due to the slings and arrows that life throws at you. But I think my fundamentals haven’t changed. He would still see himself in me. And I expect he’d be pleased to admit his mistake.

This is the Year to Tap into your Inner You
Still, he’d also be a little suspicious. That’s because it wouldn’t only be a one-way interview. And he’d pick up on that. I’d be asking him questions too. I’d want to tap back into some of the refreshing simplicity of his boundless optimism.

Life doesn’t often support that naive level of positive energy for any extended period. But just touching that memory is always enough to refuel the soul.

And 2020 is the perfect example of needing to tap into your inner you during this global stumble.

We probably won’t get the chance to spend nurturing time in a temporal nexus with our younger versions. So, we’ll just have to find the strength to move forward using what’s in our existing bag of tricks.

That’s life, baby.

Using Tech in our New Normal
How ironic it is that as a boy, I couldn’t imagine a future beyond 2020. It was always a sort of temporal mystery, being so far out. And of course, now that it’s here, our global reality has been reset in so many ways due to COVID. Disruption and change is clearly the norm of 2020. Much is still a mystery.

So, what comes next? What will the future look like now? Sorry to disappoint, but I don’t have that answer. (My time machine is in repair.)

All that any of us can do is ride this turbulent wave and looks for ways to maintain balance and hold onto whatever sense of normality we can. On the home front, I’ll keep playing with the technology that boy Barrett hoped I would. And I’ll continue to try to use this tech to improve (or at least maintain) my day to day.

Whether that’s truly happening or my gadget purchases are simply masquerading as a cozy blanket to help me feel good remains an open question.

Maintaining Order with a Robot Vacuum
Case in point: I just bought an iRobot Roomba on Amazon Prime Day.
(Yes, I succumbed to the marketing machine. But I’ve got to admit it felt great to buy something on Amazon that wasn’t related to supplies for our home during COVID.)

I’m not sure how our cat is going to react to our Roomba, but at least boy Barrett would be proud of me. A robot vacuum? How cool is that!
(Just please don’t tell him there are no flying cars yet.)

And my choice to talk about robot vacuums is a good sign that things could be worse. In fact, I’ve got a lot to be grateful for in 2020.

#LookingontheBrightSide

January 26, 2020

Will Your Tech Survive the Next Snowstorm?

You can’t capture cool pictures of winter if your battery is dead. But when the power goes out, your camera may be the least of your problems. I’ve got six ways to give your tech a fighting chance…

A windy snow event or ice storm will likely create stress that you can’t control. Fortunately, if you’re prepared, you can protect your precious tech from getting zapped by a brownout or worse.

Here’s my six-step checklist to prevent ‘techtastrophy’ when a storm plays havoc with the power grid.

#1
Avoid Direct Connections to Wall Outlets
First off, just don’t plug your electronics directly into the wall. If you expect the power to fluctuate, that could also include a power surge. Why take the chance of frying your gear? You should always plug your power supplies and chargers for your delicate tech (smartphones, laptops) into surge-protector power strips.

If you happen to have a whole-house surge protection system, then good for you. Otherwise, invest in a few good power strips with surge protection.

#2
Get a UPS for Your Computer
A power strip isn’t going to cut it if you’re using a desktop computer that requires a constant flow of electricity. Any irregular (dirty) power is bad, but when a blackout hits, you don’t want to be working at your computer without some power backup. So, you’ll need a more advanced solution…

Your desktop should always be plugged into an uninterruptable power supply. A ‘UPS’ is essentially a battery backup unit with surge protection and automatic voltage regulation. So, during bad weather, you can type away in relative peace.

I bought a great UPS for my iMac.
It’s made by CyberPower (model CP 1350PFCLCD) and goes for
$189.95 on Amazon.

#3
Turn Off Your Desktop During Stormy Overnights
Even with a UPS in place, I’d still recommend you turn off your desktop overnight during a big storm instead of just putting your computer into sleep mode.
(Why take any chances?)

#4
Activate Your Portable Power Generator
A battery-powered UPS can only handle your computer for a short while- enough time to finish up what you’re doing and then safely shut down. If you need a more powerful solution, then you’ll have to invest in a portable power generator for your house that can run for hours or days (depending on your fuel reserves).

I own a liquid propane portable generator (which of course, I’ve never had to use since the day I bought it). But I’m happy it’s in place to keep the essentials going during a blackout.

#5
Juice the Backup for Your Smartphone
If you don’t have any beefy power creation solutions in place, then at least invest twenty bucks on a pocket-sized battery power bank. It will give your smartphone an extra charge or two while the rest of your home waits in the dark.

I carry around an Anker Portable Charger.
($25.99 on Amazon)

But a little power stick can’t come to your rescue if it’s not charged! So, make sure it’s juiced up before the snow hits.
(And it wouldn’t hurt to top off your smartphone either)

#6
Keep Your Smartphone Warm
Your particular smartphone model might be water resistant, but its battery is still sensitive to winter. It will drain down faster when exposed to frigid temperatures.
(And that’s why you shouldn’t keep your AA batteries in the refrigerator)

So, if you’re out and about after a storm, try to keep your smartphone as warm as possible. Otherwise, you may find it suddenly needs a recharge.
(Then, please see tip #5!)

Power Up!
Sure, it’s hard to function in the dark. But it’s easier if your critical tech isn’t down for the count. Here’s hoping you successfully weather the next ‘Snowmageddon’ along with your gear!

Tag: technology

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