UNintended Consequences

Happy New Year, a little late! I hope your celebration was happy and healthy as we ushered out an UNusual (to say the least) year. I find (found) myself using the UN prefix quite often in 2020 as it was the year of NOT: NOT going to work, school, or cultural events. NOT seeing family, friends, and strangers. Covid 19 (20/21) was an UNexpected shock of UNprecedented proportions. It had many UNintended consequences, some good and some bad. Before this year, I had never heard of Bursitis, inflammation of a bursa, typically one in the knee, elbow, or shoulder. The most common causes of bursitis are repetitive motions or positions that pressure the bursae around a joint. It seems that sitting on endless Zoom calls is also a cause for Bursitis...a modern-day Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. This is but a small example in a sea of examples of changes, small and large. This week's Loupe is dedicated to inevitable change!

Playbook
Fitness

So clichè, I know ... fitness! Covid has diminished most people's desire to go to the gym or participate in group fitness, certainly indoor. Therefore we are left to our own devices, and that generally doesn't go so well. I, for one, need a trainer to motivate me. I have tried many solutions (as you might expect) and really enjoy Playbook. This is an app that was created by trainers and is quite intuitive and easy to use. It actually works more like Instagram or TikTok as you can easily find content and navigate through a workout. It offers almost everything you might be looking for in terms of the type of workout and instructor personalities. I have come to enjoy the variety of their offerings, and with the subscription, I've been impressed by the multitude and expertise of their trainers.

Day One
Journal

One company that didn't make it to the other side of Covid was my beloved BonJournal. Unfortunately for me, it was in this app that I have been keeping meticulous vacation notes for the last 4 years. Now, they are gone and only exist in PDF form. I still journal every day in 5-Minute Journal, but thankfully I think I may have found the replacement for both in Day One Journal. This app costs a little money but has much more flexibility for media, including photos, videos, voice recordings, and more. I highly recommend a journaling app for various reasons, the least of which is remembering what happened, when. You can install it on your iPhone or even use it on your desktop (a welcome addition).

Jackpocket
It's time for luck to be on your side...this is your year! How about winning the lottery, does that qualify? The MegaMillions draw on Friday is $970,000,000; the odds are almost in your favor! Jackpocket makes it easy to play the lottery from the comfort of your own home. It shows you the lotteries that are currently available and allows you to purchase a ticket. You can even set yourself up on autoplay, so you never miss and weekly drawing with your favorite numbers. I know the numbers are horribly against you, but play one number, one game, and you never know? It also eliminates the stress of having to locate your (winning) ticket. Play responsibly and buy one ticket; the difference between 1/250MM and 2/250M is insignificant. Thanks for the recommendation fellow Louper Greg M. and good luck!

Let this year be (UN)believably good and consider Playbook, Day One, and Jackpocket found!