Superstretch Resistance Bands

I have been using the Hinge Health app for preventative PT exercises for over a year. It is a voluntary part of our health care insurance. With it comes advice from an assigned physical therapist. Most recently I used her for exercises specific to plantar fasciitis. Initially it was geared towards low back pain but has now been tailored to helping with my foot. Some of the exercises require the need for resistance bands. I still had one from several years ago but it was almost worn through. So I ordered another set on Amazon. They come in a set of five strengths. So I use the second out of the heavy duty five. I don’t use them for other than the PT exercises, although they come with instructions. I also have a jump rope style resistance band that is used every evening for just a few minutes. I have to say I really get sick and tired of exercising all the time. We take a two mile morning walk, then this afternoon hinge health bit, and then again around ten PM both my husband and I do exercises related to pelvic floor strengthening due an other medical issues. It feels like Deja vu every day. I’m just hoping the plantar fasciitis pain eventually subsides. At least I have a way to communicate with a PT who can offer some help. 

ThinOptics Customer Service

Ever since I had cataract surgery last summer I need to wear readers. I can now see far distance and mid distance, but my once wonderful near vision doesn’t exist. And that’s taken a bit of getting used to. We discovered ThinOptics glasses that work really well for us. Both my husband and I really love the key chain nez readers that we take everywhere with us. I also have two pair of regular readers - one with blue light protection. The other day those glasses broke in half for no apparent reason. I checked back on the warranty and it was six months. Of course, it was eight months. So I wrote to ThinOptics and asked if the glasses would be replaced. Of course the answer was no. However, I then asked if I could at least get thirty per cent off because we are such great customers. I had already exchanged emails last year with Miguel about the sunglasses that had scratched lenses due to the hard plastic case, and those were replaced immediately. I also offered ideas on how to improve the case. These glasses are so nice because they are very compact and light. So I had the good fortune to discuss this situation with Miguel. He said if I bought the new pair he would give me the discount after the purchase. So I bought a replacement pair and he processed the discount. Anyway, I just wanted to share our great experience with the glasses, but also the great customer service. Thanks Miguel!

52Frames Negative Space Photo Trending

I’m really happy to see that my 52Frames photos keep trending! I don’t know how or why, but ever since one of my fellow frames told me my photo was trending on the 52frames website back in April, I have been checking the site routinely after each weekly album is released. It seems they usually appear on the second day. This week the subject was negative space and an image of the Capitol building with one lone young man sitting on the steps was submitted. I have had more comments on this image than most. I didn’t think it would be a negative space image because it’s rather “busy.” But after editing it to a high key and cropping it in along with maintaining the original light on the subject it seemed to work. It’s been a while since one of my entries has been selected as a top 52 out of the usual 2500 to 3000 images submitted every week. And I haven’t had any images selected on instagram lately and I would never expect seeing one in the top three. But I’ve come to enjoy the editing process more than the photo taking - and that might not always jive with the photography definition. I really like creating composite images. Hopefully this trend will continue. I really appreciate the thrill of it all every week and several comments include things like “I need to try that approach” or “you’ve inspired me to try that” or “I’ve never seen that technique before.” It’s a very uplifting experience! 

Happy Anniversary and Fourth of July

It was seventy five years ago today when my parents got married on a sweltering hot Fourth of July in New England. Because my grandfather’s business was a grocery store the only day they could all be off was on a holiday. Word has it that there was a huge block of ice to try to keep everyone cool. So the Fourth of July has more meaning for me. Happy Anniversary to my parents - hope you are enjoying the big day. And all the country is celebrating with you! 

Plantar Fasciitis Tool Kit

A few weeks ago my heels started to hurt. The right side improved, but the left side continued to have problems. Then I looked up “why would my heels hurt when I stand” and it sounded like plantar fasciitis was the culprit. Since it was both feet I couldn’t recall any particular incident that would have caused it. So I’ve been speaking with the Hinge Health physical therapist who recommended foot exercises, ice bottle massages and a night foot splint using this PT app provided through my health insurance company. I was using it for lower back exercises but started these exercises instead for this problem. Where it was once 100% awful, it is about 90% now. I also ordered a plantar fasciitis toolkit that has several different items you can try to help alleviate the pain. I tried them but don’t find them very helpful. Anything worn tight around my foot is annoying so I’m sticking with a tight sock. The night splint must be working somewhat but I end up removing it after four hours. People who have had this condition say it takes several weeks to months for it to get better. Every one of them says the pain is awful. So I am hoping that my foot continues to improve. I’m still able to walk about two miles a day. Just when you think it’s getting better it starts all over again. I’m not really sure if it’s improving - I may just be adjusting to another painful event over time. I guess time will tell. 

Wad Free Sheet Detangler

For whatever reason my husband and I are quite entertained by watching Shark Tank. The whole approach and vibe is fun and some of the products are quite useful. We decided to try the sheet detangler because it is not unusual that everything gets in ball, doesn’t dry, and needs to be put back in to the dryer for a second time. In the wash, other things get caught up in the mess. It didn’t seem like it would work, but it actually does. After you have used the square plastic detangler devices on both sheets a couple of times it becomes second nature - like everything else. Wouldn’t it be nice to come up with a simple thing like this and have your own business? So we keep watching the program to see if there is anything else that would be a useful household product. Anything that makes things easier is not lost on me! 

And some of these items make great Christmas “gifts!”

52Frames Negative Space Weekly Photo Challenge

The subject for this 52Frames photo challenge this week was “negative space.” We drove in to town thinking that the National Gallery of Art would have a lot of options. After we parked in our old Capitol Hill neighborhood we walked over to the Capitol grounds. Usually there are a lot of people milling around. But this time there was a solitary young man sitting on the steps. I didn’t think it would ever work for the subject and we moved on to the gallery. And I was right. There were a lot of great photo ops in the art gallery. I have more fun editing the images than taking pictures of them. So I went back to the Capitol steps and starting to change the original image. First it was cropped vertical rather than horizontal, edited to high key, the background layer was made more transparent, and the image of the boy was duplicated and placed on a second layer in the same spot so he would stand out. It was a difficult call this week because there were so many good ideas including a Gardner snake we saw in the neighborhood park! I changed my mind three times and ended up using the Capitol steps over my husband in the stairwell and another young boy painting at a kiosk in the gallery. I also try to gauge the reaction of Instagram followers and they liked the Capitol steps most. This one was a tough call. Sometimes it’s better just to have one choice!