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Personal Update 202403 | 4 Mar 2024

Greetings

Thanks for taking a moment to read this month’s update. I hope you’re doing well. The photo above is from a Kent Park on 8 Feb 2024.

Paper-Based Organizing

Despite being an enthusiastic ambassador for the wonders of modern technology, I still like to encourage the use of paper and pen for as many tasks as possible. Sometimes a simple non-electronic solution is the best.

I use a half-sheet paper-based system as a daily planner. Using the front and back of a page cut in half, I am able to have four planner sheets from a single 8.5×11-inch piece of paper.

For each month, I have a half-sheet monthly checklist. I try to get started on my monthly tasks as early in the month as possible. Sending out my monthly newsletter is on the list.

Weekly tasks don’t require a checklist since they are prompted by the days of the week, with most tasks getting done every weekend.

The inkjet printer I use can be run from a solar-charged battery pack. The paper I use is made from sawmill waste chips and manufactured using solar and wind power. [View] So, I feel like it’s an eco-friendly system. I can easily teach the method to others and it can be used without great expense.

Using a paper-based day-planner system is a nice simple and quiet way to start the day without distractions.

WRITING TOPICS

I continue to expand on the topic reports found on the Resources For Life dot com website. The list can be found on the What’s New Page. Adding incrementally takes very little time since the post and related context are already present.

TECH WRITING

If you’re interested in the latest tech-related guides and articles I’ve posted, you can visit the Posts Page on the Iowa City Tech website.

SUBSCRIBE

You can subscribe to be notified of these monthly newsletters [Subscribe] or scroll to the bottom of this page and enter your email address where indicated to be notified of every post to this site. 

THANKS

Many thanks to all of you who keep in touch and provide support for the work I do.

Origins. For those of you who are new to these monthly personal updates, they began about 23 years ago out of a desire to share from my personal life about topics of lifeways (faith/philosophy), health, career, finances, relationships, effective living, and public interest efforts. This is based on the Life Map presented on the Resources For Life website. [View]

Personal Update 202402 | 29 Feb 2024

Greetings

Thanks for taking a moment to read this month’s update. I hope you’re doing well. The photo above is from a bank lobby on 16 Jan 2024. I thought the abundant natural lighting, natural wood materials, and floor to ceiling windows made it a nice space. The day was bright and sunny after a long period of overcast winter skies.

Pressing Through

From 2003 to 2009, I lived in a tiny off-the-grid house. In the winter, I would leave the window open at the head of my bed. Breathing fresh cold air all night helped me wake feeling energized. It was a challenge in the morning to leave the comfort of a warm bed to start the day. In the mornings, it might be 40 to 50 degrees in the tiny house in the morning, or colder if the heater ran out of fuel.

Sometimes I still sleep with the window open. This morning it was 42 degrees, and stepping out of the shower was a mild form of taking an ice bath. Going from a warm bed, to wet and 42 degrees requires some focus and determination. It’s a good exercise.

That kind of discipline and drive is useful to develop for other areas of life where we need to stay focused and press through despite discomfort. Taking care of routine tasks requires a mindset of perseverance.

Writing topics

I continue to expand on the topic reports found on the Resources For Life dot com website. The list can be found on the What’s New Page. Adding incrementally takes very little time since the post and related context are already present.

Tech Writing

If you’re interested in the latest tech-related guides and articles I’ve posted, you can visit the Posts Page on the Iowa City Tech website.

Subscribe

You can subscribe to be notified of these monthly newsletters [Subscribe] or scroll to the bottom of this page and enter your email address where indicated to be notified of every post to this site. 

Thanks

Many thanks to all of you who keep in touch and provide support for the work I do.

Origins. For those of you who are new to these monthly personal updates, they began about 23 years ago out of a desire to share from my personal life about topics of lifeways (faith/philosophy), health, career, finances, relationships, effective living, and public interest efforts. This is based on the Life Map presented on the Resources For Life website. [View]

black suv beside grey auv crossing the pedestrian line during daytime

Automobile Report 2024

I’ve had many cars over my lifetime, and learned a bit from each one. Most were purchased used. Some were purchased new or leased. Some were 10 to 20 years old. I’ve had cars from Toyota, Honda, Ford, Chevy, and other brands. I’ve also lived without a car for many years, choosing to use public transit, pay for a taxi, ride a bike, walk, or rent a car whenever needed.

I want to share from my experience so that others can benefit and be better guided to the car that best fits their needs.

Long Search for the Perfect Vehicle

My first “perfect” vehicle was a 1991 Geo Metro with a 3-cylinder engine and over 40 MPG fuel efficiency. It was $10,000 purchased new. I drove that car for over 10 years and 220,000 miles. It was a 4-door hatch back. So, it had seating for four, but also plenty of storage with the rear seats folded down. The front-wheel drive and good ground clearance allowed it to perform well in Iowa winters. The ultra-compact size made it very easy to park. I’ve occasionally considered purchasing a present-day ultra-compact car.

Vehicles similar to the Geo Metro are available today for about $16,000 such as the and Nissan Versa and Mitsubishi Mirage. These are very appealing cars because you get 90% of the features and functions of a car costing much more, and the additional benefits mentioned above including 40-43 MPG fuel efficiency.

With my work requiring hauling of equipment, and needing to accommodate four passengers with luggage for road trips, I began searching for the perfect vehicle for my current needs. The on-call support services I offer require that I be able to travel at any time. I often need to travel in inclement weather. So, I needed a vehicle that could provide that reliability.

As you’ll read below, my search spanned over about 20 years and many vehicles. The vehicle I was searching for didn’t exist until 2018 when Subaru began selling the Ascent, a slightly larger version of the Forester. I waited a year, and purchased the 2019 Ascent. After about a year, I dedicated an entire podcast episode to the Ascent. [Podcast Episode #45Listen on Spotify]

If you want to purchase one vehicle for long-term ownership that will accommodate your changing vehicle needs over decades, the Ascent would be a good choice. It has 5,000 pounds towing capacity, seating for 6 or 7 people, but also the fuel efficiency of a 4-cylinder engine. The extra horsepower, when not used for pulling 5,000 pounds, makes merging into highway traffic a breeze. If you are leasing or buying and selling every few years, it could be a costly vehicle to own. The greatest value is in long-term ownership.

