BEMOVED with Sherry Zunker

Several years ago there was a Bemoved Bollywood DVD that I loved.
Its creator Sherry Zunker was supposed to make more DVDs but I don't believe she did.  Today I discovered she had a streaming channel with a free trial!

https://bemoveddance.vhx.tv/browse

I am determined to try all of the Level One and Gentle vids.

Her youtube channel has previews
https://www.youtube.com/@BeMovedDance

Overall, these are full body *feel good* routines that I can follow almost mindlessly with no dread.  The movements are similar to Classical Stretch but not as tedious.

Amazon Fire 10 Tablet

I am an android and ROKU fan.

Never owned an Apple nor Amazon TV anything.

During the Black Friday Amazon sale, I bought an Amazon Fire 10 tablet for our son, mostly for reading e-books on a larger screen than a smart phone.  We chose the Fire tablet instead of a Kindle so comic books would be in color and it was actually cheaper than a Kindle and capable of doing more tasks.  I was so impressed with the Fire 10 that I bought a second one for myself during the sale.  It loads so much faster than my old Viking Pro 10 which was much slower than our newer smart phones.

My main complain about the Fire tablet is some of my favorite mobile apps are not available on the Amazon store, especially Web Video Caster.   Of course, I am very tenacious and successfully followed complex directions found online to get the Google Play store on the Fire tablet.  I now have my favorite Google apps working fine on the Fire tablet.

Install the Google Play Store on your Amazon Fire Tablet (Updated Nov 2022)

I cannot imagine a way more expensive Ipad working better.

I may cave for an Amazon Fire Stick since the new ad supported Disney Plus does not work on ROKU yet.  However, I cannot complain because we have 3 subs for $2 a month each thanks to Black Friday (Hulu, Disney+, and Paramount+).  AppleTV+ gives 3 months free through Best Buy and Peacock Premium is just $1 a month.  My husband loves all of the streaming channels and watches dozens of series weekly while I like to binge after a season is completed.  Our son loves the wrestling on Peacock Premium.  I do not know if we will ever try Amazon Prime or Netflix in 2023.

December 2022

 2022 may have flown by faster than any previous year for me.
(Maybe it is the CBD gummies LOL)

On the first day of December this morning, I did a nice little workout that worked on a rebounder.  Some of the best rebounder workouts are not specifically for rebounders.

Christian Dances done outside with MUsic only

https://youtu.be/F9012h9L4bc

https://youtu.be/SInhe2hRosY

I am expecting all sorts of order deliveries in the next two weeks.

It seems as though I am spending more $$ online than ever.

(Again, it may be the CBD gummies LOL).

Overall, I have been much happier than I have been in quite a few years.

Many scenarios which made me worry have been resolved:

A huge Pine tree that was intertwined with our FIOS and electricity wires has been removed.  I worried a heavy snow would bring down wires and its dried needles were like pins when tracked into the house.

An enzyme product has been keeping all of our pipes draining smoothly.

Our Oil Furnace has been serviced, its water cut off is working fine, and its oil tank filled.

Do not have to worry about our hot water heater leaking again since having that recently replaced.

The random leak through our shower wall has not happened since resealing.

We are scheduled for gutter cleaning as soon as the last leaf has fallen.

I caught a mouse the first night after finding droppings.

A smartphone updated and now all apps work on it.

Last but not least, my freezer light has revived itself.

Just hope the winter months pass as quickly as the previous months.

Updated 12/12

We got another oil delivery today and this evening, our heat stopped working!!!!

The Supreme Energy tech who arrived in less than 2 hours, immediately knew what was wrong (oil valve handle was stripped) and heat was coming up within 20 minutes of his arrival.

Ironically, the oil was half the price per gallon as one month ago and the difference practically covered the service call.

Updated 12/26

My heart almost stopped when I realized we were again not getting heat on Christmas!

Luckily, it was just the low water cut off valve doing its job and adding water got things flowing immediately.  This was the first time the water got that low probably because of the frigid weather.

updated 12/29

found more mouse droppings and do not know if they are old or belong to a new visitor.

I must say that previously very stressful events seem to hardly bother me anymore since using CBD and/or THC gummies.

Moonwalker has a great code for 25% off and free shipping till 1/2:

FRESHSTART

https://moonwlkr.com/

Their gummies taste great and are 100% guaranteed.

They have refunded me when I complained that their expiration date was too soon.

Deals Extended

Tracfone bundles on HSN

https://www.hsn.com/shop/sale/5544-10962

Samsung AO3s is no longer half priced but there is still a double Moto Pure offer.

Also Best Buy is still offering a free 3 month trial on AppleTV+ which now costs $6.99 a month.

Apple Free 3 months

As of 12/8, Hulu offers a new Basic Disney Plus with ads add-on for $2 a month BUT ROKU does not yet enable this Basic Disney Plus supported by ads.  If I had known this in advance, I would have continued the previous deal I had with the Hulu add-on Disney Plus no ads for a dollar more.

