ICE

 

As I write this, we have about 6-8" of snow on the ground here in OKC as part of the great winter storm of 2026. I can see a 3 foot snow drift out my front window where snow has been piling up against a large landscape rock. The snow accumulated there as it slid or blew off the roof. The snow is beautiful and will be around awhile with predictions of super cold temperature for the next several days. 

This post is titled ICE but is about snow and ice and not touching on the current political discussion and protest about the other kind of ICE. Hopefully the blog will benefit from extra views because of the clever title.

In retirement, I really get to enjoy these snow conditions without the worry of work pressures and getting behind in a work schedule. I can sit back, enjoy the views and a cup of coffee. No worries of wondering if I can get on the roads and get to work today. I turned 60 last year and was interested in a recent article from USAToday titled "When Should You Stop Snow Shoveling?". The article says that snow shoveling puts a heavy strain on the heart. I have always heard that the activity shows an increase in heart attacks. My past snow shoveling is less about shoveling but more of a bull dozer motion of pushing the snow off to the side of a sidewalk or driveway. Even that activity will get your heart rate up. The article said between 1990 and 2006 there were 200,000 adult seen in emergency rooms for snow shoveling incidents with 1600 deaths. They recommend not shoveling snow definitely after 65 but even recommend an earlier age of 45 as the cutoff date for this activity.

This is more than enough information for me to avoid this activity from now on! Most of the time I let nature take care of melting the snow. The few times I did clear snow was probably more for the entertainment of the activity and satisfaction of a clear walkway and driveway. In OKC, we get a few snows through the winter but most don't measure up to more than a few inches. This snow is a particularly heavy one for us. I can't imagine living further north or around the Great Lakes and dealing with feet of snow. 

So, during the huge winter storm, which is affecting a large portion of the country, take caution with snow removal. Also heed the warning about the extreme cold. Humans have been dealing with snow forever. The first snow shoes were invented 4,000-6,000 years ago. Snow skis were invented about 8,000 years ago. The earliest snow shovel was found in Russia and is about 6,000 years old. You have to wonder how many men have died since then from this horrible tool. I say men, because the studies show that is who is out shoveling snow and then dying from the activity. 

Do you shovel snow? Or, do you have a snowblower or hire someone to clear the snow? Has anyone had a cardiac event while shoveling snow that you would like to share?

If you are over 45, hire a snow removal company or 16 year old kid. Enjoy the snow, play, take photos but do not pick up that snow shovel! Stay safe and stay warm! Spring is only a few months away!

Screen Time

Last week I talked about device usage in public and the stress that it causes me. Today, I want to discuss screen time. If you have an iPhone you probably get the Screen Time pop up notification once a week. If you go into your settings and select Screen Time it will break down the time you spend on your phone and will break it down by app. It is very interesting data to see what you spend your time on. I will admit that my screen time has increased during these colder and darker winter months. I pick up my phone often to check texts, emails, facebook, news and the random Google searches to find out answers to the latest question that pops into my mind. Looking at yesterday's screen time shows a total of 2h 24m with 54m on Social, 33m on Information and Reading and 20m on Productivity & Finance. My most used breakdown is Facebook 36m, News 23m, Messages 18m, Safari 16m, Checkbook 11m, Mail 4m and other smaller usage on various apps. I can't imagine what the screen time would be for those who are on Instagram, TikTok and other social sites. It doesn't feel like I spent 2+ hours on my phone, but I guess every little pickup of the phone adds up.  

Since our phone holds so much power and info at our fingertips, I wonder how much screen time is too much? I do necessary things on my phone such as check news and balance my checkbook and other daily things. I just added to my screen time by searching the average adult screen time. Wow, I am shocked with the answer of 7 hours with US adults often exceeding 8-9 hours. Here is the breakdown by age:

Age 16-24 around 7.5 hours

Age 24-44 is 7+ hours

Age 55-64 is 5-6 hours

The search also broke down by Smartphone, TV and Computers with 2.5 hours on phone and 4.5 TV streaming. That breakdown would explain the 7 hour average above when you combine phone and TV, although many use the phone to stream. Another article says you spend 17 years of your adult life online. I've seen estimates before about how much of our lives are spent waiting in lines or in traffic. I think the online years far outpace the waiting years!

If your read my last post, you know my wife and I enjoy streaming on our TV. I would guess we watch 2-3 hours per night unless we watch a longer movie and then it may jump to a 4 hour night. We catch the evening news for about 30m to an hour and then watch a couple of episodes of various shows. 

In the summer I listen to music on Spotify or Amazon Music. I wonder if that counts as screen time? That doesn't seem to qualify as screen time to me as I'm not utilizing the screen and simply just listening, just as I would a radio. I'm sure there are other apps, such as those used for driving navigating, that should not count as screen time in my opinion. 