The rest of this document describes some context and other insights from my vehicle ownership experiences.

Status Symbol

If you’re buying a car as a status symbol, the car you choose really depends on where you live and who you are trying to impress.

Ideal status symbol vehicles depend on context. In a rural area, having a Ford F150 does not necessarily convey prestige or luxury, but it does allow a person to “fit in” with other vehicle owners which is a kind of status.

There are some social circles where an Audi, BMW, Lexus, or Mercedes, in a lower-trim would be the “blend in” car. We think of a status symbol as an attempt to convey superiority or greater than average success. Yet, even the ground floor of status that conveys “I’m like you” is a certain status.

I live in a college town where it’s expected that people will make informed, intelligent, frugal purchases. For the six-figure income people I know, who clearly aren’t restrained by a budget, they also purchase the most practical and economical vehicle that fits their needs. They don’t buy new. They buy used vehicles of about 3 year old with 36,000 miles. The Toyota Camera or Toyota Corolla have always been popular choices for used vehicles. Buying new guarantees a dramatic drop in a person’s net worth, similar to what a market crash does to a retirement fund. So, smart shoppers buy used.

This is consistent with Warrant Buffet’s car buying advice and practice: “Warren Buffett’s choice of cars is just one example of how his philosophy of prioritizing value over social status can help individuals achieve financial success and maintain a fulfilling lifestyle.” [Source]

I like to complement people’s cars with a sincere comment. If I notice someone has a newer vehicle, I might say, “Did you get a new car? That’s nice.” Most people appreciate that, and the immediate response is usually, “It’s new to me. I got it used.” People want to avoid being perceived as wasteful or buying a new car to impress others.

In my town, those who buy new cars are considered chumps and suckers who are wasteful and have a desire to impress others. However, in Beverly Hills, a new car might be viewed positively. So, there’s no universal single car that’s going to impress others.

With cars, clothing, or other material things, it’s best not to worry about what people will think about your purchase and instead, as Warren Buffet advises, prioritize value over social status.

My Current Vehicle

The car I’m currently driving is a Subaru Ascent. It looks new, but it is actually 4 years old, going on 5 this summer. Its like-new appearance is due to parking indoors and keeping it washed when needed. I only drive it about 7,000 miles per year, despite using it for a few long road trips and my business.

I’m a bit self-conscious about looking like I’m driving a new car, for the reasons mentioned above. I’m not the kind of person who drives a newish looking car to impress others. Someone recently asked me, “What would a car like this cost?” I explained that it’s sort of embarrassing to be driving a somewhat fancy car instead of a used Toyota Corolla which would seem to be the more practical and frugal choice.

In the United States, the current average car price is about $48,000. The entire line of six SUV-style vehicles from Subaru cost between $25,000 and $44,000 for the base models. The Ascent has a base price of about $34,000.

Subaru tends to be an economical choice, known for reliability, long lifespans, and holding their value. For that reason, a used Subaru can be almost as expensive as new models. You can pay a little more and get something new, with better safety features, quieter ride, improved fuel efficiency, and a warranty.

The Subaru Ascent has a similar appearance to the Subaru Forester, but is slightly larger.

For longer road trips, with four people, plenty of luggage, and other travel items, the Ascent has enough room so roof-mount storage isn’t needed. As a business vehicle, the Ascent has a third row of seating that folds down to accommodate larger items.

As a company, Subaru is known for partnering with numerous non-profit organizations with an emphasis on parks, sustainability, and causes that appeal to traditionally progressive-minded people. So, Subaru vehicles are more socially accepted in some circles.

Subaru Forester

As mentioned above, my previous vehicle was a Subaru Forester — a 2016 model.

There is much about the Forester that I prefer over the Ascent. If a person doesn’t need the extra row of seating and cargo area of the Ascent, the Forester is really a much better choice of vehicle due to:

  • The lower cost at $27K (Forester) vs $34K (Ascent)
  • Improved fuel efficiency of 33 mpg highway compared to 26 mpg highway for the Ascent
  • Lighter weight of 3,600 pounds compared to 4,590 pounds for the Ascent
  • Smaller size for easier parking

From a distance, visually the vehicles look the same. I drove a Subaru Forester for many years and really liked it.

For my work and needs, having the extra space of the Ascent became a requirement. Also, the Ascent has X-Mode which provides better traction and control on ice and snow. For winter driving, the Forester was an improvement over the Honda CRV. However, the Ascent with X-Mode proved to be worth the upgrade.

Honda CRV

Prior to the Subaru Forester, I had a 2013 Honda CRV. It was one of the first all-wheel-drive vehicles I owned, and I appreciated the improved traction compared to the front-wheel-drive Toyota Corolla that I’d owned previously.

The Honda CRV more storage capacity than the Corolla. The hatch back and folding back row seats created flexibility for hauling large equipment.

Toyota Corolla

The Toyota Corolla replaced the Geo Metro. It had safety and reliability, with a relatively low price. Today a Corolla has a price of about $22,000.

As a sedan, I found that it was low to the ground and as a result had slightly limited visibility. The small deep-well trunk wasn’t as convenient for hauling equipment. For the price, it allowed me to have a reliable car for my work.

Used Vehicles

Most of my previous vehicles were used. There’s a perception of savings and value with a used car. What I found is that the maintenance, repairs, and occasional breakdowns became costly. Sometimes there would be a repair bill of over $1,000 in a month. That would be $1,000 that wasn’t invested in a CD and earning interest. It wasn’t $1,000 that increased the value of the car. It was $1,000 spent, and I would still just have an old unreliable car that I couldn’t really rely on and feel confident with.

On one occasion, I was driving an older car and went over a small bump in the road. The axel and suspension completely collapsed, perhaps from rust, and the vehicle fell to the street. I’ve had breaks go out, clutches stop working, engines fail, electrical systems stop working, and many other expensive breakdowns.

To offset the unreliable nature of the used cars I had, I would sometimes rent a car for longer road trips. That provided greater reliability and less worry.

Prior to purchasing the Geo Metro in 1991 for about $10,000 new, I was driving a 1970s Pontiac with a V8 engine. That car would get about 12 miles per gallon. Some point along the way, I had a very old Cadillac that had about the same fuel efficiency.

I was driving about 100 miles (two hours) per day for a total of 3,000 miles per month. So, divided by 12 MPG, that’s 250 gallons per month. At about $2 per gallon, the cost of fuel was $500 per month.

