Learning new habits

Last night I went to the Chi' Gung class again, and it really did me a power of good, with new insights into things I learned years ago, as is often the case with Christie's image packed teaching style. The simple review of certain hand gestures - each associated with animals, dragon, tiger, rabbit, deer - gave me something to work with in fending off joint pains, and retaining strength and flexibility. The fact that you are given things to work on which have a therapeutic dimension makes it invaluable.

Thus energised after a good night's sleep, we got up early and went swimming this morning for the first time in weeks. It was a lot less taxing than I thought it would be and I swam vigorously for about half an hour. Later in the day I was tireder than I'd expected. I may feel pretty well these days, but my fitness level is not what I'd like it to be. I need to develop a more demanding exercise routine, that's for sure.

I then went to Newport on the bus to hand deliver my passport application to the regional office, and pay a visit to my friend Martin. We went to PC World to get him a wireless dongle to free his computer from the wireless router-modem, attached to a phone point in the lounge away from his office. As a temporary solution ages ago he moved the computer into the lounge and used it, tethered to a network cable to obtain internet access. He's now got used to having a computer on hand, so will he now move it back into the office and buy another smaller machine to replace the office one on the occasional table?

Gradually the use of computers becomes more ubiquitous in our daily lives. There was a time when I'd look at designs for equipment, phones, cameras computers, personal organisers with new hardware and software interfaces, and wonder who on earth would want to buy them and use them. I realise now that very far sighted people are constantly considering the business opportunities inherent in matters of usability and new ways in which to use innovative technology. Usefulness becomes everything. These days I too like to have a computer on hand if I watch telly. It means I can look up things of interest to do with something I'm watching, or update my blog during advertisements. TV these days is rarely so gripping or so good that it demands a hundred percent attention. 

Apple boldly declared the iPod, iPad and the iPhone would be revolutionary innovations. Did we really need them, and be willing to pay so much for them? I used to wonder. Few products have sold so fast globally, and been integrated so quickly into people's everyday lifestyles, that their use and the never ending development of new applications for their use must be seen as more than  just a fashionable fad. Other companies compete now with similar cheaper products, deploying similar touch screen user interfaces and wireless internet connections. Others follow where  Apple leads. I've never been able to afford to be an early adopter of innovative products. Rather, I observe the rise and fall of new promoted gizmos, and discover what really changes our usage habits collectively before comitting myself to learning something new.