There was a peculiar urgency to the day this morning when I awoke but minutes before seven o’clock. I suspect the canon importance requiring swift action was none other than the sunshine unfolding in its lemony majesty upon the golf course. It is as well indisputably heartening to regard a 10-day weather forecast of nothing but yellow sunshine emojis. It is unforgivable to ignore the invitation – nay, the mandate – to circulate in the open air in such amenable circumstance. More fundamentally the predicted sunshine was just another way of saying, “Get on with it!” And so I did. Though I confess my customary morning rituals were empowered today by having earlier indulged in the relieving percussive massage of my Thergun Mini®. I feel compelled to share this latest discovery (enacted by my erstwhile physician’s high-spirited son) as it charters yet another important technological advance designed to make life better.
The new Theragun Mini is a uniquely portable, pocket-sized massaging tool that still packs all the power athletes expect from Therabody, along with unmatched precision for targeting cramps, knots, muscle tension, etc.
Measuring just 5.4” x 4.3” x 1.6” and weighing barely over 1 LB, this go-anywhere recovery device utilizes a QX35 motor with QuietForce technology, delivering near-silent operation—meaning no noise complaints from family, friends, or co-workers. The Mini is easy to hold and manipulate thanks to an adapted version of the Theragun Triangle ergonomic grip, reducing stress on the hands and wrists. There are also three (3) calibrated speeds to choose from (1750, 2100, and 2400 percussions per minute), enabling on-the-go customization depending on the area of treatment and your own preferences.
As you’d rightly expect from a device designed for portability, Theragun Mini has excellent battery life, as well, with up to 150 minutes of run time on a 12V internal Lithium-ion battery.
The percussive massage therapy of the Theragun Mini, and its sister devices, can help greatly reduce common muscle and joint pain, relieve spasms, release knots, break up scar tissue, and improve an athlete’s overall mobility / range of motion.
There are so few things these days which admit to any attraction whatsoever within our now much confined retail scope. We’re so over almost everything! Gone for example are the days of furnishings or accessories (much less real estate); jewellery and flatware are right out (especially sterling silver); clocks and any other timepiece (watches, pocket watches, Ship’s Bell, grandfather clock, carriage clock or mantel clock) are all strictly passé. What remains constant and evolving are what we call our “devices”, mainly the iPhone, MacBook Pro computer, iPad, Apple Watch, Bose headphones and portable speaker. Admittedly we’ve lately diminished our annual renewal of devices, a retardation arising from the COVID pandemic which has kept us out of the traditional shopping centre oases. But neither have we reawakened any of the former ambitions of Persian rugs, acrylic art, bronze statuary, et al. It makes me appreciate what I perceive to be the altered appetites of young people who are now collectively subscribed to choices considerably different from what were our own. Adopting the mantra that, “If it doesn’t go in the dishwasher, forget it!” we’ve distilled our material interests to what are useful for elemental purposes. Certainly there are gadgets such as “Alexa” by Google which seek to expand the horizon of consumer expenditure; but for the moment we’re riveted to the now standard options including naturally those which come pre-packaged in the modern car.
There persist those who ignore the transition to this new arena. Two days ago for example I dipped into a retail outlet to enquire whether they accepted “Apple Pay” since I had only my iPhone with me at the time but no cash or credit cards. I was on my bicycle.
Apple Pay is a mobile payment and digital wallet service by Apple Inc. that allows users to make payments in person, in iOS apps, and on the web using Safari. It is supported on the iPhone, Apple Watch, iPad, and Mac. It is not available on any client device that is not made and sold by Apple (in particular, it cannot be used on any Android device, nor on any browser running on Windows). It digitizes and can replace a credit or debit card chip and PIN transaction at a contactless-capable point-of-sale terminal. It does not require Apple Pay-specific contactless payment terminals; it can work with any merchant that accepts contactless payments. It adds two-factor authentication via Touch ID, Face ID, PIN, or passcode. Devices wirelessly communicate with point of sale systems using near field communication(NFC), with an embedded secure element (eSE) to securely store payment data and perform cryptographic functions, and Apple’s Touch ID and Face ID for biometric authentication.
The retailer accepted neither Apple Pay nor credit cards, cash only. It was reminiscent of the time many years ago I bought one of those precious Persians I mentioned a moment ago by writing the withdrawal instruction on a paper serviette. It worked! And why shouldn’t it have done so! A cheque by any account is no more than a Direction to Pay and I had provided all the pertinent information to my banker. Thankfully those days of settlement initiative are beyond me. I pay at Publix with my iPhone.
One must however keep in mind that there is no magic to the internet. It’s just one big extension cord. But this doesn’t stop me from embracing its efficiency. Though I applaud myself – as I am wont to do perpetually, I agree – for being farsighted in matters of technology, the truth is that I resisted its imperative initially. Getting a computer was the first hurdle. Then on-line title searching and title insurance. Email was at first just a postal toy; on-line banking threatened to be a scam. And remember fax machines? Need I go on? Resistance to change is unfortunately part of the human condition. But in the end – at least to this point – I am smitten by technology! Its clinical precision is for me more enduring than my sugar appetite! Oh, and peanut butter. And Key Lime pie. And maybe crab cakes and cranberry/walnut loaf. And Kerrygold Pure Irish butter. There! I have denominated all the tangible items beyond which technology excels.
Meanwhile I descend not only to technological wholesomeness but also to physical decomposition. Preserving my anatomical dexterity has not kept pace with my scientific innovation. But I have addressed the predictable diminution by having quit smoking and drinking years ago. If I have the urge for a jolt – and I do every day around 3:00 pm – it’s a triple espresso. The diet remains a challenge – those things I mentioned earlier, all the fatty, sweet stuff. But I do like raw celery and carrots. And plain salmon. So it is somewhat manageable in that respect even though to this point it is sadly all talk. But another of the more cherished evolutions of aging is the callous disregard for restraint! Perfection has its limits, especially in the real world at the other end of that extension cord!
