Month: September 2020

You can literally save SECONDS a day with these keyboard shortcuts

On By NotYetDeadIn Uncategorized8 Comments

You’ve probably heard about keyboard shortcuts – those wonderful little time-saving clicks that allegedly save you time when working on your computer.

Someone (maybe some guy with a little EXTRA time on his hands) actually figured out that you can save 64 hours each year by using keyboard shortcuts. That might be true, but that’s not why I wanted to learn them … I’d probably gain 64 shitty hours cleaning bathrooms instead of 64 great hours drinking tequila and dancing. So no, that’s not why I learned them (nor necessarily why you might want to either).

So why should you learn something like keyboard shortcuts? According to “Think You’re Too Old to Learn New Tricks?” an article in Scientific American, “The ability to live independently requires periodic “upgrades” because of changes in our environment, especially due to technological advances. Cellphone providers are disconnecting 3G networks, and health care providers are moving toward online-only access to patients’ medical records. This means learning how to use a smartphone, or new online portals. And if people avoid learning these skills themselves, it fosters functional dependence—asking others to do stuff for them.”

And that’s why I give learning things like keyboard shortcuts a go. Because the last thing I want to do is foster dependence. It’ll be bad enough if it happens without my encouragement!

It’s totally up to you. If you decide to check this out, do so because of your desire to keep learning something new – don’t you owe yourself those 64 hours?

Watch the video here:

Downloadable Shortcut Cheat Sheet

computer-keyboard-shortcuts-pdfDownload

Don’t be scared to try new things (like the iPhone iOS Update)

On By NotYetDeadIn Uncategorized4 Comments

I promise the next time I start with “don’t be scared to try new things” it WON’T be something boring like learning a new technology. But since the iPhone iOS 14 update came out last week, I thought this was a perfect time to talk about how freaked out many of us are about anything “techy.”

What’s the deal with our reluctance to learn new technology as we get older? Are we just too impatient to figure it out? Are we too afraid we CAN’T figure it out so won’t even give it a shot?

Are we just so freaked out that if we ask someone for help, they’ll do this as soon as we say, “thank you”?

True, maybe some of the things out there aren’t even WORTH our time, but for the most part, technology advances are there to help us, so it seems like we should get over our fear and just dive in.

My last bosses, Carol Fishman Cohen, Chair and Co-Founder of iRelaunch, and Jill Kravetz, iRelaunch CEO, wholeheartedly supported my fearless attitude about tech. Whether it was podcast production, website building and maintenance, or keeping up with social media channel changes, these women had COMPLETE CONFIDENCE that I could conquer anything I set my mind to. And I think that’s what made me fearless. (Thank you again, Carol and Jill!)

So, I’d like to share that with you. I have COMPLETE CONFIDENCE that you can learn to be the master of any kind of tech you want to learn. So much so, that I’m convinced you’ll be the one to show your children, grandchildren and tech-reluctant friends a few tricks!

And since there’s no time like the present, let’s start with the BRAND-NEW UPDATE that just came out for the Apple iPhone (iOS14). There are lots of cool new features in the update that you might like. But instead of having to ask an eye-roller how to use them, I’ve uploaded some Not-Yet-Dead videos that explain a few of the features step by step.

You’ll see how easy becoming a MASTER OF TECHNOLOGY can be (just take it from the master of hyperbole).

If you haven’t yet updated your iPhone to iOS 14, there’s a few tips on the Not Yet Dead YouTube Channel that can be used on earlier iPhone operating systems. And if you haven’t yet updated from a pager to a cellphone … well, even I’m rolling my eyes!!

Good luck!

Have specific tech questions? Please add them in the comments below. Someone might have an answer for you. Or I’ll try to find an answer for you. Or maybe we’ll just all make new friends. 

Are you f’ing kidding? Oh, and Happy Birthday to me!

On By NotYetDeadIn General, Uncategorized2 Comments

I turned 64 a couple of days ago – and like Sally O’Malley would say, “I’m not one of those gals who likes to hide her age.” I couldn’t care less who knows how old I am, because I think I’m doing pretty well for myself. I can still “kick, stretch, and kick” and remember the important things (where I hid that cigarette, where I hid that tequila, where I hid those chocolate covered raisins from Costco, and (sometimes) where I left my cellphone).

So, thinking about this whole “getting older” thing, I decided to take a look at Google to get a feel for what I could look forward to. And according to today’s Google Alert results for “elderly” here’s what’s coming my way:

And the winner:

Really? This is what I have to look forward to? Hell no! I’m not falling for it (and I’m not falling yet either!). I’m going to write this blog and MAKE headlines like,

  • Elderly woman poses as 7-year-old, calls Walgreen’s to demand they let “Prince Albert” out of the can
  • 86-year-old former infectious disease expert finds cure for COVID-19
  • Elderly woman tells children, “Keep your $885,000 … I’m spending your inheritance”
  • “Those Zumba classes really paid off!” says elderly woman at casino who thwarts robbery with well-placed “kick balls, change” to the groin
  • Elderly Perth man saves four who abandon sinking vessel off Cable Beach in Broome
  • Elderly man swats housefly, transforms into “Jeff Goldblum, Superhero“

According to population estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau, as of July 1, 2019 (the latest date for which population estimates are available) there are 71.6 million people in the US between the ages 55 and 73 (Baby Boomers) – and just over 55 million age 65+ (no thanks to you, stupid COVID-19). And you just can’t convince me that we’re only dying of viruses, getting scammed by assholes pretending to work for the DOJ, or blowing things up.

This blog is NOT going to be depressing. It’s going to focus on all of the great things about being older and, at times, try to find some humor in the things that aren’t so great. Most of all, I hope it will be a place for you to talk about YOUR thoughts and questions about this time of our lives.

I’ll find experts to answer your questions, I’ll ask your opinion, and I’ll make sure you’re not invisible! I hope you’ll join me for this fun adventure!