I calculated what life might be like with the Geo Metro at 40 MPG. Doing the math again, that’s 3,000 miles divided by 40 MPG. That’s 75 gallons of gas per month instead of 250 gallons. At $2 per gallon, that’s $150 per month for gas instead of $300 to $500. I realized that purchasing the Geo Metro, with close to 0% interest, the car would be basically free. I’d actually save $425 per month.

I ended up paying about $10,000 for the Geo Metro and drove it for over 220,000 miles. That’s a cost of about 5 cents per mile for the vehicle itself, plus the cost of fuel and oil changes. It was a super economical car.

The reliability of the Geo Metro and the latest fuel efficiency technology sold me on the idea of buying a new car rather than always driving old used cars.

Electric Vehicles

Partially electric hybrid vehicles have been around for a while. The Toyota Prius was brought to market in the late 1990s. [Source]

The all-electric plug-in vehicles are newer, with the Nissan LEAF being the first readily available production electric car with the greatest retail prominence. [Source] It was first introduced in 2010.

Other experimental cars have been available, but for those looking for an electric car from an actual dealership, the Nissan LEAF has been a favorite choice.

Despite having about 14 years of development, revisions, and improvements, with other major auto manufactures joining the EV revolution, only in recent years have larger vehicles become available.

The importance of having trucks, vans, SUVs, and other larger vehicle styles is that they meet the needs of those wanting to be sitting higher up for greater visibility — being more visible to other vehicles and having a greater visibility site distance from a higher vantage point. People needing to have more seating and storage would not be purchasing a Nissan LEAF, Tesla, or similar sedan-types of vehicles.

Given the present mileage range limitations and charging constraints, electric cars continue to be only marginally practical as a second vehicle or as a primary vehicle for regular commuters. A helpful workaround would be to use an electric car like the Nissan LEAF for the daily commute and errands, then rent a car for longer road trips.

Cost continues to be an issue for those considering an electric car purchase. The Nissan LEAF is $28K to $37K depending on the range and features you want. [Source] By comparison, a Ford F150 EV could be $54K to $80K. A RIVIAN could be $73K to $98K. So, by that measure, the Nissan LEAF seems like a good value.

The only drawback to the Nissan LEAF is the smaller size and low ground clearance. Getting out of the car is like getting up from a bean bag chair. Larger vehicles seem easier to get in and out of.

Hydrogen Fuel Cell

Some auto manufacturers have partnered with municipalities and regions to make hydrogen cars and refueling stations readily available. This allowed for some small-scale test markets. For example, Honda had cars available for use in Southern California.

Hyundai is the current manufacturer providing a hydrogen fuel cell vehicle, the 2023 NEXO Fuel Cell small SUV. There is a disclaimer on the Hyundai website stating: “Currently, 2023 NEXO Fuel Cell is available only at select California dealers.”

Hydrogen fuel cell cars offer a somewhat clean renewable fuel to replace gasoline. The hydrogen fuel is only as clean as the manner in which it is produced. If hydrogen is procured using coal, it won’t be as clean if it’s produced using wind, solar, or hydro power.

The video below provides more information about the Hyundai NEXO as it was in 2020.

Living Car-Free

The final miles driven in the Geo Metro were a trip to an auto salvage (junk yard) in Iowa City on Earth Day about 10 years ago. I was able to drive over 220,000 miles in that car. That’s almost the distance to the moon. I got $200 for the car. For about 7 years, I relied on bicycle, taxi, public transit, and rental cars for all my travel. The cost of taxis and rental cars was much less than owning a vehicle.

By living within biking or walking distance from work and close to a local grocery store, a vehicle simply wasn’t needed on a regular basis. I didn’t need to hassle with parking and maintaining a vehicle, or the other costs associated with car ownership such as insurance, registration, and fuel costs. That saved me a lot of money, and resulted in getting more exercise and time outdoors.

Further Reading

For more on the topic of cars, you can read Chapter 7 of Test Pattern for Living by Nicholas Johnson. Here is an excerpt:

“It’s like finally giving up cigarettes. You just wake up one morning and realize you don’t want to start the day with another automobile. Cigarette smoking is not a pleasure, it’s a business. In the same way, you finally come to realize that you don’t need General Motors, they need you. They need you to drive their cars for them. You are driving for Detroit and paying them to do it. Automobiles are just a part of your life that’s over, that’s all. No hard feelings. You’ve just moved on to something else. From now on you just use their buses, taxis, and rental cars when they suit your convenience. You don’t keep one for them that you have to house, feed and water, insure, and care for.”

“You ride a bicycle because it feels good. The air feels good on your body; even the rain feels good. The blood starts moving around your body, and pretty soon it gets to your head, and, glory be, your head feels good. You start noticing things. You look until you really see. You hear things, and smell smells, you never knew were there. You start whistling nice little original tunes to suit the moment. Words start getting caught in the web of poetry in your mind. And there’s a nice feeling, too, in knowing you’re doing a fundamental life thing for yourself: transportation. You got a little bit of your life back! And the thing you use is simple, functional, and relatively cheap. You want one that fits you and rides smoothly, but with proper care and a few parts it should last almost forever.” [More…]

Writing Style

The reference articles I write usually end up on the Resources For Life website or the Iowa City Tech website. Those are written in third person with an objective writing style. For writing that relies heavily on my personal experiences, those I share here on my personal About Greg Johnson website.

Thanks for taking time to read about my vehicle experiences. Feel free to contact me with any comments or questions. [Contact]

Personal Update 202401 | 1 Jan 2024

GREETINGS

Thanks for taking a moment to read this month’s update. I hope you’re doing well. The sunrise photo above is from 20 Dec 2023 taken at Finkbine Golf Course.

In this month’s newsletter, I am sharing some past successes and positive stories with a hope of similar outcomes in the future. The overall message of these stories is to demonstrate effective ways to achieve desired outcomes.

Small House Movement

About 20 years ago, early on in the development of the small house movement, an investor contacted me about a business plan that would franchise the small house movement in a way that could make a lot of money. It would have been something like creating the Walmart of small house manufacturing and distribution.

I didn’t want to have copyrights, patents, and trademarks hinder the spread of the movement. I turned down the offer and increased my efforts to organically spread the movement to what would become thousands of independent builders and designers around the world. I believe the outcome has been better than if the movement became commercialized.