Hopefully, ROKU will change its policy or I may try an Amazon Fire Stick..

Youtube Finds

I just discovered AdiGoren and her Nia and healing vids on youtube!!!

https://www.youtube.com/c/AdiGoren
I really love the music in the 10.17/2022 class:

https://youtu.be/Xi2AVggBen0
Most of November will be spent experiencing her vids.
Happy Happy Joy Joy

also other walking with Music channels:
Nicole's Fit over Fifty
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJjPSHefMnXdElo4WdRD8wQ/videos

https://www.youtube.com/c/WorkHardPraiseHardFitness/videos

I am enjoying youtube more and more because easy fast forwarding through a routine or tune not holding my interest, easy access on my laptop or on a ROKU, and all the variety for FREE!.

November

In a week, we will know whether the US will remain a Democracy or if it is heading towards becoming an Autocracy in spite of the majority wanting it to be a Democracy.
Sadly, too many deplorable people are spreading lies and propaganda.

The political atmosphere has created much of my stress.
Luckily for me, I have found several CBD and THC products to get me through the tougher times.  I prefer feeling good and energized through the day and calm at night.  For feeling good during the day, I love Moonraker's CBD and Delta 8 combination gummies.  Sadly, the dose I prefer is being discontinued so I will have to buy the larger dosage and cut them in half (even quarters since I still cut the smaller doses in half).  Just hope when that time comes that they have the Mango Kush flavor again.
Other daytime products I seem to like are Moonraker's Anxiety with Ashwagandha which tastes awful but gives me a comfortable calmness and JustLive's Energy gummies.   I don't like gummies that make me feel lethargic.
However, I can also take half a gummy Delta8 or HHC to feel more energized creating an entourage effect with the CBD gummy.  I liked the taste and effect of the Delta8 and HHC gummies from Boston HempInc and they had a 50% off and free shipping sale.  My main complaint of HempInc is there are no expiration dates on their bottles but their customer service was able to provide them in an email.

For evening and Sleep, I still do not have any favorite CBD gummies but I am still exploring JustLive.  JustLive has great customer service, reasonable prices and most gummies taste good. Their Calm and Sleep gummies have both worked well.  (I did not like the taste and effect of Focus.)  Sample packs best buy dates are too soon but they do not officially expire until 6 months after the best buy dates according to their customer service.  The jar of Energy has a great best buy date so I will lean towards jars in the future.

It will be hard for another company to attract me away from Moonraker, JustLive, and Boston HempInc.

I have seen very deceptive marketing by Cornbread, Charlotte's Web and a few others that seem to overcharge for their smaller dosage gummies and serving size.

Being deceptive about the serving size may be why some customers are not feeling the effect they expected.  I rather cut down a gummy than take several at once so buy the larger dose gummies which usually give much more bang for the buck.

4K Video Downloader

 The 4K Video Downloader quickly and easily downloads youtube video files.

This website will download the program: 

https://www.4kdownload.com/-bzs8q/video-downloader?r=free_license

My downloads are found in a folder called 4KVideo and I can play them without ads!

Baked Ramen Noodles

 I tried a recipe that baked Ramen noodles in a 450 oven on sheet pan covered with parchment paper that is sprayed with Pam after soaking the noodles in boiled water for 5 minutes, draining, and tossing them with cooking oil and salt. The noodles are spread over the sprayed parchment paper and cooked till crispy.

The recipe I used was for a Teriyaki chicken.  Chicken which was tossed with Teriyaki sauce, salt and pepper is layered on top of the noodles then drizzled with more Teriyaki sauce and baked for just 10 minutes before adding vegetables like broccoli florets and/or carrots which have been tossed with oil, salt, and pepper then baked for 25 to 30 minutes till noodles are crisp.

I overcooked the chicken slightly because I cut it thin and pounded it with a meat hammer but the results were wonderful.  I loved the noodles and can tweak the sauce, seasoning, and other ingredients in future dishes.  For example, substituting shrimp for chicken and using a garlic sauce.  I would cook the noodles longer before adding the shrimp in the last 15 minutes.

(The seasoning packets that comes with the Ramen noodles can be used for broths or seasoning but were not used in this Teriyaki dish)

Another great combo is an Apple Dump cake using a Spice cake mix and adding Walnuts.

https://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/3-ingredient-apple-dump-cake/762d0144-9aa5-402a-bcd5-bc83ac79a391

Another tweak:
I used the hard taco shells, seasoning, and sauce from a taco kit with strips of Chicken breasts (oven baked on sheet pan lined with parchment paper and cooking spray) and we liked it more than ground beef.

October Updated

 What happened to September???
So it is one year and one month since we had water in our basement for the first (and hopefully last) time from a flash flood event although we unfortunately repeated the event because of a water heater leak in July.  As much as I try to avoid stress, it finds me.  Between Covid and our political environment, stress is even more chronic than from the occasional event like a flooded basement. 

