I love taking pictures and videos of everyday life. Coming across different people from different walks of life keeps me in touch with reality. Every opportunity I get, I go out and spend hours driving around looking for a good subject. I come always prepared. I never leave home without my digital camera and my trusty camcorder. Life has too much to offer and being a writer as well, I can give life to the issues I write about. Recording life has always been a big part of me.

My birthday may have passed but my brother-in-law called to say that his gift is on the way. After learning that my laptop conked out, he decided to buy a new one for me. He knows how important a laptop is in my line of work, he decided that it would be a perfect present. My old one is almost 8 years old and has been acting up. It was really begging for a replacement. I don’t have to wait long and my trusty old laptop can finally retire. Nice to have a family who cares.

I love sports and see to it that I don’t run into any physical problems during training. I bought a personal oximeter to help me monitor my blood oxygen saturation level during workouts. Any strenuous activity especially with people my age is a must. Even if you are in tiptop shape, you can never be sure if your body can take the rigors of hard training.

My bluetooth isn’t working anymore. With tons of pictures in my phone, I can’t download these to my PC. I can’t just rely on the digicam for some of my intrepid work. The model I want is out of stock and I just don’t want to buy a lemon that would easily conk out. I guess I will have to wait a few more weeks for my all important bluetooth.

I’m a music lover and there isn’t a time of day that I don’t listen to music. I remember the time when you can carry music around strapped to your belt or lug around a boom box. Technology has now made it easier for me to carry my favorite tunes in my pocket. The digital age has finally come. Mp3 Players now come in all forms and sizes. Even the size of their memory has greatly increased. You can now download thousands of songs into a gadget just a little bigger than a matchbox.

Apple may have its own niche and groupies but other manufacturers are not too far behind. The great thing about this competition is that selection and prices have been more competitive than ever.  My kids have their Ipods and I’ve just bought one myself. I have a huge collection of music from the ’70s to the present. I did not have to buy several players. All I needed wass one with a big memory.

I take my player along my daily walk. I’ve even download some of my favorite movies to while away the time while my wife goes shopping. I can even browse the net wherever wifi is available. I can’t wait to see what they’ll come up with next.

Times are changing and so many roads are added everyday. People like me who seldom travel will definitely get lost in this urban jungle. Road maps are a thing of the past. Cumbersome and more often not updated, the only answer is a car gps. Small and easily updated, it’s one gadget people like me can definitely rely on. It’s so affordable that anyone can now get one. Nice to know that I’ll be on track wherever I go.

Spending winter in Pusan was quite an experience for me. It was really very cold. Hotels do not turn on their air conditioning units during this time. They do have heaters but it hurts my eyes. So instead of turning the heater on, I would request for an electric blanket. It kept me warm and toasty even if I left my hotel window slightly open to let some of that cool winter air in. I’ve never experienced such cold weather in my life. Pusan is farther south of Korea, I just wonder how cold it must be in Pyongyang this time of year.

My daughter’s about to graduate. He aunt in New York promised her a Sony Vaio as a graduation gift. She’s been relying on her old laptop that has seen better days. She’s so excited when she learned about it. Ever since she saw the Vaio at a trade show, she’s been asking us to buy her one. She maybe be elated about her gift but I think I’m more happier than she is, someone else just picked up the tab for me.

My daughter’s room is quite small. Her television is too bulky and makes her room even more cramp. With her desktop and dresser, plus the big tv rack, her room looks even more cramp. Since I didn’t get her anything for her birthday, I intend to buy her a new tv. I’ve been checking out different plasma tvs that would surely free some space in her room  I can even take out that awful rack and simply hang the plasma tv on the wall. I’m very sure she’ll like it!

A heart attack is no joke and it could hit anyone even the more healthy ones. sometimes, professional help comes too late but this can be avoided. Knowing CPR is good but sometimes not enough. Having an AED (automated external defibrillator) is an excellent device. The device is so easy to use that even an untrained person can use it and prevent a tragedy. Heart disease is a silent killer. We should always be prepared for this. Having a healthy lifestyle is a good start but we can never be sure. Maybe Michael Jackson would still be with us if only they had an AED in the house.