Clodjee's Safe-House: The month in review (Sep-Oct)

On the domestic front, after my recent health scare, I have been rather preoccupied by my well-being and more determined than ever to improve my physical condition. So I started taking walks around the park and monitoring more closely my health parameters (weight, blood pressure, glucose level, body temperature, calorie eaten & burned, etc.). In the beginning my body was hurting, but I am getting used to it. Now I must stay motivated and moving. I have acquired all sorts of gadgets and apps (iPhone 6, Jawbone Up 24, Moves, RunKeeper, Tactio Health, etc.) for that purpose, but so far without much success. I feel better, but (despite reducing the portion eaten — that's all I could do since I already have a healthy diet) I have not succeeded to lose much weight (I must lose at least ~~thirty-five pounds~~ to be “healthy” [correction: I must lose 25 kgs (55 lbs) ! Damn conversion: it has doomed several planes and space missions; even NASA, Apple or Jawbone have trouble getting this right!]). Somehow I must find ways to increase my physical activity (however my bummed knee prevents me from jogging and my sensible butt doesn't seem to appreciate biking or even spinning (i.e. stationary)). Unfortunately, all this is rather time consuming…

In the end of September we had a few days of a quasi heat wave with temperature in the high twenties, but it didn't last and much of October was more seasonal (cold, mostly cloudy, with temperature between five and ten). Now it's slowly inching toward freezing temperature and the first week of November saw the first snow of the year (ok, just a few tiny flakes dancing in the sky without reaching the ground). Not much else happened besides a quick flea infestation, another home invasion of the tiny grey kind (but the CSDF [Cat Self Defense Force], mostly Caramel, took care of it) and considerable strategy and planning to get the flu shot.

Another significant event, after the release of the iPhone 6 in September, was the mid-October Apple keynote that brought us iOS 8.1, Yosemite (OS X.10) and a new Mac Mini (I was planning to replace mine, but the specs of the new model are too disappointing; and still no new Apple TV). Unfortunately I am growing increasingly disappointed with Apple. I feel like I've just bitten in an apple and discovered it's bad (it reminds me: what's worse than finding a worm in your apple? Finding half a worm!). Actually, I am quite pissed off at them. I was planning to give my old iPhone 4S to my sister once I had acquired the iPhone 6, but it self-destructed before I had a chance (a swollen battery ripped open the case). Since my warranty had expired by ten days, we had to pay $200 to have it replaced! With “Bendgate”, the fumbled release of iOS 8, the buggy Health app (which still doesn't work for me since Apple has removed the function I was interested in: glucose logging — apparently americans have no idea that the rest of the world use different measuring units!), and the absence of Apple Pay in Canada, I am starting to wonder why I bothered purchasing the iPhone 6. Even my iPad Air is starting to give me problems with iOS 8 (the sound stops working sometime) and I had to install an old Java version on the iMac in order to allow some softwares to play nice with Yosemite (and VMware Fusion stopped working so I'll need to pay for an upgrade, again). All this is so annoying. As they start releasing crappy products, I am wondering if Apple is becoming just another greedy corporation. Anyway, I've lost all confidence in them…

I had lots of problems so far this year, so I guess it was my time to have an “anus horribilis”! What's worries me is that since I have been hospitalized I have not written anything significant. I just can't seem to concentrate or find enough time… I've been trying to write this blog post for weeks. Hopefully, it will improve with time.

The world news have been mostly dominated by the Ebola crisis and the Islamic State situation. As usual, I've gathered tons of interesting links and I am sharing them with you after the jump…

Anime & Manga related, Japan, Popular Culture