Watching  the current hurricane catastrophe bought back memories of Hurricane Sandy which made our area look like we had been bombed with trees down and no electricity for a week.  I never want to experience another Climate Change event again.  DeathSantis in Congress voted against aid for NJ while Obama offered aid to Governor Christie who then in turn stopped campaigning for Romney because Romney showed no interest in NJ's problems.

The GOP only support the Red states.

Please vote Blue and stop the insanity!

Unite our country against the cult.

My quest this month is to find a gummy with CBD and THC that may clear my brain fog, lift my mood, and/or relieve pain on bad days.  I ordered a few products online and will share my results.

I got 30% off on JoyOrganics with code: JOY30 

and 

30% off on microdose.com with code: JUDYGOLD

Orders on both sites enabled free shipping.

On 10/7, I received my first order (Microdose) and took 1/2 a gummy at around 7:30PM,  At 9PM my blood pressure was the lowest it has been at night and I feel very calm and relaxed with no need to have the other half yet till I see how I sleep. My feet are tingling and burning less. The half gummy had ~6 mg of CBD and 1 1/2 mg of D9 THC.  

I had ordered even much stronger gummies and probably should have ordered something weaker like Charlotte's Web where a half dose is a whole gummy with 5 mg CBD and less than 2 THC.  Time will tell.

morning #2:

My Full Spectrum CBD journey has had a fantastic start.

After a wonderful night's sleep, I woke up energetic and actually happy.

I have not felt this good in this body for decades.

Just a few days ago, I was sleep deprived, depressed, and miserable.

3 weeks later, I am waking up feeling good, both physically and mentally.  No during the night headache, no acute pain, no brain fog, no vertigo, good mood. and energetic. I am working out harder and longer.

Just wish I had tried CBD gummies much sooner although Hemp CBD was not federally legal till the Farm Bill of 2018.

Here are my opinions:

Joy Organics Beach Chill gummy tasted terrible (and Beach Buzz was even worse).  Microdose tasted much better but is expensive and has limited varieties.

I really like the Delta 8 gummy from Moonwalker and their 25 mg gummy that is 12.5 mg full Spectrum CBD and 12.5 mg Delta 8 THC (1 to 1 ratio).  

The Mango flavor was darn good but sadly discontinued.  I am keeping the gummies with Delta 8 in the refrigerator.  MoonWalker offers alot of unique combinations including sample packs and is reasonably priced.  Sometimes they offer a special deal with a good discount and free shipping on a particular product.

I also like Just Live gummies for people who like to workout.  They has all sorts of discounts and free shipping for orders over $40 but their shipping is just $5 and I just wanted to try 3 small packs of gummies and got a great discount with code *THREE*.  JustLive Best Buy dates on their sample packs seem early but I was told they officially expired 6 months after the Best By dates.

After a few weeks, both MoonWalker and JustLive have become my favorites.  However, I must be vigilant in checking expiration dates, especially for  MoonWalker products. Most bottles that are bought now should be good for at least a year.  Unfortunately, the expiration dates have been March and April of 2023.  I am still on half gummies so doubt I will use them all before they expire.

For calming results: CBD seems to work the best.

For energy and mood: Delta 8.

For combined results, use both together.

(I am still using just half gummies)

I discussed using CBD with my doctor and he was very supportive if it helps me.  It is definitely keeping my blood pressure in a good range and all of my blood work has been showing improvements from a year ago.  Much relieved that my A1C and Triglyceride/HDL ratio show less insulin resistance.  I really believe stress and cortisol was playing a huge part in insulin resistance.

Covid Vax Update

 

Many more GOP have died from Covid than Dems.

Rockin Toned Arms Walking Workout | 30 min Fun Walk with Weights for 300...

Best Soundtrack ever!

Happy September and Happy Birthday DH

 Ten years ago we celebrated my husband's birthday at a buffet and a lobster shell got stuck between 2 of my teeth ruining the meal for me.

Those ten years flew by.

Even though I have worked out almost every morning, my energy and motivation seem to be dwindling.  It may be physical because of aging but I believe it is more psychological, often getting that feeling of dread that I just do not feel like moving.
So I ended my sub for ZDancerLiz because I felt obligated to do what I was paying for instead of all of the workouts I can do for free and lately seem to enjoy more. ZDancerLiz has become very repetitious in tunes and choreo and is charging more for less new content.  I have some fantastic soundtracks added to video files.  I can follow the instructor on the videos or tweak the moves.  This is the way I worked out for years without paying for streaming subscriptions.  With a ROKU and mobile WVC (Web Video Caster) app, I can access these files quickly and enjoy them on large tv screens, much better than playing dvds on my old tube tv in a dark airless basement.  A ROKU receiving a stream from the WVC app plays video files much smoother than my laptop.

So I am hoping September will renew my energy and motivation.