Greg Vs Apple

In April 2003, Apple announced they would begin selling songs for 99-cents each through the iTunes Store. The song “American Pie” by Don McLean was one of the first songs I wanted to download. Instead of 99-cents, the song would cost me $10 because purchase of the entire album was required. It was clear to me that Apple was engaged in false advertising and perhaps a bit of bait-and-switch. This would inevitably result in a multi-million dollar lawsuit.

I find such lawsuits to be a waste of everyone’s time and money, so I contacted the legal department at Apple and directly negotiated with them to correct the problem. After multiple phone calls and exchanges with a lawyer at Apple, I was able to have the price lowered from $10 to 99-cents as advertised. When we take a step back and consider what, specifically, is the grievance, and what specifically would be a direct remedy to the problem, the answer is fairly simple to arrive at.

The 99-cent per song pricing was simple from a marketing standpoint. Greatest hits albums with several or many good tracks might produce $10 in revenue. For the consumer, an excellent compilation album with 15 tracks or album with music from different artists, sometimes as many as 18 tracks or more could be purchased for the $10 album price. So, overall, it was possible for consumers to build a music collection for less cost (and less clutter) than buying CDs.

The problem with the 99-cent pricing is that some classical music does not have the typical 15 to 20 tracks per album. Other music genres have longer songs. So, selling those longer songs at 99-cents each would result in a financial loss.

I didn’t receive any reward, monetary or other, for my negotiation with Apple, but I did get the satisfaction of feeling I had a successful negotiation with one of the biggest companies in the world.

Glucose Monitoring

In 2012, I wrote a short story (“Rezifp Dawn“) that included (in Chapter 4) the introduction of the topic of glucose management through diet. I was echoing some unconventional, but reliable, medical advice that was novel at the time. I studied the topic from 2012 to 2014. In my newsletter for Nov 2014, I wrote about an approach to blood glucose management that I was developing. By 2015, I was studying glucose monitoring with my own DIY “continuous glucose monitor” (CGM) system. I put that in quotes because it was a manual finger-prick system. I wrote about that in my newsletter for March 2015.

At the start of 2015, with test strips costing about $1.50 each, testing every 30 minutes would cost about $1,400 per month ($48 per day). Shortly into 2015, without any advance notice, a popular pharmacy (CVS) began selling test strips for 20-cents each. A pack of 100 strips was $20 instead of $150. Apparently a 700% markup wasn’t necessary. This brought the cost of testing down to $192 per month — a savings of over $1,200 per month, or $14,000 per year. This assumes 16 hours of testing per day every 30 minutes. Adjusted testing times, by testing before and after key events like exercise or eating, can bring that cost down to under $100 per month. I wrote about this low-cost approach to glucose monitoring in my newsletter for March 2015.

I presented my findings to several doctors. I was told that glucose levels naturally fluctuate during the day, and that additional glucose data in any given day would be meaningless. In summary, I was told it was a waste of time. I was told that only a morning fasting test was useful. I continued writing about glucose monitoring and noticed website visitors from around the world were reading my articles and the short story.

Fast forward eight years, and now continuous glucose monitoring is a multi-billion dollar business with many companies offering CGM devices, not just for those with diabetes, but also for athletes and those trying to lose weight. Nutrisense is designed as CGM to offer nutrition and wellness insights.

It’s satisfying to see some idea or initiative that I’ve proposed gain traction. I wasn’t aware of any other work being done, but I presume the discoveries and revelations I’ve had will no doubt be simultaneously discovered by other people who look at the same set of challenges.

As a result of the evolution of CGM devices, I’m able to use a commercially available CGM device that has great features. Of all the devices available, I chose this one for the features and accuracy it offers.

Gun Safety

I grew up watching the show Star Trek and noticed in the show how most of the time the command was issued to “Set phasers to stun” when encountering hostile enemies. It made sense that self-defense would stun rather than kill.

In 2016, I wrote an article describing a method to create a non-lethal gun. It would basically be a gun that fires blanks and then progresses from blanks to successively impactful rubber bullets to deter a would-be attacker. The sound of the blanks would deter most people, and avoid fatalities in non-planned firing of guns. It was a simple and practical solution using existing technologies.

The idea was met with much resistance and criticism. All I could do was present the idea. It could not be adopted widely if it were ridiculed and rejected by gun culture influencers. The web stats for my article showed readers from locations all over the world. It was popular, but I didn’t have any sense that anyone was interested in implementing the idea.

Fast forward 7 years, and today the non-lethal (or less-lethal) self defense industry is a multi-billion dollar industry with companies trading on the NYSE. Something very similar to the weapon I described has become one of the top self-defense weapons of choice. Gun store owners are promoting them, gun enthusiasts are buying them, and police departments are using these weapons.

There are several reason for the popularity of these non-lethal weapons: (1) In some states, cities, or venues, it is illegal to carry lethal firearms. (2) If you severely injure or kill someone, even in what seemed to be self-defense, you could end up going to prison if it’s determined you used unnecessary excessive force. (3) Innocent people can get harmed or killed from gun accidents or misuse. According to members of law enforcement and gun enthusiasts, lethal weapons really aren’t needed 99 percent of the time. We’re seeing an increase in fatalities from road rage or disputes over fast food orders. Non-lethal weapons help reduce these incidents.

Any other consumer product with the hazards that guns present would be recalled, but the 2nd Amendment protection of guns and the entire industry allows relatively untethered production, sale, and ownership.

Countries with many more guns per capita than the Unites States have far fewer gun-related injuries and deaths. This is partly due to reasonable gun ownership laws, and also due to a culture that promotes tolerance and discourse over amped-up violent responses to disagreements. The increase in uneducated, irrational, and violent people in the United States creates conditions for a growing crisis.

Even if we replace all guns with non-lethal self-defense weapons, there’s still a problem with other acts of violence by those using rocks, knives, and cars. To adapt to our increasingly unhinged violent culture we would really need to outlaw all sharp objects. Certain knots have already been outlawed (the decorative monkey fist knot) because the knot could contain a rock or metal object that could harm someone.

The problem isn’t only due to unsafe products. In addition to removing unsafe objects from society, we also need to work on restoring compassion, understanding, and kindness to predominance in our society.

