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Last year my doctor recommended that I get an Apple watch so I could track my heart rate while they investigated me for atrial fibrillation. It turned out that my cardiac issues were only temporary and my heart is just fine, which pleased me to no end. So the Apple watch had served its purpose after only a few months; and I had an expensive watch that I didn’t particularly want or need.
I’m a cheapskate, so my choices were a) sell the watch on Facebook marketplace at a ridiculous discount; or b) use the watch. I chose (b), because I’m so cheap that the idea of losing money on a sale was more repugnant than learning to use a watch with more features than every other device in my household combined.
At least some of those features are handy. Back in the good old days before I hurt my back, I would often spend 14-hour days at the computer. I got up for brief meal-and-bathroom breaks, but otherwise I was utterly absorbed by my screen. These days I still get absorbed by my screen, but only until my back or legs demand a new position. The watch’s regular reminders are a convenient way to make sure I stand up and move around before I get to the point where I can’t stand up and move around.
Sometimes, though, the watch’s smarmy little motivational messages annoy me, and its reminders baffle me. This watch has a GPS that knows where and how fast I walk, plus its sensors are supposed to be smart enough to detect if I’ve fallen or been in a car accident. So why does it remind me to stand up when I’m already using my standing desk? And why does it award me exercise points when I’m driving in my car? Does it really think I’m capable of sprinting at 100 km/hr for twenty minutes?
Best of all was the time I was perched on the throne in the bathroom and my watch sounded its happy little chime: “It’s time to stand up!”
I burst out laughing. Trust me, it was really not the time to stand up.
But I guess I’d have gotten a major butt-pucker if my watch actually knew what I was doing at that moment. Or worse, if it made a perky motivational comment about my *ahem* activities.
Hmmm, now I’m envisioning a whole new set of motivational messages for the Apple watch:
- “Good job!”
- “Just a little longer, and you’ll break your personal record!”
- “Congratulations! You just achieved a perfect streak!”
Ew. Or maybe not.
What’s motivating you this week?
Book 18 update: I’m halfway through Chapter 9, and Aydan has just been reminded again of why she never wanted a career as a public servant.
Author Diane Henders 
I know this was sent almost a month ago but I just saw it and BWAHAHAHA! It’s like having the “good” angel and the “bad” angel sitting on your shoulder, only it’s on your wrist, and it doesn’t have wings, and it not sentient so it doesn’t know it’s giving you bad advise…ok so my analogy sucks, but you get what I mean. 🤣.
So glad you don’t have AFib and that your heart seems to be ok!! About two months ago I thought I was having a heart issue and ran my scaredy pants to the emergency room. Turns out I’ve developed a sensitivity to caffeine. Now I can no longer have a cup of coffee while sitting on my patio in the morning watching the sun come up. And yeah while I’m rereading this all I’m thinking is “that is such a first world problem I should be embarrassed!” And I guess I am a little because it could have been so much worse! But as for motivation, finding a no caffeine substitute is motivating me. Unfortunately even decaf isn’t an option.
Hope you find your key to feeling better soon!
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Thanks, Michelle! Aw, no more morning coffee for you? That sucks! I sit on my patio every morning with a cup of tea, too, so I can imagine how “no coffee” will mess with your pleasant ritual. I don’t drink coffee (I have the same oversensitivity to caffeine) but I do like the taste of it. There’s nothing quite the same, is there? I’ve heard of roasted chicory being used as a caffeine-free coffee substitute; but I’ve also heard that chicory tastes like mud. (I know, I’m so dang helpful. Sorry.)
I’m still laughing over this “stand up now” episode. Let’s hope I don’t become more suggestible as I get older — things could get messy. Hmmm, now I’m envisioning a plot twist that uses mind-control smartwatches… 😉
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My brother got me an apple watch for Christmas last year and I used it for about three months before deciding I didn’t like wearing tech on my body. Something about it felt gross and invasive. I was surprised by this reaction.
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I’m having a love/hate relationship with mine, too. If I think too much about the fact that it’s monitoring my every move, it creeps me out. So far the convenience has outweighed the creep-factor, but it’s a close race.
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Of course a visual thinker like myself burst out laughing. My wife has an apple watch and I can honestly say that one hasn’t happened to her!! Still laughing……
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Its timing (pun intended) was impeccable! I laughed about it for days. 🙂
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After being cat-less for several years now, I, too, am in cat deprivation mode. I keep seeing adoptables being posted on Facebook and I just melt. The only thing that saves me is that they are often in a place that’s far from me. I likely will have a cat in the future but maybe when I get to spend a bit more time at home. With my one and a half jobs, it doesn’t leave much time for cat play. So that brings me to motivation. What’s motivating me? The thought that MAYBE I might be able to retire from the day job. I still want to do the evening job because that’s the fun one. I also have my side hustle of teaching pottery which I would like to expand. I find that it is much more lucrative than trying to peddle my own wares.
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Retire from the day job? Woohoo!!! That’s so exciting! Here’s hoping it works out for you. And the evening job sounds perfect — what could be better than getting paid to do something you love?
I keep thinking I’ll have a cat (or cats) again in the future, too; but right now virtual cats are the best fit for my life. 🙂
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Lucky motivates me to take him for a walk everyday at 3 pm. Other than that we are sort of semi hibernating for another four months.
Talking watches would make me go strange(r). I have a hard enough time seeing stuff on my phone, never mind on a watch. I have a good Seiko bought in Turkey which I have not work since I got a cell phone.