An option if I do not like the audio on a workout video:

I connect the video to play on the TV through ROKU and mute the tv and then use Spotify or files for music.

I decided to sub to the Marion Brand Walking platform after enjoying the music in some of her newer youtube routines.  Unfortunately, her Kajabi app does not connect to ROKU but the Web Video Caster app works well with her online site.  Price is going up after 9/15 and is now about $13 American per month which is cheaper than ZDancerLiz and has more music variety.  It includes ad free youtube videos as well as content not on youtube (VIP videos, extended videos and LIVE zoom recordings).  Sadly, choreography is lacking but I can tweak the moves to hold my attention.

The new soundtracks have renewed my motivation to keep moving to music!

Also I am looking forward to subbing to WOW (WalkingOnlineWorkouts) again because Val is adding new workouts regularly the past few weeks.

About the Emmys and series on the major TV channels:

I often got hooked to a new series that got cancelled and prefer to binge whole seasons for continuity at my convenience.  Verizon On Demand does not give its subscribers the many seasons it used to for all major channel series so I stopped watching most new shows on major channels.  Between deals and free trials, I watch more content on ROKU than Verizon offers its subscribers.  We keep our cable subscription because it does link to  content on streaming channels like MSNBC and DH prefers surfing the channels on cable.  Slowly but surely, he is starting to prefer ROKU to Verizon On Demand.

I have been watching the Sanctuary TV series on the ROKU Channel which ended abruptly after Season 2 but other free channels offer the third season like Pluto and Tubi.

There is an awesome deal for upgrading Peacock to Premium with ads so it is just $1.99 a month for 12 months or $20 for a year.

(Code word: September.)

If you are already upgraded, use a different email to sign up and in on peacock.com.

Also you can add Disney+ to a HULU account for just $2.99 a month.

(Hoping HULU still has a Black Friday deal for new accounts this November.)

Best Buy still enables 3 months free on AppleTV without a purchase.

80's Walking Workout | 80s Pop & Disco Fast Walk for 5000 steps at Home

80's Walking Workout | 80s Pop & Disco Fast Walk for 5000 steps at Home

Great Soundtrack!

August

 It is amazing how much my feeling of well-being has improved after the second cataract surgery.  Now I can see everything without glasses except very fine print like expiration dates on food products and a cute pair of folding reading glasses inherited from my mother-in-law has solved that problem.  No more fogging of glasses when wearing a mask or sweating.  Covid delayed my eye doctor appointments which was a blessing in disguise since the last IOL I received was not even available before 2019.

I like to do just 30 minutes of a workout each morning and then a couple of quickies throughout the day.  ZDancerLiz youtube videos are perfect for this because I can easily pause and resume with the ROKU youtube app so I decided to continue the monthly sub for her ad free youtube vids.  However, I have dozens of edited music only workout files calling my name which play great on ROKU using the Web Video Caster so my DancerLiz days are numbered.

Speaking of youtube, Youtube has great free workout videos like this Nia Dance with Cari Meltzer:

https://youtu.be/1psBmoOjAVo

Walking Online Workouts (WOW) has not added a new video in a long time but recently added one and has another coming.

 

Our basement has recovered from the old water heater leak with no lingering odor. Hopefully, our bank accounts will recover because it has been a very expensive year.

I am sleeping better since getting a weighted blanket and compression socks.

I found these socks reasonably priced on Amazon and they arrived sooner than expected:
Black

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B1J4DPYY?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details

White

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B1J6KLVN?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details

Both washed well.

I made the mistake of joining a Facebook group for PN (peripheral neuropathy), not realizing how many had my same pain and cramping symptoms.

Way too many posts and way too overwhelming.. 

However, it made me very aware of two things:

most are suffering more than me

and

focusing on my pain just gives the pain more power over my life.

so I will distract myself with other things as I have been like exercise and streaming content

and stop looking for a cure because there is no cure.

Not needing glasses anymore made me a bit self-conscious of the bags and circles under my eyes previously hidden by glasses.  I did notice smiling hid them well too so will try to smile more.

So my focus is to smile more and not focus on pain.

July and 2nd Cataract Surgery

 This month I will have my other cataract surgery if all goes as planned.
The imbalance in my eyes has been weird. I had popped out the left lens from my old glasses. The right eye has great near vision without glasses and great distance with glasses. The left eye with the multi-focal iol has some near and far vision but not nearly as much as the right eye.  Unconsciously, I have been closing one eye or the other.  Hopefully, I will keep both eyes opened after the second multi-focal iol is placed and the combined effect will be satisfactory for most tasks.  Having been through the whole process already, I am way less anxious this time.  Multi-focal was my choice since most of my vision focus is intermediate distances.  I do go without glasses for most of the day except when watching tv and want more detail. It is much easier for me to focus than before the surgery and usually wearing glasses then removing them to read.  Also much prefer no glasses when wearing a mask.