A company at the forefront of making non-lethal self-defense weapons is Byrna. I describe Byrna in my 2023 report on Gun Safety and Gun Rights and also in a dedicated article about Byrna from 6 Aug 2022. The Byrna product is called a “launcher” and it’s described as being less-lethal (I presume for legal reasons). Watching the product evolve and become more popular has been an interesting learning opportunity.

I don’t imagine that what I described many years ago influenced the work of Byrna, but it’s inspiring to see that the concept evolved into something far above and beyond what I had originally envisioned. They offer the option for various types of ammunition designed to avoid seriously harming or injuring anyone — including eco-friendly biodegradable projectiles. This is a benefit to the gun (launcher) owner to protect them and others from being seriously injured or killed by their own weapon. It also helps protect the owner from ending up in prison.

Byrna goes beyond just producing a product. They provide educational videos about the benefits of non-lethal defense. Their videos feature gun shop owners and gun enthusiasts who acknowledge that lethal force is rarely, if ever, needed. It’s a message about gun safety from gun owners to gun owners. In recent months, their videos have featured Sean Hannity, Glenn Beck, and Judge Jeanine Pirro — these are well-known pundits on the “right” who have many followers. This is probably one of the most important developments toward a society less likely to turn to lethal responses. What Byrna has accomplished could have never been achieved by people immersed in the anti-gun culture because the answers need to be what gun enthusiasts will respond positively to. It’s counter-intuitive, but reducing gun violence needs to begin with gun enthusiasts willing to have honest discussions about gun safety.

COVID Contact Tracing

On 13 Mar 2020, the COVID pandemic was declared a national emergency causing many non-essential services and businesses to close. [Source] On 23 March 2020, I wrote an article describing how contact tracing could be used to combat the spread of COVID. [Source] To avoid attention, I credited a company as having the existing technology that could be modified to provide contact tracing. That was only partly true — I just didn’t want to seem to be grasping for credit. I wanted to expedite the adoption of the idea.

I wrote to Google and Apple with a link to the article, and within hours saw visits to the article from Mountain View and Cupertino. A few weeks later, it was reported in the news that a Google-Apple partnership would develop a contact tracing capability. In the months to follow, Google and Apple began offering contact tracing as a way to alert people to COVID exposure.

I assume there were other people thinking creatively about how to stop the spread of COVID, and probably others had a similar revelation about using smartphones to let people know if they’d been in close contact with anyone self-reporting a COVID infection. So, I don’t claim to be the sole source of the idea, but at least I feel like I was part of assisting in promoting it.

This is another example of where an innovative solution may be better discretely handed off to some agency or business to have broader and more successful dissemination — rather than trying to figure out how to profit from an idea and prevent others from participating.

From Concept to Creation

Taking an idea from concept to creation, and then to a marketable product, and over time to something evolved and improved based on customer feedback, is a process that takes many years and big investments of time and money.

Occasionally I’ll think of some innovative products or processes, and I like to document the evolution of such ideas to describe how I thought of the solution and improved on what might be a workable implementation. However, I don’t pursue having inventions patented. In my mind, what most benefits everyone is the unrestrained development and refinement of products.

Companies wanting to inspire creative thinking are known for creating work spaces with bean bag chairs, interesting architecture, table games, and a relaxing environment. Nature paths and gardens are part of the workplace.

The creative mindset required to innovate is different than the administrative mindset required to implement and follow-through. It’s the partnership of these two personality types that can produce great results.

I think we have a shortage of inventors and problem solvers because there’s not a way to equitably monetize creative thinking. Creators and innovators might be on the payroll somewhere, or perhaps volunteer their ideas, but can’t get sucked into the legal and administrative weeds required to see something through to multiple years of sustained marketability and improvements. The profits and rewards should really be distributed to those who labor over the entire lifespan of products or services.

I like to document these stories because it helps for my ongoing writing to have the sources and development timeline. I like to retain the freedom to write about topics by demonstrating I am an originator (or at least an co-creator) of the original idea.

WRITING TOPICS

I continue to expand on the topic reports found on the Resources For Life dot com website. The list can be found on the What’s New Page. Adding incrementally takes very little time since the post and related context are already present.

TECH WRITING

If you’re interested in the latest tech-related guides and articles I’ve posted, you can visit the Posts Page on the Iowa City Tech website.

SUBSCRIBE

You can subscribe to be notified of these monthly newsletters [Subscribe] or scroll to the bottom of this page and enter your email address where indicated to be notified of every post to this site. 

THANKS

Many thanks to all of you who keep in touch and provide support for the work I do.

Origins. For those of you who are new to these monthly personal updates, they began about 23 years ago out of a desire to share from my personal life about topics of lifeways (faith/philosophy), health, career, finances, relationships, effective living, and public interest efforts. This is based on the Life Map presented on the Resources For Life website. [View]

Personal Update 202312 | 31 Dec 2023

GREETINGS

Thanks for taking a moment to read this month’s update. I hope you’re doing well. The photo above is from 12 Nov 2023 while taking a walk at Kent Park.

WRITING TOPICS

I continue to expand on the topic reports found on the Resources For Life dot com website. The list can be found on the What’s New Page. Adding incrementally takes very little time since the post and related context are already present.

TECH WRITING

If you’re interested in the latest tech-related guides and articles I’ve posted, you can visit the Posts Page on the Iowa City Tech website.

SUBSCRIBE

You can subscribe to be notified of these monthly newsletters [Subscribe] or scroll to the bottom of this page and enter your email address where indicated to be notified of every post to this site. 

THANKS

Many thanks to all of you who keep in touch and provide support for the work I do.

Origins. For those of you who are new to these monthly personal updates, they began about 23 years ago out of a desire to share from my personal life about topics of lifeways (faith/philosophy), health, career, finances, relationships, effective living, and public interest efforts. This is based on the Life Map presented on the Resources For Life website. [View]

Personal Update 202311 | 30 Nov 2023

Greetings

Thanks for taking a moment to read this month’s update. I hope you’re doing well. The photo above is from 22 Oct 2023, looking west at sunset on a bike ride heading home.

Writing Topics

I continue to expand on the topic reports found on the Resources For Life dot com website. The list can be found on the What’s New Page. Adding incrementally takes very little time since the post and related context are already present.