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Ah, winter in Saskatchewan. But at least it’s sunny a lot of the time, and 3 PM is the best time for a winter walk. Lucky is a smart boy!
I still feel a little disloyal to my crappy old analog watch. I paid ten bucks for it about fifteen years ago, and it just kept on keeping on no matter how much I beat it up. At least I know that if the Apple watch dies, I’ve still got my ugly old faithful analog waiting. 🙂
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It’s so nice to read that you’re a cheapskate as well! Yep, that’s what I learned from your post. 🙂
If you’re anything else like me, you hate technology. Or have a love – hate relationship with it. And, motivational messages. Yikes. But, we have to choose our battles. We need technology, unfortunately, but we can turn those pesky messages off. It’s what I did with my DuoLingo app. It would drive me crazy to be congratulated with every real “streak” I manage to get and with every mistake-less lesson I complete. What are we? Schoolchildren? 🙂
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My thoughts exactly! But unfortunately I have to choose between having all the motivational messages plus the one reminder I need to stand up and move around; or no reminders at all. I’m hoping Apple makes that feature a little more customizable in the future.
And yep, I’m a total cheapskate. It drives me nuts to pay more for an item than what I think it’s worth! I don’t mind donating to good causes or buying tools and books and other items that will make me more efficient and/or productive; but for everything else I’m a DIY-er and “make-do”er. 🙂
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Not much is motivating me these days except the new 4 legged furry critter we adopted. Cutest kitten I’ve seen in ages, but he also reminds me I’m too damn old for another kitten after this one, sheesh. And after 4 years of working as a government contractor, I can certainly empathize with Aydan not wanting to be a public servant. 🙂
I happily admit to being a tech nerd however, and love my smart watch. The more tech the better I like it! This weekend will be spent trying to refigure some code for a smart home hub (self taught ain’t always the best, but hey, I’m free.) so we can say “hey Siri, turn on the left lamp” and voila, it works. Of course it’s also possible I’m lazy.
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LOL! Every now and then I consider what it might be like if someone with no experience of modern technology were suddenly transplanted into our lives. They’d think we were crazy-powerful mages with complete command of the spirits: “Siri, turn on the left lamp”… and it instantly lights up.
And aw, a kitten?!? I’m having serious kitten-withdrawal symptoms right now. I go gooey over kittens the way most people go gooey over human babies.
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Just sent you a photo to Facebook messages 🙂
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SO CUTE!!! 🙂
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I have a different watch that I talk to, and mistakenly once answered a phone call on it. But I use it when I’m out of the house, primarily for touchless payments, but also to get message notifications for some of the servers I monitor.
And speaking of payments, this is the second time in 2023 this has happened. I’m leaving for New Orleans on Saturday with my youngest (it’s not a rally this time–I only did one this year), and less than a week before, I get a fraud alert on my travel credit card. Last time, it was less than a week before the Rocky Mtn. rally and my better half had to wait for it to arrive in the mail and then overnighted it via FedEx to Casper, Wyoming (where the rally was starting the next day). This time I was able to get it overnighted, although I had to suffer through the usual phone system craziness to speak to someone.
The wasted time was the worst of it. I spent an hour and fifteen minutes switching all of my automatic payments over to a backup card, and now that I have my new card in hand, I have to do it all over again. I also had to go into two phones, and the watch, and delete the old card and replace it with the new so I’d have the correct card for touchless payments.
So, yes…New Orleans by Sunday, and we’re heading to Memphis on Thursday. I haven’t decided if we’ll stay through Saturday and spend one really long day driving home, or split up the drive and stay overnight in Nashville (which, alas, is pricey on weekends) or Louisville. This will be the sixth road trip this year. My “motivation” right now is preparing for the trip, and getting on the road. And attending to a lot of chores that need to get done now that freezing weather is approaching.
I never did post the last couple of rallies and road trips on the blog…I think that’ll be my December project.
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December sounds like a great time to write about car rallies. It’s very satisfying to relive summer days while looking out at snow.
And a huge ‘ARGGH’ on your behalf regarding the credit cards! Who knew that such a so-called ‘convenience’ could turn out to be so damn inconvenient?!?
Safe travels to you and your youngest — enjoy your trip! 🙂
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I am grinning here. Do you find yourself talking back to your watch when it makes helpful suggestions? I would. Perhaps at least in part because having gadgets in the house that are smarter than I am gives me severe attacks of inadequacy.
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I do talk back to my watch. And all my other devices. And my plants, and any critters I discover outdoors. At least the plants and critters don’t make me feel inadequate! 🙂
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Snap. Or at least the plants and critters don’t always make me feel inadequate. I would love to have the flexibility of a cat – and the determination of some of the volunteer plants.
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Me, too! (And I think I’ll adopt the term ‘volunteer plants’ — it sounds much better than ‘weeds’, which are the usual ‘volunteer plants’ in my garden.) 😉
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And in hours. Volunteer plants with roots that reach to the other side of the world, and regenerate quickly if even a tiny smidgeon of those roots are left behind.
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Too, too true!
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What’s motivating me this week? The cold. It’s finally dropped below freezing here so I’ve finally changed the heater filters and dug my flannel shirts out of storage. Next, I’m looking for the space heaters for my wood shop …
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Brrr! We actually had a bit of snow here, which is VERY unusual for this time of year. It’s gone now, but it definitely motivated me to get out the woolies, too! Stay warm! 🙂
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