Technology Top 5 for 2009

by Chris Guld, www.GeeksOnTour.com Jim and I are always learning about new technology – it’s what we’ve done since the early 80s – and there is plenty to keep us occupied.  But, 2009 has been remarkable when it comes to the proliferation of useful technology tools. There’s something qualitatively different this year about technology and gadgets.  People are actually *using* them.  You don’t have to be a geek to want this stuff.  Not all my top 5 are brand new this year, but this is the year they’ve gone mainstream.  Everyone I know had at least one technology item on their holiday gift list this year.  You should also know that this is my personal list – I use a laptop computer a *lot* and  I don’t listen to very much music, otherwise I’m sure some of the fantastic new music players would be on my list.  Every item shown below we have purchased and are currently using.  If you are interested in buying one yourself, the links provided will take you to Amazon.  They have good prices and good service, and, these links will tell them that you heard about it from Geeks on Tour – maybe we’ll get enough credit to buy our next toy (a USB Video Camera)! Ok, here they are – in reverse order: #5: USB External Hard Drives I put this in last place only because they aren’t sexy.  But, OMG are they useful.  They’ve gone mainstream this year because the capacity has grown and the price has dropped. ... Read more

Round Belly? Crunch It

By Lynn Difley The most common question I am asked by students and fellow Rvers is what is the best thing I can do to trim my belly? It seems a universal annoyance, the fact that as we age, our six pack turns into a keg shape and refuses to reduce no matter how we frown at it. First of all, let me say that there is no way that a 60 year old belly is going to be as flat as a 20 year old belly. Read more  Read More →

Start the Day Right: Eat Breakfast

“I don’t have the time or inclination to eat breakfast first thing in the morning. I’d rather get my walk in and some miles down the road before I eat. I figure it’s just that fewer calories I’ll eat in the day,” said a student in answer to my question, what did you eat for breakfast?” If you agree, and make a habit of skipping the first meal of the day I want you to reconsider and take into account the following. Read more  Read More →

Boost your energy in less than five minutes

By Lynn Difley Long road trips are part and parcel of an RVers  way of life. We are often unable to avoid sitting for long periods of time as we move from one campground to another, or roam our summer haunts to winter snowbird roosts. Keeping your body fit and your mind alert while undertaking long term travel is a great challenge. Read more  Read More →

Take one and call your doctor in the morning?

By Lynn Difley We are taking a two-week holiday in England, staying in a converted barn and enjoying tramping around the Cotswolds. Today we visited a village that is popular with tourists and I was delighted at the number of senior citizens enjoying the scenery. We saw tour buses unload vast numbers of the silver haired tourists. The people walked up and down, enjoying the shops, the tea houses, chatting and enjoying the countryside. These people, no matter age or infirmity were walking. Many of them used walkers or canes, the pace of some were slow, but all were ambulating, and it was obvious that they were used to walking as a way of getting from one place to another. Shocking to Americans, who regard cars as the only acceptable means of transportation. Here in Britain, walking is a way of life. People walk in the morning, to ‘stir their stumps.” People walk down to the greengrocers to purchase fresh vegetables. People walk down to the post office, then down to get a newspaper, then home for lunch. In the afternoon, many walk down to the local tea house, for a cuppa and a conversation with friends. After supper, its time for evening “walkies”, to settle the meal before sleep. You get the picture. These people walk all over the place, all the time. You probably know that walking can slow the aging process and keep you feeling great. Here are just a few of the ways walking can enhance your life: Cardiovascular/heart health. Instead of the natural weakening of... Read more

Back Pain: The Scourge of RVers

By Lynn Difley Bill writes to me” I have spinal stenosis but that really only bothers me when I stand and walk.  The thing that bothers me when I sit and drive a lot is the back end of my butt.  It is like all the pressure is on it and it really hurts.  Getting up and out and walking around for a while makes it better but once it starts it only takes about another half hour of driving to bring it back again.  I have a 5er with a power seat in the truck.  I have tried moving the seat forward or back, changing the height, changing the tilt of the seat with no success. “Any suggestions on what causes this and what I can do about it?” Read more  Read More →

Benefits of Exercise: Myth or Magic?