Middle East

For the fourth quarter, since October 1, I’ve added only a few new writings to the Resources For Life dot com website, which were mostly relating to the heightened conflict in the Middle East.

I already have existing news posts for this year on Lebanon, Iran, Qatar, and Palestine / Israel, as well as other countries in the region. So, I’ve updated those, but didn’t need to create much new.

On Facebook, a “suggested post” for me with a peace dove and the words “Thankful for Palestinian-Israeli Ceasefire” showed up as the cease fire details were unfolding. It was a post of mine from 21 Nov 2012 that Facebook randomly selected as a previous post on the same day. I decided to accept the suggestion and share the post. The timing was appropriate to share it again.

I’ve followed Middle East news for about 25 years, mostly with an interest in efforts that prevent conflict and violence.

The song “Prayer of the Mothers” by the group Women Wage Peace was made into a video (below) that shows women involved in the peace movement in the Palestine / Israel area. I wrote an article in 2018 about the video and their efforts. [Learn More]

The group Koolulam works to promote peace through music, by inviting people from diverse backgrounds to sing songs together. On 28 Feb 2018 they had an event where a group sang “One Day” by Matisyahu. I wrote an article about the event, and shared the video. I was able to get help from my Arabic and Hebrew speaking contacts for translation assistance to share the lyrics, and Koolulam gave me permission to embed their video on my website — it was otherwise blocked for viewing outside of YouTube. You can watch the video on my original post. [View]

My hope for myself and for others, is that we can grow and expand our sense of compassion. I guess it’s human nature, or the habit of some, to have selective compassion. We hear about tragedies, but for concern to be expressed, we first want to know the race, religion, gender, or nationality of those involved. If the incident feeds into a narrative we’re trying to push, we’ll get involved and march in the streets. If it doesn’t fit our ideology, we go back to binge watching a show or some other activity.

In February this year, a tragedy in a region of predominantly Muslim countries resulted in over 50,000 lives lost in a matter of hours. To me it seemed like a big event, but because it was an earth quake, and people couldn’t blame any popular vilified group of choice, the media was mostly silent after one or two days. I still check the news on conditions in the region.

In 2020, the largest non-nuclear explosion in history took place. It effectively wiped out an entire country that still hasn’t rebuilt three years later. We couldn’t blame any of our preferred vilified groups of choice, so it got a couple days coverage in the news, then everyone forgot about it. I’ve been more closely following the news from Lebanon since that blast in Beirut. [Read More]

These massive tragedies happen, and if there’s nobody to blame, there typically is no marching in the streets, no flag waving, no public mourning, no candlelight vigils.

In the area of the Middle East, from the Mediterranean Sea to the Caspian Sea, there is archeological and cultural heritage dating back thousands of years. If you go back far enough, you’ll discover all of our ancestors are most likely from the cradle of civilization. There are numerous UNESCO World Heritage sites in that area. The entire area is a huge fragile protected outdoor archaeological museum, with people still living there — people who are sort of everyone’s relatives, and it is everyone’s homeland.

If we increase our compassion for humanity to include everyone who suffers, regardless of how or why or who they are, it would make the world a better place, and it would de-politicize our emotions and humanity.

To people who want to know which side I support in the war, I’ll share what I wrote to someone in October, “I strongly support both sides (the innocent people on both sides who are suffering), and strongly condemn both sides (those who are making the situation worse).”

More Next Month

I’m going to skip my usual entries this month for tech writing and how many steps I took. I’ll include more about that next month.

SUBSCRIBE

You can subscribe to be notified of these monthly newsletters [Subscribe] or scroll to the bottom of this page and enter your email address where indicated to be notified of every post to this site. 

THANKS

Many thanks to all of you who keep in touch and provide support for the work I do.

Origins. For those of you who are new to these monthly personal updates, they began about 23 years ago out of a desire to share from my personal life about topics of lifeways (faith/philosophy), health, career, finances, relationships, effective living, and public interest efforts. This is based on the Life Map presented on the Resources For Life website. [View]

Personal Update 202310 | 1 Oct 2023

Greetings

Thanks for taking a moment to read this month’s update. I hope you’re doing well. The photo above is from my morning walk on 7 Sep 2023.

Topic Reports for 2023

I continue to expand on the topic reports found on the Resources For Life dot com website. The list can be found on the What’s New Page. Adding incrementally takes very little time since the post and related context are already present.

TECH WRITING

If you’re interested in the latest tech-related guides and articles I’ve posted, you can visit the Posts Page on the Iowa City Tech website.

Walking and Travel

In September I walked about 131,000 steps covering 21 miles in about 10 hours. These calculations are provided by Google as totals of my outdoor walks and other steps. The Google Maps and Google Fit monthly reports provide cumulative reports as well as weekly and daily reports. These help to stay mindful and motivated. Below are the travel and steps summary reports. The top report is from the Google Maps app and the bottom report is from the Google Fit app.

Social Media Outreach

I posted some more pictures and reviews in September using Google Maps. The total cumulative all-time views are now at 10.2 million.

My main goal for the posts is to help local small businesses become more discoverable, and also serve the many people who visit our community for big events, healthcare, education, and other reasons.

SUBSCRIBE

You can subscribe to be notified of these monthly newsletters [Subscribe] or scroll to the bottom of this page and enter your email address where indicated to be notified of every post to this site.

THANKS

Many thanks to all of you who keep in touch and provide support for the work I do.

Origins. For those of you who are new to these monthly personal updates, they began about 23 years ago out of a desire to share from my personal life about topics of lifeways (faith/philosophy), health, career, finances, relationships, effective living, and public interest efforts. This is based on the Life Map presented on the Resources For Life website. [View]

Personal Update 202309 | 15 Sep 2023

GREETINGS

Thanks for taking a moment to read this month’s update. I hope you’re doing well.

Featured Photo

The featured photo this month at the top of the page is from 29 Aug 2023 while on my daily walk. It’s the completed parking area that replaces a field of prairie grass previously used by wildlife and pollinators. Below is a photo of what the field looked like in July prior to the parking area being developed.

Asphalt Habitat

The new parking area helps accommodate RV parking and vehicles during football games. It is also used by weekday commuters, mostly those working at the hospital. Proposed names for the new parking area will undoubtedly include “Prairie View Parking Facility” since it is common for developments to be named after the habitats they replaced.

