Almost two months ago, I got myself a Casio G-SHOCK. Mostly because I wanted to change this a bit, I have always been a watch guy, and I stopped buying watches the moment the Apple Watch had come out. And I have been using the Apple Watch exclusively, since. 

The Casio I got, was a MOVe model, basically, it can be synced to the iPhone via Bluetooth using the G-SHOCK MOVE app. I could still get some notifications, and it would track my steps. I was never able to figure out if it could track a workout the same way the Apple Watch does, I am not a runner so, tracking speed and laps wasn't for me. After a few weeks, I started missing the Apple Watch just to track my workouts and easy access to timers and was using it just for that whilst using the Casio for daily use.

One day, something changed, my AirPods Pro started acting up. I would get this high pitch noise somewhat regularly among other things, it was super-weird and it seemed very random. One day, in my frustration, I went online to look for possible causes and fixes. One was to turn off the ear detection feature and that seemed to have worked, a bit, but not quite. I had also read that another cause, could be that another Bluetooth device may be interfering with the AirPods' connection, but I ignored that part or didn't think much about it. I stopped using my AirPods, entirely, mostly out of frustration. I had started using my Powerbeats Pro more, the battery life alone won me back over. 

Recently, I picked up my AirPods again, and still thinking about the annoyances, it occurred to me that perhaps the culprit was the G-SHOCK. I unpaired the G-SCHOCK from the phone, they aren't Bluetooth-connected anymore and what do you know, The Airpods Pro are acting normal again. Thus far.

It is still an ongoing experiment, it could be something totally unrelated. I need more data, so far it's just a theory.

Technology is weird...

There is a Pod-radio-show I have been really enjoying, and that is, Really Specific Stories by Martin Feld

Join podcast studies researcher Martin Feld as he delves into narratives of tech-podcast fandom, featuring creators and their listeners.  

I love the conversations held, every show has a different guest, with their own stories and experiences. Specific stories about how we all get into this medium which is podcasts. And I find these conversations very fascinating and interesting. It's like the telling of an origin story of sorts. Whether you are just a listener, host, or producer.

Definitely worth checking out.

In this household, we have both the OG Nintendo Switch and the Switch lite. I fell in love with the lite, so light and easy to handle and carry around. Eventually, I went back to the OG, and Marley sort of took over the lite. Last night, I picked it up again, and I remembered why is so sweet to use, but at the same time, it feels so tiny on the hands it almost feels ridiculous.

Also, I have to confess, I kind of want the OLED Switch…

Tunic on the Nintendo Switch.

Explore a land filled with lost legends, ancient powers, and ferocious monsters in TUNIC, an isometric action game about a small fox on a big adventure. Stranded in a ruined land, and armed with only your own curiosity, you will confront colossal beasts, collect strange and powerful items, and unravel long-lost secrets.  

This game, wasn't even on my radar until someone mentioned it in a podcast back in March. I remember this because I was traversing my way through the dangerous city of Chicago. I was trying to get to the hotel where the convention I was attending was being held at. 

I added it to my PlayStation 5 wishlist, it wasn't even listed in the eShop, at the time. Fast forward to the end of the last month, the game is available on the eShop, and the switch being my preferred gaming console for these games, well, I got it on the system over the PS5. The game had been out I think six months prior on macOS, PC, and Xbox, but it wasn't until six months later that made it to the PlayStation and Switch.

Still, I had heard very little about this game. I heard it was a combination of a Zelda-like game and a Souls-like game. By this premise alone, I should have stayed away from this game, in theory. Why? Well, I suck at souls-like games, and yet I guess I'm a sucker for punishment because I buy them anyways, and I no longer have the patience for unguided exploring games like Zelda.

Tunic is an action-adventure game and right off the bat you can tell, it is very Zelda-like, especially the earlier ones. You are a fox and you wake up in this strange world with, gain, very little guidance on what you need to do. From what I have gathered so far, you battle your way through it, you must find and ring a number of bells and find some "gears" that should end up in a central place. Just like Souls games, there is very little or nonexistent back story presented, you must unravel the mystery as you go. Enemies can be a little unforgiving, or so I was told. If you die you respawn at your last save point, and you lose some currency and such, just as expected in a souls-like game.

You have stamina and mana, as well as your health. You can upgrade your stats, although that is not well explained in the game. There, is literally very, very little guidance and lots of explanation in this game, however, I can't stop playing it.

What is amazing about this game are the accessibility options, it has a No Fail Mode, No Stamina Restrictions, and Reduced Combat Difficultry. Well, guess what? I have all turned on! No shame, No ragrets! So to me, the combat isn't frustration, if any, it would be my own impatience. But it's fun to just turn on the Switch and just go to town exploring and see what things I can do, which paths I haven't explored, you know just fox around with my sword. And believe there are lots of secret paths and secrets in general in this game.

I have gotta say, even though I had no idea what is going on, no guidance whatsoever. I'm clueless about what I am supposed to do, and yet I am having a good time. The game is charming and beautiful, the music is great, and I even have the soundtrack on rotation because it is that nice.

To respect the identity and privacy of the subjects, I’m going to refer to them as child number 1 and child number 2 😉. Number 1 being the oldest.

Childs one and two are plying, as they do, there’s laughter, all of a sudden, no more laughter but crying. Child number 1 comes out of the bathroom crying and complaining, touching her stomach.

Turns out, child number 2 had, allegedly, jumped on her. After some serious scrutiny and interrogation, we got a somewhat picture of what happened. Child number 2 apologizes to child number 1, and all is good, ish.

Child number 1 still complains about serious pain, her tummy, and diaphragm area. I asked if it hurt enough to got to the doctor, child number 1 says, yes.

To the urgent care we go. After some waiting, lady doctor comes into the room. She asks child number 1 a few questions, and examines her. Luckily, there was no bruising, nothing felt loosened or improper. Lady doctor says there’s no concern for anything being broken, that child number 1 is just, tender, and sore. Rest and pain medicine should do the trick, but obviously be on the lookout if anything develops in the next day or so.

In conclusion, child number 1 and number 2, will be the end of me.

There’s a Porsche car show in town today, which they do every year. I was very excited about attending and snap a couple of photos. But, for whatever reason, I found myself uninspired. I guess when there’s too many of the same thing, it’s hard to see something unique. I did find a couple of cars that did catch my eye, but when it came to the photography part of it, I didn’t have the “eye”. I probably took like 8 pictures and most likely one will be cool enough, to me.

I’m a little bombed by that, I had been waiting all week for it and then, meh!

Oh well, it happens, I guess