Did you see the Time magazine article “Why Exercise Won’t Make You Thin”? I have had several students ask me about this article, so let’s take a look at it. The article is bound to confuse and mislead, it is full of half truths and exaggerations, and can lead to a mistaken conclusion about the role of exercise in weight loss. It is true that exercise alone will not result in weight loss for most people. You would have to exercise at the volume and intensity of an Olympic class athlete to burn off the 3500 calories required to reduce body weight by a pound. However, every reputable study on successful weight loss techniques concludes that exercise is an important part of weight reduction, along with reducing calories consumed, increasing or maintaining muscle mass and learning mental techniques to deal with life’s everyday difficulties. Exercise by itself will not guarantee a slim silhouette, but it goes a long way towards helping to swing the pendulum to the side of calories burned, and away from calories consumed. To reduce weight you must reduce the amount of calories consumed along with increasing the number of calories burned. It can mean that you keep busy with walking, gardening, cleaning and grandchildren chasing all day. You do not have to join a gym and stand beside the author of that article as he sweats on the Stairmaster. The article states that exercise increases appetite, leading people to eat more than they would otherwise consume. There are many studies... Read more

Goodnight, Sleep Well

Goodnight, sleep well. It’s a common parting phrase. When we leave the campsite potluck, or the card game at our neighbor’s rig, we say, “goodnight, sleep well.” If you are one of the many who suffer from insomnia, this is not a welcome phrase. Insomnia is a common problem, and often increases with the years. You’d think a motorhoming life would be free of worries and problems that cause sleep difficulties, but it may not be true for you. Do you have trouble falling asleep, lying there listening to the vague hum of your neighbor’s TV, or the crickets in the fields? Or do you get to sleep easily, only to wake up in the dark dead of night, and not be able to find restful sleep again until the early morning hours. If you have bought a new mattress, or at least tried higher thread count sheets and still not found relief, I have a prescription that is one of the best, most effective ways to encourage sleep without harmful side effects. Best of all, it’s free. This technique is based on pranyama, an ancient Indian practice of breathing. You may think breathing is totally unconscious, but the fact is it can be controlled, and used to influence heart rate, blood pressure, circulation, hormone production, stress levels and other bodily functions. So how does the breathing pattern go? Glad you asked. Lying comfortably, after you have been to the bathroom, smoothed out the sheets and turned out all the lights, close your eyes and relax your body. Inhale through your nose... Read more

Aching Back From Driving or Sitting? You Can Do Something About It

By lynn Difley Back pain complaints are the number one worry of most of those who live and love to travel in their RV’s. When I teach a back clinic at rallys it’s always to a full house and the back ailments, while they are as many and varied as the typical RV group, are a source of pain, discomfort, and even disability to all. What can you do to alleviate the worst stymptoms, and how can you deal with your back problem without spending a fortune on surgery, medications and chiropractic visits? Read more  Read More →

Competition Eating: Not a Sport to Emulate

By Lynn difley We are indeed a nation of wacky folks. I’m just shaking my head at the craziness of it all. We are currently suffering from a serious health threat due to obesity, have the world’s biggest overweight problem, a million people struggling to control their errant eating and last weekend–and one of the big events–was a competition I hope you never enter. Competitive eating. In honor of the 4th Nathan’s Fourth of July International Hot Dog Eating Contest was held. Over 30,000 spectators attended this event in 2006, it was broadcast on ESPN, and an additional 1.5 million households watched it live. This is not what I would regard as a sport. The 94th annual contest this year featured six time winner Takeru “Tsunami” Kobayashi and Joey Chestnut, both previous champs. The winner, Chestnut, set a new record of 68 hot dogs and buns in 10 minutes, while Tsunami finished second with only 64 and a half hot dogs. According to legend on July 4, 1916 four immigrants had a hot dog eating contest at Nathan’s hot dog stand on Coney Island to settle an argument about who was the most patriotic. It has been held almost every year since. These competitive eaters defend their practice, and find a thrill in cramming food down their throats while crowds cheer them on. Eating is often entertaining, but food is fuel for the body. There are foods that are high-grade fuel, and those that are not so healthful. Fresh fruits and vegetables are high quality foods that... Read more

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