There’s a saying that we sometimes can’t see the forest for the trees, meaning we can get so focused on specific details of an issue that we don’t see the overall picture. In this case, there is no forest and there are no trees, but the principle is the same.

It’s easy to be discouraged by the loss of natural spaces and it’s disappointing to see habitats removed. Of course, the driving forces behind sprawl and development are far upstream. Often with projects involving the de-beautification of natural spaces, the protests and “solution” involve moving the proposed development to someone else’s neighborhood or backyard. We subconsciously know that the landfills, the power plants, the factories, polluted rivers, deforestation, smelly waste water treatment facilities, and similar byproducts of massive demand are apparently, given our present technologies, necessary to sustain all that we do. We just don’t want to look at those things or be reminded of them.

Anyone who has been in the Iowa City area for a few decades ends up being somewhat of a welcoming cheerful ambassador to greet and help visitors. With the new parking area, I’ve already had an opportunity to meet and visit with some of the travelers that come to our town by car or RV. On game-day weekends, the parking area turns into what looks like a traveling RV show. Many enthusiastic football fans descend on the area for the camaraderie and festivities that accompany the big game (every game is the big game when you’re a fan). I like to meet new people. I like RVs. I like seeing people having fun and socializing. So, there can be some positive aspects to this development.

Big parking lots have always been an important aspect of human experience: at large factories, theme parks, concert venues, shopping malls, sporting events, and remote commuter lots that reduce city traffic congestion by replacing cars with public transit. For many people, the concrete jungle and asphalt parking areas are our habitat. The spaces that support cars and parking are part of the complex mix of what makes up our human habitats.

WALKING AND TRAVEL

In August I walked about 160,000 steps covering 34 miles in about 10 hours. These calculations are provided by Google as totals of my outdoor walks and other steps. The Google Maps and Google Fit monthly reports provide cumulative reports as well as weekly and daily reports. These help to stay motivated. Below are the steps and travel summary reports for August. The top report is from the Google Fit app and the bottom report is from the Google Maps app.

GOOGLE POSTS 8.9 MILLION VIEWS

I posted some more pictures and reviews in August using Google Maps, and there were over two million views. The total cumulative all-time views are now at 8.9 million as of mid-September. As the collection of posts grows, the number of monthly views increases.

My main goal for the posts is to help local small businesses become more discoverable, and also serve the many people who visit our community for big events, healthcare, education, and other reasons.

TOPIC REPORTS FOR 2023

I continue to expand on the topic reports found on the Resources For Life dot com website. The list can be found on the What’s New Page. The list of topics expanded considerably in April. I keep adding to these reports, typically with one or two additions per month with a video or article link. Adding incrementally takes very little time since the post and related elements are already present.

TECH WRITING

If you’re interested in the latest tech-related guides and articles I’ve posted, you can visit the Posts Page on the Iowa City Tech website.

SUBSCRIBE

You can subscribe to be notified of these monthly newsletters [Subscribe] or scroll to the bottom of this page and enter your email address where indicated to be notified of every post to this site.

THANKS

Many thanks to all of you who keep in touch and provide support for the work I do.

Origins. For those of you who are new to these monthly personal updates, they began about 23 years ago out of a desire to share from my personal life about topics of lifeways (faith/philosophy), health, career, finances, relationships, effective living, and public interest efforts. This is based on the Life Map presented on the Resources For Life website. [View]

Personal Update 202308 | 31 Aug 2023

Greetings

Thanks for taking a moment to read this month’s update.

Featured Photo

The featured photo this month at the top of the page is from 27 July 2023 while on my morning walk. It is the construction site for a new parking area that replaces a field of prairie grass used by wildlife and pollinators.

I was disappointed to see the field removed, but it’s a good reminder of how we need to do what we can to support preservation where natural habitats remain.

Below is a photo of what the field looked like in July prior to the parking area being developed.

Trail Tree Trimming

The photo at the bottom of the page is from 24 July 2023. Some trees that needed light pruning of a few small branches were unfortunately cut down completely rather than trimmed.

A few days earlier I was walking with a friend on the trail. They noticed some small branches hanging low on the trail and asked who was responsible for pruning the trees along the trail. I explained that I was, but had neglected the trees this year. I told them, “I need to get them pruned soon or someone with no training and less patience will just cut the trees down.” I felt really bad that I didn’t get to the trees in time.

I’m not officially or formally responsible for trimming trees on local trails, but I’ve done so in the past to avoid having others use arbitrary, haphazard, excessive cutting. I’ve explained this in the 2017 video “Bike Trails – Maintenance and Tree Trimming” embedded below.

FYI — I’ve lost about 35 pounds since recording that video. I mention that not to be self conscious about weight, but just to explain why I look different today.

WALKING AND TRAVEL

In June I walked about 218,000 steps covering 59 miles in about 17 hours. In July, I walked about 10,000 more steps for a total of 229,987 steps in the month.

The calculations are provided by Google as totals of my outdoor walks and other steps. The Google Maps and Google Fit monthly reports provide cumulative reports as well as weekly and daily reports. These help to stay motivated.

Below are the steps and travel summary reports for July. The top report is from the Google Fit app and the bottom report is from the Google Maps app.

Reviews Had 1.6 Million Views in July

I posted some more pictures and reviews in July using Google Maps. By the end of the month, there were 1.6 million more views of all posts and photos.

If I write a review and take photos of a very popular tourist destination, that will result in more views than information about a place with less popularity. I’m focusing on the places I’m going to anyway, and not making special trips simply to gain more views.

TOPIC REPORTS FOR 2023

I continue to expand on the topic reports found on the Resources For Life dot com website. The list can be found on the What’s New Page. The list of topics expanded considerably in April. I keep adding to these reports, typically with one or two additions per month with a video or article link. Adding incrementally takes very little time since the post and related elements are already present.

TECH WRITING

If you’re interested in the latest tech-related guides and articles I’ve posted, you can visit the Posts Page on the Iowa City Tech website.

SUBSCRIBE

You can subscribe to be notified of these monthly newsletters [Subscribe] or scroll to the bottom of this page and enter your email address where indicated to be notified of every post to this site.

THANKS

Many thanks to all of you who keep in touch and provide support for the work I do.