Workout-wise, I am continuing ZDancerLiz zoom recordings in July and trying to visit other neglected video files.  I am enjoying workouts edited with my favorite music much more than any of the subs so may be ending them all because I have hundreds of files to visit.

Sadly, between vacations and tech problems,  there will be less zoom videos from ZDancerLiz this month than expected, including only 2 Dance Toning instead of 4.

Trying ZDancerLiz on youtube without ads has been a bit of a game changer because youtube bookmarks where I left off, making it easy to jump on for just a quickie so I decided to try another month.  The youtube links are emailed at the end of the month and the Google Drive vids are available soon after the live zoom class in a monthly folder.

Most of the rest of the day, I am watching some movies but mostly binging shows on various streaming platforms.  The days are flying by and I am looking forward to upgrading on Peacock to see the new Downton Abbey movie as soon as my free trial for Paramount Plus ends.  Meanwhile, I am enjoying catching up on the rest of The Good Fight.  I like *For All Mankind* on AppleTV+ and will watch the third season after its weekly releases are completed.

ETA:

Happy Happy Joy Joy!

just got discount offers for Peacock Premium

(good things happen to she who waits)

codes

PEAPUG9M99F7UV

for $1.99 a month for 6 months

or

PEACQGME4NY9EJ

$2.99 a month discount for 6 months

In the middle of watching the Downton Abbey movie, our son discovered our water heater was leaking so most of the night was spent finding someone to replace it.  Between property taxes, cataract surgery, and water heater replacement, we are going through money like crazy.

My workout will be drying out the basement for a few days.

One week after the water heater mess, I had my second cataract surgery.

Game Changer!

In spite of monstrous floaters, I am seeing better than I ever had since second grade without glasses or contact lens.

Why oh why did I not get Lasik surgery decades ago???

On the second post-op day, I am thrilled I will not need glasses again.

Happy June?

 Just a quick vent: 

My 2 pleasures are eating and working out to music.

Since Covid, restaurants are charging more while giving less.

Now my favorite workout subscriptions are starting to do the same.

Worse of all after killing 100s of thousands with his incompetence, tRUMP and his cult are still poisoning our mental health with violence, division, and hate.

Life will never be as good and hopeful as it was again.

I just discovered that you can watch The Roku Channel without owning a ROKU.  Just Download the ROKU Channel app on your mobile (not the official Roku app) or go to https://therokuchannel.roku.com/.

The channel has some free original content that looks worth a try.

I will be scheduling cataract surgery on my other eye in about 6-7 weeks.

Recovery has been smooth, especially after discovering Pataday to relieve itchiness. 

I can see better far and inbetween distance out of the multi-focal iol without glasses and hope having the other eye done will improve both without losing most of my nearsighted vision. 

The multifocal lens my doc uses has UV and blue light filtered out so that is why I do not need sunglasses!

ZdancerLiz is changing her billing options.  

The live zoom classes will no longer be free.

There will only be 8 classes a month instead of 10.

Her website should reflect these changes starting July 1st.

https://zdancerliz.weebly.com/

Though all will cost more, there will be a private without ads you tube option though some tunes may be deleted

WalkingOnlineWorkouts (WOW) is also officially cutting back to 2 new routines a month even though weekly new routines seemed to end awhile ago.

I have been enjoying the music in the WOW vids.  I do alot of fast forwarding during ZDancerLiz vids because I do not click as much with Latin music.  Her 8 Google Drive vids a month will include 4 Dance Fitness Cardio vids for $15.  Both WOW and Groove Fitness work great with WVC  and ROKU and are still just $10 a month each so I may be leaning towards those subs every other month and skipping any new vids from Liz (I have a whole year of Liz's vids on Google Drive).  It is more about convenience than money.  Much more content at my fingertips with WOW and Groove Fitness and less need of downloading and storage space.  I still have lots of music only edited workout files I have never done too.

Love those deactivated Tracfones!

Each year I buy a new Tracfone bundle for less money than a new annual card.

I almost ordered a new FIOS remote control for a set-top box but discovered any of our mobiles with the FIOS TV app can be used as a remote and actually works better!  I have so many uses for our deactivated Tracfones.  One of them with a free casino slot app which now has almost 300 billion credits is also useful for its alarm which just reminded me for the 4th morning in a row to use my anti-inflammatory eye drop.

One thing I love about android phones is the Google Podcast app.

I can listen to Podcasts in bed which oddly puts me to sleep LOL.

Finally put an SD card in my newest Tracfone even though it still will not enable some Verizon content.  During the attempt, the Sim card fell out and I had quite the time trying to place it back in.  Good thing I am tenacious.

The last day of June, I decided to give ZDancerLiz another month to see if there will be more new tunes. I fast forward through many repeats and Latin tunes and hope new content and variety will be added in July.

May inc Cataract Surgery

This May is a big month:
Wedding Anniversary, Mother's Day, Cataract Surgery, and hopefully, more comfortable weather.  Our home has been chilly because I refuse to waste oil when I can just wear another layer.