What do you spend screen time on? Are you on social media a lot? Do you spend time on emails, text and news? What time do you consider necessary and what time do you consider entertainment? How much screen time do you average a day on your phone? How much time watching streaming services or TV programming? Does your screen time and TV decrease in the Spring and Summer when the weather is nicer, or do you maintain a pretty even usage? If retired, do you think your phone screen time has increased as a form of entertainment that you didn't have time for when working?

When spending time on screen time just remember one thing, use those earbuds and headphone when in public! 

Device Usage in Public

Pet peeve of the year..........People on their phones, tablets and computers with the speaker on!!  Nothing annoys me more than having to listen to a small child's cartoon program while waiting in a medical waiting room, in a restaurant, in an airport waiting area or any other public area. People of all ages are so inconsiderate of those around them. I have seen families at a restaurant with three kids, each with their own tablet propped up on the dining table listening, without headphones, to their program or game. I have seen teenagers and adult scrolling video after video or streaming music with no head phones on. I have seen adults watching how-to videos or talking to someone on speakerphone in a hospital waiting room full of cancer patients. It all infuriates me to no end! I wish I had a jammer that I could flip on in these situations and shut them all down. I mean really, who needs to hold their phone conversation on their speakerphone while sitting among 30 other patients in a waiting room!

On the last flight I took we had plenty of open seating. I was on an aisle and the row across had only one woman in a window seat. She began watching video after video with the volume up enough that I could clearly hear it. I finally got her attention and asked if she had headphones. She looked at me stupidly and said "sorry...sorry" and muted the volume. This was after the flight attendants had clearly stated that any device usage requires headphones! I've gotten to where I carry noise cancelling headphones on planes or even into waiting areas just to try to tune out the idiots with their devices on speaker. 

How about phones at the movies? We recently took our granddaughters to see Zootopia 2. I understand people doing last minute texts or emails during the commercials that they now have before the movies. I don't like them to continue to be on their phones during the previews. At this movie, I could see about 5-10 phone screens lit up through the whole movie. I wanted to stand up and proclaim "Turn off your phones!" but I did not. I tried to focus on the movie screen and tune out the phones but it was impossible. Why can't these young parents of young children not be fully engaged in watching the movie with their kids? I just don't get it. I paid $15 per person to see this movie and I expect to be able to watch it without distractions. 

Oh, and what about restrooms! I have seen many a man talking or watching videos on their phones while standing at the urinals. I've heard phone conversations from people in a stall. Is there no place that is off limits anymore?

I'm all for freedom in this country but that freedom has a limits if it impedes on the freedom of another. The use of phones and devices is fine until it infringes on the rights of others. 

Does this device usage, I listed above, get you agitated as it does me? What example of annoyance have you seen? Am I over reacting to this issue? As I write this, my wife has her phone on speaker while talking with her mother. I have no problem at all with this as it does not disturb the general public and is in the privacy of our own home. I often have our son or daughter on speaker while I continue to do whatever task I'm in the middle of. But, you will never see me on speakerphone in public or listening to videos or movies without headphones in public. Maybe I can suggest an Executive Order to prohibit this annoying behavior! An idea is born!

What Are You Watching?

This is the time of the year when my wife and I watch our most television. With it being colder weather and less daylight, we tend to catch up on streaming shows and start new shows. We have watched these various streaming series and completed them:  The Man on the Inside, The Beast In Me, Nobody Wants This, The Morning Show, Mayor of Kingstown, Tulsa King and one of our favorites Ted Lasso. We are still watching Shrinking, The Neighborhood and another favorite Landman. I am also in the late Season 2 of Silo and find it an interesting watch. 

As you can see we subscribe to multiple streaming sites and have our favorite shows for each one. We watch Hulu, Netflix, Prime, Paramount and recently added Apple TV. We also have access to HBO Max and Peacock but watch very little so far on those sites. We quit our main cable tv service months ago and went with Hulu Live for our primary service for local channels. 

We are very much looking forward to The Pitt coming out next week. We really enjoyed the first season and are ready to see the new season. Just yesterday, I watched CBS Sunday Morning do a story on Noah Wyle in which I discovered he was on the ER show in 1994-2000. I remember watching the show but never connected him from The Pitt to the older show.    

On a regular basis, we watch local news and NBC Nightly News and then usually start watching "our shows" on the various streaming services. 

We are always looking for new shows we might enjoy so if you have one you really like, please list it in the comments and we will check it out. You would think with a billion streaming options we would have enough lined up for a lifetime, but sometimes the many options are a little overwhelming to sort through.

What are you watching? Any favorites that really stand out? Do you have a favorite streaming service? One thing I avoid is dubbed movies or shows that were originally in a different language. I just can't get past the fact the words don't match the facial motions. Can you handle dubbing or does it bother you too? How many streaming service do you subscribe to? Do you start and stop the services to watch a particular series?

Whatever you watch, I hope it helps you get through the bleary winter months like it helps us. I personally get burned out after watching 2-3 hours and have to turn it off and read a book. I already look forward to warmer weather and more sunshine ahead.

Happy New Year!