cody loves andrea

above the underground parking

Sat, 19 May 2012 11:37:10 -0600

above the underground parking

where I stand

Sat, 19 May 2012 11:35:27 -0600

where I stand

alley

Sat, 19 May 2012 11:34:28 -0600

alley

I love early mornings downtown, the light bounces of the glass...

Sat, 19 May 2012 11:16:00 -0600

I love early mornings downtown, the light bounces of the glass off the buildings and gives everything a warm even glow. This guy was going somewhere.

Living with Technology

Wed, 16 May 2012 20:42:00 -0600

I recently switched from my iPhone 4S to a Nokia N9. It is not sold in the USA or Canada currently so it will not be surprising if you have not seen or heard of it.

It is a simple phone that does the basic things well, like make a call or email and message people. It does not have many apps on it and it doesn’t even compete with the Apple phones or any other smart phones. I switched to try to gauge my reaction and others to my dumbed down phone experience. When my friends pull out there iPhone and check the latest movie theatre times, read reviews and watch the latest trailer I can only stare at my calendar on the phone. Will not having a constant distraction in my pocket or hand help take my work productivity to a new level? or will it help with keeping a balanced mind and thoughts?

What will I accomplish other than awkward moments? Not sure, but I am hoping for a more relaxed and focused life.

Will I achieve life and productivity nirvana? I believe so, enough to switch phones. I do also realize that the phone is a contributor not a lone culprit in this. But it is still fun to experiment and see where this goes. If you read this and you already have a limited dumb phone- congratulations, and my apologies for making your life sound dull. It just is.

Read this article from the NYTimes, it shares similar views.

” In “iDisorder: Understanding Our Obsession With Technology and Overcoming Its Hold on Us” (Palgrave Macmillan), Dr. Rosen surveys the existing research, throws in a bit of his own and suggests ways that users of new technologies can avoid behavioral pitfalls.

As much as the topic interests me, I was initially skeptical of this book. For one thing, it’s a little proud of itself. The word “iDisorder,” which Dr. Rosen repeats throughout, suggests an author trying very hard to coin a term. He is among the few authors I’ve seen who refers to his own book as “groundbreaking.”

Yet “iDisorder” is a pleasant surprise — lean, thoughtful, clearly written and full of ideas and data you’ll want to throw into dinner-party conversation. Did you know that psychologists divide Twitter users into “informers,” those who pass along interesting facts, and “meformers,” those who pass along interesting facts about only themselves? Or that 70 percent of those who report heavily using mobile devices experience “phantom vibration syndrome,” which is what happens when your pocket buzzes and there’s no phone in your pocket? (I thought I was the only one.) Or that heavy use of Facebook has been linked to mood swings among some teenagers? Researchers are calling this “Facebook depression.” (And I thought that my children were just having a lot of bad days.)

One strength of “iDisorder” is Dr. Rosen’s cleareyed view of technology and its uses. He doesn’t oppose it. In fact, his view is quite the opposite. What we need, he says, is a sense of restorative balance and self-awareness. It is unavoidable that many of us will fall prey to an iDisorder, he says, but “it is not fatal and we are not doomed to spend time in a mental institution or a rehab center.” By using a few simple strategies, he says, “we can safely emerge from our TechnoCocoons and rejoin the world of the healthy.”

The book’s chapters focus on mental health challenges linked to heavy technology use. They include how social media sites may spawn narcissism (no surprise there) and how constantly checking our wireless mobile devices (he calls them W.M.D.’s, a great acronym) can lead to obsessive-compulsive disorder. Others look at how technology addiction can lead to attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, and at how all that medical data available online has created a class of people known as “cyberchondriacs.” Perhaps most interesting of all, Dr. Rosen examines how the constant use of technology may be rewiring our brains. One study he cites calls the impact on memory the “Google effect,” that is, an inability to remember facts brought on by the realization that they are all available in a few keystrokes via Google.

AT the end of each chapter, Dr. Rosen details a list of things that can be done to combat each techno-disorder. These tend to be a bit repetitive and common-sensical, but that doesn’t make them any less useful. One often-suggested solution is to take a “tech break.” In other words, if overusing your iPad is making you crazy, maybe you should stop using it so much. I know: duh. But still.

For those combating some form of techno-addiction, Dr. Rosen advises regularly stepping away from the computer for a few minutes and connecting with nature; just standing in your driveway and staring at the bushes, research shows, has a way of resetting our brains. “

Soccer went a bit better this week, Tye participated enough to...

Sat, 12 May 2012 16:25:01 -0600

Soccer went a bit better this week, Tye participated enough to run some drills and score a goal. At one point of all 6 kids on the field none were even going for the ball, they all just stood there looking around, priceless.

Tye went to a soccer game yesterday. He went there, he...

Sun, 06 May 2012 12:44:26 -0600

Tye went to a soccer game yesterday. He went there, he didn’t necessarily participate… we look forward to next week.

Went camping this last weekend. I would not mind staying...

Tue, 01 May 2012 16:43:41 -0600

Went camping this last weekend. I would not mind staying there indefinitely.

Out on Top

Sat, 31 Mar 2012 09:07:00 -0600

Out on Top:

Swiss champion Skier uses vintage gear as he decends the mountain the last time, great concept.

dump site

Sat, 24 Mar 2012 22:16:57 -0600

dump site

Metallic print 20x20 wow, I am overjoyed at the quality #print...

Mon, 19 Mar 2012 15:19:25 -0600

Metallic print 20x20 wow, I am overjoyed at the quality #print #hasselblad (Taken with instagram)

Facebook Narcissism Study

Sun, 18 Mar 2012 11:20:57 -0600

Facebook Narcissism Study:

Surprised by two things : one, they got this study done quickly, and two, that they needed to do this study.

A friends time lapse system. Just standing and waiting for it to...

Sun, 18 Mar 2012 11:06:17 -0600

A friends time lapse system. Just standing and waiting for it to move inch by slow inch.

Now I don’t feel so bad after my bracket blew up...

Sat, 17 Mar 2012 11:15:13 -0600

Now I don’t feel so bad after my bracket blew up yesterday.

My official 2012 Bracket. Bring it.

Thu, 15 Mar 2012 11:03:44 -0600

My official 2012 Bracket. Bring it.

7 Reasons to Not Eat Meat

Tue, 13 Mar 2012 21:20:06 -0600

7 Reasons to Not Eat Meat:

These are some of the reasons I do not eat meat, not sure if you care - but I find them interesting and conversation worthy.

Everybody loves a snow day, time to toboggan.

Sat, 03 Mar 2012 22:16:51 -0700

Everybody loves a snow day, time to toboggan.

Sat, 03 Mar 2012 22:13:11 -0700

Everybody loves a snow day, time to toboggan.

Flowers at Lake Louise. Hasselblad 501c Kodak Portra 160nc

Mon, 27 Feb 2012 01:13:49 -0700

Flowers at Lake Louise.

Hasselblad 501c Kodak Portra 160nc

NYTimes article on Ryan Braun Steroids- guilty

Sun, 26 Feb 2012 14:17:06 -0700

NYTimes article on Ryan Braun Steroids- guilty