My husband and I got our second Moderna booster because of the continual Covid threat.  I have actually gone to restaurants a few times in the past month for the first time in 2 years.  We used to eat out often before Covid.  Sadly, the restaurants seem to be offering less and charging much more.

A weighted blanket has really stopped my night time muscle cramps.

I also feel less stressed about the BS going on in the world daily.

Downton Abbey is still keeping me distracted.

I had too many new workouts to do so will be pausing Groove Fitness for awhile and will miss rebounding after the cataract surgery.

It is costing a small fortune to get multi-focal lens and laser extraction but worth it if I can see better.  Very disappointed that our insurance does not cover more of the expense.

Meanwhile, I finally got wise and am using larger fonts. LOL

Just a Tracfone tip:

While the price is reduced.

https://www.qvc.com/Tracfone-65%22-Samsung-Galaxy-A03-Smartphone-with-1500-TalkTextData.product.E241034.html

I ordered it for $69.99 on 5-7 from HSN but it may still be a great deal on QVC. 

NOTE: Samsung no longer sends the wall charger brick and the cable is now usb c on both ends which may be a problem for many newer users.  HSN did send a cable and charger a few weeks after many complaints but I was already using a Motorola cable and wall charger,

Still, I ordered a usb-c wall charger figuring it may charge faster and it did!

usb-c will become the most used usb type for electronics so why fight it?

I did activate the fone and all tracfone features and buckets work so I am keeping the fone but the fone itself does not enable all mobile streaming apps including Zoom as well as my older Moto and LG smart phones or even my husband's slightly older Samsung A02s.  I have spent many hours trouble shooting with technical support for the NBC app, HBOMAX app, internet and cable tv provider Verizon, and Samsung with no fix.  Hopefully, future updates will eventually make these apps work correctly but meanwhile I can use the phone's browser instead of those streaming apps or use other devices that work correctly if it is a permanent glitch in this phone. A better deal for IMHO a better phone  https://www.qvc.com/Tracfone-Moto-G-Play-65%22-Smartphone-with-1500-TalkTextData.product.E237010.html?recommendationTypeId=PDPZ1&recommendationLocation=4&recommendationModuleType=PRODUCT_CAROUSEL&sc=DTLR&referringItem=E241034&TZ=EST

I was very disappointed the first morning post cataract surgery on my left eye after removing the patch.  Terrible floaters which are from antibiotics placed directly in the eye will eventually dissolve.  I could not see my laptop screen well which is why I paid a small fortune for multi-focal IOL.  I had a nasty cluster headache around my right eye. All day I had the feeling that I preferred my glasses.   Doctor's followup visit went very well.  In spite of not seeing as well as I expected, my vision was 30/20.  Doctor said I will see improvement as my eyes and brain adapt. This morning (post op day 2), I already saw a tremendous difference.  I no longer feel like I preferred my glasses.  I was also thrilled that I no longer have to wear the patch when sleeping and have no physical limitations.  I can also skip the sunglasses unless I prefer to wear them. So no more fog when wearing a mask which is a huge game changer for me.

I feel no urgency in doing the right eye cataract which is still small.

Still using large fonts on laptop and tv closed captioning.

However, I am staying off rebounders till the floaters are tolerable.

Sadly, allergies have triggered itching and tearing

Game changer!

extra strength Pataday eye drops (OTC)

no more itching and yucky drainage

The music in ZDancerLiz and Groove Fitness started to feel repetitive so I subbed to WalkingOnlineWorkouts again and paused Groove Fitness.

TV Choices

Our FIOS cable subscription enabled lots of channels and VOD with their set top boxes.

Originally we also had Netflix for awhile because it was accessible on one of our TVs with its Vizio internet apps till I noticed nobody was watching it and the internet app was dropping the access so I cancelled.

Since then we got smart phones and ROKUs so our TV streaming choices have greatly changed.

We have taken full advantage of some spectacular deals like the 99 cents a month Black Friday HULU sub which now has Disney+ added to it for a grand total of  $4 a month.

We had a 4 month free trial of AppleTV+ with a Best Buy code which we kept for just $5 bucks a month.  It was tough to set up and is limited to one profile because we do not own any Apple devices.

I do plan to eventually try an Amazon Prime free trial to catch up on some series and to get free shipping when I need it.

Since Netflix raised its prices and no longer offered a free trial, I have ignored it.

BUT I just read Netflix is considering a cheaper option with ads which is fine since all of our other subs have ads (my husband prefers the pee breaks LOL).

For now, I just discovered Downton Abbey is free on the ROKU Channel.
It is also available free on Peacock and Peacock has fewer and shorter ads!

My First Dump Cake

 This morning I made my first dump cake (and definitely not my last).

set oven for 350 degrees

smear butter or nonstick spray on 9 x 13 pan

you just dump the various layers in evenly without any mixing

(1) two whole 20 oz cans of crushed pineapple and juice (or canned peaches, pie filling, etc.)