Origins. For those of you who are new to these monthly personal updates, they began about 23 years ago out of a desire to share from my personal life about topics of lifeways (faith/philosophy), health, career, finances, relationships, effective living, and public interest efforts. This is based on the Life Map presented on the Resources For Life website. [View]

flat lay photography of three tray of foods

Noom Wellness App and Service – Review

Summary

Noom is a wellness app and service that provides insights into nutrition, eating strategies, food choices, and optimizing exercise. There are daily lessons to improve knowledge about food choices and consider environmental stimulus factors that cause people to reach for food. Through a series of questions, the app becomes customized for each user. I used Noom for the 10-day free trial period. Here’s what I discovered.

Holistic

Noom takes a holistic approach to weight loss and wellbeing and for that reason seems more helpful than programs that focus almost entirely on exercise, or food limiting diets, or food home delivery services, or expensive supplements. The program guides people to avoid extremes and instead focus on attainable and maintainable goals and practices.

New Eating Mindfulness

When Weight Watchers promoted their point system for eating, it allowed people to consider the impact of fiber and foods high in fat along with other factors, rather than just counting calories. Their program promotes a realization that not all calories are the same.

The Noom system emphasizes foods that are filling but low in calories. An example given in the app is a grape compared to a raisin. The grape is considered to be a better choice. Calorie dense foods like nuts are not prohibited, but it’s suggested they be eaten sparingly.

Food tracking is based on a three color system that conveys low, medium, and high density choices. To learn more, read “How are the food colors determined?”

Pay More to Help Others

An interesting part of the initial membership process is the option to pay about $10 to cover the cost of the trial period. There’s even an option to pay about $18 to help cover the cost for people who can’t pay anything.

The reason for the sliding scale isn’t explained, but presumably it is to promote a positive state of mind through the act of generosity and helping others.

If you decide to cancel before the paid subscription kicks in, special offers are available to ensure people don’t drop out only because of financial reasons.

One Problem. Many Causes.

Using Noom offers an insight into the many different factors that can result in people gaining weight and having trouble losing it. For an individual, there may be one or a few primary factors. Everyone is different.

Great for Newcomers

Anyone who is new to weight loss will benefit from learning about tracking food consumption, tracking activity, tracking water intake, and being mindful of things that prompt eating. Learning and applying these habits should be impactful.

People who have had their attention on other things in life may one day notice that a busy work schedule or life disruptions have resulted in 10 or 20 pounds of extra body weight, or more. Noom can help give them some efficient ways to get back to a healthy weight.

Plateau Buster

If someone is already aware of the many “tips and tricks” for tackling weight loss, Noom may not offer too many new insights. The most seasoned weight-loss practitioners will already be familiar with most of what Noom has to offer.

For these people, Noom may help serve as a plateau buster if the a malaise or fatigue has set in after reaching a plateau. Not having ongoing positive feedback through seeing results makes a person less motivated. Noom offers an external motivator to keep you on track through times when there is little or no weight loss despite best practices.

Noom helps a person stay mindful of their weight loss and wellness goals with daily reminders and the engagement of learning exercises.

Room for Improvement

Here are some areas where the Noom system seems to have room for improvement:

  • BARCODE — When using the barcode feature to enter foods, once the food has been identified, the app returns to the barcode camera view which suggests perhaps more foods could be identified and added to the meal, but it doesn’t work. So, it’s an extra step to go back and add more food items.
  • CHANGES — The lengthy survey process presumably customizes the plan. It’s not clear how one might go back and tweak their plan based on some changes in lifestyle or diet preferences. It’s also not clear how a person might go back and review their survey answers later. There should be a way to adjust for life changes or provide adjusted answers.
  • DIET PREFERENCE — During the personalization process, Noom lets the user select a preferred diet based on things like diabetes concern, or desiring low-carb options. Oddly, the system doesn’t let the user choose more than one of these customizations.
  • FOOD TRACKING — For anyone already using a food tracking app like Lose It, the limited abilities of Noom food tracking may feel like a hinderance. You’ll go to scan fairly common foods and the barcode won’t be recognized. Even foods searched by name may not show up. I had a few occasions where serving sizes and calories were way off. If you’re having to enter all the nutritional information manually, it becomes time consuming. With an app like Lose It, a person can focus on calories, or carbs, or protein, or any other factor to guide your eating choices. Lose It lets you easily repeat a meal from a previous day by entering it with a tap. Noom has a clumsy work-round for this which is creating a recipe or dish, but then the details are lost once pasted in as a meal. It’s really better to just have the ability to repeat a meal with a list of items.
  • NOTIFICATION DOT — The main menu is accessible by taping on three lines in the top left corner of the app. On the top line of the menu, there is a red dot on the right side. It’s a bit distracting and seems to suggest there is some new notification or something that needs action. I contacted support about it and nobody seems to know what it’s for or how to make it go away. It looks like a notification alert, but it doesn’t seem to serve a purpose. A similar red dot appears and goes away when new messages are available from support.
  • SUPPORT — The support system seems to be a hybrid of AI-driven automated responses mixed with some human responses. There’s not a personal coach that you get to know by name, but whoever is online in the virtual call center will answer the questions. So, the consistency and quality of support may fluctuate.
  • SWEETS — Noom and many other diet programs emphasize sweets as rewards, and cheat days as a way to keep unhealthy high calorie foods in a person’s diet. Similar to this is the abundance of foods on the market that use Monk Fruit, Stevia, and other artificial sweeteners. For people who seem to have an uncontrollable chemical addiction to sweets, maybe this is helpful. However, there are some people who can slowly reduce their intake of sweets and have a diet that’s naturally low in carbs and low in sweets without it feeling like a sacrifice. There should be some way for the Noom system to choose between continuing with sweets, moving slowly away from sweets, or being fine without sweets.

Noom Alternatives

If Noom doesn’t work for your situation, an alternative would be to use Lose It or a similar food tracking app. Another good option is FitBit for tracking food, exercise, and sleep. The Apple Watch does a good job of tracking exercises, sleep, and meditation, but lacks the food tracking feature.

Unique to Noom are the personalized insights into an individual’s behavior and body needs. An alternative would be to get some good books on diet, exercise, wellness, and the psychology of eating. Commit to reading a certain amount each day and keep a journal of notes about what you read.

Since Noom is free to try, and might work for you, it’s worth checking out. At a minimum, it will be a learning experience. The initial option to feel good about donating money probably does work for most people.