(2) add a cake mix layer on top of the fruit (yellow or white or spice) 

(3) then optionally add: cinnamon, walnuts, and/or brown sugar

(4) top it all with thin pats of butter or melted butter

bake for one hour

can be eaten still warm from the oven once it cooled a bit but store it in air tight containers or cover with plastic wrap in fridge

can be served warm or room temperature or cold optionally with whipped cream and/or ice cream

Happy April (not an April Fool's prank)

 A weighted blanket may be a huge game changer for me.
The past two nights since receiving it, have given me the most pain free mornings.

They are smaller than expected because they are supposed to be flat on the bed and not hanging over the sides  My 60x80 is perfect on my full size mattress but is actually designed for a Queen.

Since Google Drive storage is now much cheaper, I am seriously considering to start using it more for storage and streaming videos.  I have used my laptop hard drive, flash drives and phone sd cards to back up video files and may find Google Drive more convenient than getting an external hard drive for future storage.   All of our TVS have ROKU devices and Web Video Caster streams the videos nicely using an android smart phone.  I have not used a dvd for working out for a couple of years now.

(this old dog has been learning lots of tricks LOL).

This month I will continue using mostly ZDancerLiz zoom classes and the Groove Fitness ROKU app.

However I do want to try more of my previously edited to music only files.

ZDancerLiz is having Wednesday zoom classes instead of Saturday classes in April.

https://zdancerliz.weebly.com/

Also earlier zoom link months starting with May may be removed when more storage space is needed.

https://bgr.com/entertainment/hulu-subscribers-can-now-get-disney-plus-for-just-2-99-a-month/

I was lucky enough to get the Hulu 99 cents a month deal around Black Friday so our total is $4.18 a month for both subs till November.

If using a deactivated mobile device as a mini tablet, keep the device in airplane mode to avoid draining the battery and turn on your internet connection.

March Sadness (alsoTracFone tip)

Besides stressful world politics, I got the personal news that I will need cataract surgery soon.
The worse part for me will be the restricted exercise during healing, specifically no bouncing on a bungee.

Meanwhile, I will bounce to my heart's content up to the day of the surgery.

Still loving ZDancerLiz and Jen's Groove Fitness but Megan's Nia may be used much more after the surgery.

Zumba Sulu took his routine outdoors!

https://youtu.be/xeJTMt_6wn4

I have been buying lots of skoy products to stop wasting so many paper towels.  I also bought a wonderful set of non stick baking pans and a large round frying pan at LIDL, all of which is making cooking and cleanup easier.  I should have taken a photo of the French Onion Chicken I made this evening which was simple and delicious.  Just pound chicken breasts and pour condensed onion soup over the chicken in a baking dish and top with cheese.  I used Swiss cheese over grated Parmesan because I did not have mozzarella.

Last evening I made a delicious sauteed cabbage in the new frying pan with leftover marinara sauce which already contained sauteed onion and garlic. It went\great with London Broil and baked potatoes.  I now cut potatoes in half and rub olive oil over both sides then sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper and bake them cut side down. A new baking sheet worked great with no cooking spray.

March is birthday month for me and our younger son.

It is also the birthday month for 2 husbands who left their wives too soon and too young:

Sherry's Frank

and Patti's Ron

Just a tip for using Tracfone.

Many folks who did not heed the warning that Tracfone was ending 3G service are losing their service.on older phones.  We switched to Tracfone Smartphones a couple of years ago anticipating this change. I have since activated new fones with an airtime bundle every year with no problem.  Some of these phone bundles are cheaper than getting a year of service on the older phones!  My last one was just $53 including tax on HSN with a special $10 discount code.  The activation went smoothly online after I had already used a Samsung Switch app so all apps were transferred to the new fone even though the old phone was LG.  Usually, I buy new phones around Black Friday but this was a great deal so I jumped on it.

https://www.hsn.com/products/samsung-galaxy-a02s-65-hd-tracfone-bundle-with-1500-min/20350809

Be sure to get used to the new phone to make sure you  like it on WiFi before upgrading from you old fone.

If using a deactivated mobile device as a mini tablet, keep the device in airplane mode to avoid draining the battery and turn on your internet connection.

Anywho, I am ending the month on a  happy note:

using a weighted blanket at night is a game changer.

I woke up with so much less aches and pains.

Happy February

 I am starting February with the same 3 subs from January but will not be renewing WOW since I much prefer the moves in Groove Fitness and ZdancerLiz.   These 2 subs leave me little time to try new youtube routines or other free streaming trials.   WOW's older content with varied scenery is much better than the newer routines but I have not even revisited any during this last monthly sub.  It was my primary workout source for a solid 2 years but just does not motivate me to move anymore.

My Windows 7 laptop does not cast or mirror well to a Chromecast or ROKU, probably because of our internet speed.  The video often buffers and freezes, especially if I fast forward or rewind.

Both files stored on a mobile device  and videos on streaming sites play much better using the mobile WebVideoCaster app.

I can play a video file stored on my hard drive with VLC and stream it to Chromecast using the VLC Playback rendering.  

ROKU media player streams most of my stored video files but not all of them.

It does eventually update their access if I am patient.

I did not like trying to access files with Plex or PlayOn.

The creators of WebVideoCaster are working on an app that will enable streaming of video files from a hard drive to a ROKU.

Just a quick update on my favorite downloading methods:

Web Video Caster app on an Android mobile deice has been great 
(I will be buying larger SD cards!).

Ant Video Downloader on Firefox usually performs well.

4K Video Downloader has been good for youtube lately.

Stream Recorder on Chrome has been great for some live streams.

February is ending and I am in a personal conflict about VK because of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

I use VK to stream workout files but if the site site spreads Russian propaganda and censors truth, I may delete my profile and the thousands of videos I have uploaded.  However, there are probably more Russians and Ukrainians who know the truth and enjoy streaming video workouts on VK than those spreading and believing propaganda.

January Recs (Liz, Jen, and Val)

I was frustrated on 1/8 that the samples for Groove Fitness On Demand were delayed because of a technical glitch but did like how well Jen's stuff played on ROKU so will try a free trial and may be even sub a month now and then.

The music only dance cardio sample was very similar to ZDancrLiz style.

Sometimes I try a Latin dance but prefer Pop music.

The Piloxing and Strong classes may be a nice change of pace.

The low impact and chair workouts are ok but I prefer music only.

Having a ROKU in each of the 3 rooms where I workout is a real plus for Groove Fitness.

Only 4 new recorded vids are  added to the archived library every month.

The Live Streams are only available on their scheduled days till about an hour before the next scheduled stream.  Jen is starting to keep some of them available longer when possible.

There is an incentive to keep the subscription for the Live Streams and for working out with a ROKU.

(the Web Video Caster app can download a Live Streams on an android device after the live stream ends unless another class is taking over the stream within an hour).

I have been using Groove Fitness throughout the day because of the ROKU convenience and enjoying some live streams.  Groove Fitness has a huge variety in movements and endless content with the live streams as well as recorded library for the same $10 a month as ZDancerLiz zoom recordings.  The ROKU option gives Groove Fitness a huge edge compared to Liz's zoom live streams but I still love the music used in ZDancerLiz and like getting access to 10 to 12 new classes a month.

I hate zoom so rarely do her any of her weekly 3 live classes.  The recorded classes work much better on my devices than live zoom streams and I can do any when I want to do them and can pause, rewind, and fast forward.

 WOW uses the same Vimeo OTT (vhxtv) platform but does not have a ROKU app.  WOW does work ok with Web Video Caster on the ROKU and Chromecast but freezes often on Chrome without WVC. 

Val is not as creative in her movements as she used to be and sadly, there are less outdoor locations in more recent recordings since Val is traveling less but her library is extensive and she usually has a new routine added once a week.

for more info:

Jen's Groove Fitness

https://ondemand.groovefitnessstudio.com/browse

Liz's free zoom classes and sub for monthly recordings

https://zdancerliz.weebly.com/

Val's WOW

https://walkingonlineworkouts.vhx.tv/browse

Coincidentally, all 3 of the above subs each cost $10 a month.

Each also has a Facebook Group for more info.

My timing has been perfect starting with Val when she had more locations about 3 yrs ago  then Liz just when she started giving Google Drive links for her zoom classes and most recently Jen just when she is offering her live streams access for longer windows.

YouTube is also a good option for music only workout channels but I prefer the above independent options since youtube deletes many videos because of music copyrights.  Brand Fitness has a nice youtube channel but charges too much IMHO for the VIP sub which just offers a few more tunes. I love her music but her choreo does not keep me muving.

https://www.youtube.com/c/BrandfitnessCa

Here are some other new recommendations:

This Michelle Wilson youtube video had a great variety of moves which worked well with my own music

https://youtu.be/Yh6Etov4zuY

Fierce Fitness Ty  looks worth a try:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTZ3iajdUdxwk_2JeElJTgw/videos

Best cooking tip this month:

Baked Potatoes faster and better

wash well then cut in half

rub with olive oil, salt and pepper

bake 400 degrees cut side down on pan or foil sprayed with cooking spray for 30-40 minutes

Happy New Year?

 I am just glad 2021 is over and my immediate family is still alive 
However, it is very depressing how much life has changed in America and the  World thanks to the evil Cult and Mother Nature.

I cherish the memories made in much better and more hopeful years

Thankfully, we retired fairly young and were able to enjoy those extra years.

I was ready for the Pandemic life style.

Nothing new to add as far as workouts but I did sneak in one last outdoor walk yesterday afternoon since the temperature was just 50 degrees.

Hope 2022 brings some much needed changes like the end of the Cult and Covid.