Broadcasting

I love to research, study, and learn. The topic that is interesting me right now is: broadcasting. I have become fascinated with broadcasting because I have been relying on broadcast services for my entertainment. Meanwhile, I've noticed that Silicon Valley has been pushing streaming services on the general public. These streaming services and ala carte video services offer lots of choice to the public. One downside is the cost. Streaming services require an internet subscription and many times internet plans aren't unlimited which will restrict how much content you can consume. Many people have overlooked AM/FM radio and over-the-air (OTA) TV as valuable sources of entertainment. All you need is a tuner (a radio or a televison) and an antenna to receive the content being broadcast 24 hours a day over the airwaves. While I am researching this topic I will continue to share little bits of my research. 

Do you listen to or watch any content from a broadcast network? If you do leave a comment!

Keurig

I started my morning at 7:15 a.m with a 10 ounce cup of coffee from my Keurig coffee machine. I really like how quick and easy it is to operate the Keurig line of  products. The products aren't perfect and a few issues have been magnified since Keurig switched to its new 2.0 system. For example, I got irritated when I put one of my favorite K-cups in the brewer and it wouldn't brew. This is because Keurig 2.0 systems have digital rights management (DRM). This means that in a 2.0 brewer a K-cup won't brew unless it is made specifically for the 2.0 system. I didn't know this and I got disappointed when my stash of K-cups were seemingly useless. All hope isn't lost if you have a collection of older K-cups. Your first option is to brew all the cups with your original brewer before switching to the new machine, or you can buy this chip that will trick your Keurig 2.0 into thinking all K-cups are compatible with it.

The coffee I've been drinking recently is called The Original Donut Shop which is a medium roast coffee. I use the most diluted setting on my brewer which is 10 ounces per K-cup. I'm not a coffee fanatic so I can't go into great detail on flavor but it has a good slightly bold coffee flavor without needing much sugar or creamer. When I price shopped the K-Cups I found that a cup of coffee was about .66 per cup which is a bit expensive but the instant coffee is so convenient that I find it worth the extra cost compared to operating a traditional coffee machine.

So even though the Keurig HOT beverage system has its flaws I still like it and use it to kick start my mornings.

(The blue words are links to the products they describe)

My First Pet

Humans are naturally attracted to watching and playing with animals. This fact is why we often want pets with us in our homes. I've always had a special love of animals. When I was seven years old I got my first pet. My first pet was a fish I named Rainbow. Rainbow was a male Betta Splendens (more commonly called a Betta or Siamese Fighting Fish). Betta's were trendy pets in the late 90's. You would often see them in bowls or vases with houseplants growing out of the top. The attention surrounding this species of fish attracted me and my parents to bringing one home. We only brought Rainbow home after we had made sure we had the necessary supplies to take care of him so he would live a healthy and long life. Even though it has been over 15 years I can remember feeding him and watching my mom do the maintenance of changing his water and cleaning his bowl. The experiences I had with my first pet grew my love of animals. Since then I've expanded my fish keeping hobby from having one 2.5 gallon bowl to having four aquariums! Having a pet also helped teach me responsibility. I learned that certain tasks needed to be completed at certain times for Rainbow to stay healthy. These tasks included feeding him and changing his water. Rainbow lived for over three years because my parents were involved with his care and I'm grateful for that. A child shouldn't be left to care for a pet without any oversight. While pets can teach responsibility we also have a responsibility to take care of them when we bring them home. I'd love to hear the story about your first pet! You can share your story in the comments below :)

Walking: A Beneficial Exercise

Walking is a beneficial exercise. Walking regularly can help you maintain a healthy weight. Walking can help you prevent or manage heart disease, high blood pressure, and type 2 diabetes. Walking can build bone strength over time. Walking can improve your balance and coordination. My favorite benefit of walking is that it makes you feel better and happier. With all those benefits you probably want to quit reading and walk right now. That sounds like a great idea! You can walk and come back to finish this article later.

Many people don't walk because they don't know where to walk. Usually you can walk around your neighborhood. However, if you don't have sidewalks or you live in a high traffic area you could consider other options. You don't have to buy a treadmill or gym membership to go walking. You can go to your City Hall and find a list of local parks. Usually a city park will contain a walking path. Every once in awhile you can mix things up and enjoy walking a nature trail at a state park or forest. (Some state parks may have a small entrance fee.)

The most important equipment you need when walking is your shoes. Make sure your shoes are sized correctly, not excessively worn, and support your feet. If you will be going on a long walk or the weather is warm consider taking a small water bottle to stay hydrated.

I like walking to relax. Here's a tip: Keep your phone in your pocket. I find that walking offers a nice time to collect your thoughts and disconnect from the high stress world that we live in. By being observant when you walk you'll get to enjoy the natural scenery. It's amazing how seeing a butterfly or a squirrel can brighten your day if you're feeling sad. If you are feeling really anxious listening to some easy listening music may help you as you walk. Be careful walking with noise cancelling headphones. You should always be aware of your surroundings to stay safe from any form of danger.

These are some basic suggestions I wanted to share so you can be happier and healthier by walking . I'd keep writing but... I'm lacing up my shoes to go walking. 

Criminal (Podcast Pick)

I enjoy crime mysteries and if you do too Criminal is a podcast you should listen to. I've been binging out on Criminal and now I've listened to all 26 episodes. I completed this binge in less than two weeks (I enjoy it that much!). The production quality of Criminal is top notch and has been increasing ever since Criminal joined the Radiotopia network. Phoebe Judge narrates Criminal and even interviews people of interest. Phoebe Judge is easy to listen to and she asks excellent questions that make you think. What I like about Criminal is that most of the episodes resolve the mystery or case. However, even though a case may be resolved curiosity will move you to do more research to find what material didn't make it into the episode. I've enjoyed hours of free entertainment from listening to Criminal and doing further research on these cases. New episodes get released every three weeks and each episode is about 20 minutes long. Each episode covers a different case so you don't have to listen in order. My favorite episodes are 1,2,5,8, and 12. What's your favorite episode? You'll have to listen to find out! If you click the link you can go to the official website of the podcast and listen online, download episodes, or find links to subscribe in your podcast app.

Criminal (official website) http://www.thisiscriminal.com

2 Questions to Consider Before Moving Out!

On August 1, 2015 I'll be moving out of my parents home and living on my own for the first time. I've talked to a lot of my friends and have spent months researching online to make this move as stress free as possible. Here are some things I had to consider:

How much can I afford to pay per month on a home?

This question is the most under examined budgeting question. One often cited figure for housing is the "30% rule". The "30% rule" is based around the assumption that you should not spend more than 30% of your income on housing. While the "30% rule" is often disputed I believe in it. I have five years experience in the Florida housing market and almost every time someone extends themselves past 30% (housing/income) a financial collapse shortly follows. Housing costs also include more than just your rent or house payment. Utility costs should be compared between potential dwellings. I often see a scenario where two houses of the same size can have drastically different utility bills under the same use scenario. If you are tempted to move into an older or less efficient home consider: Are you willing or allowed to make energy efficient upgrades to the dwelling you choose? Is it cost effective to make these upgrades? The cost of maintenance should also be considered. With home ownership you are responsible for maintenance costs that aren't covered under insurance. However, renting doesn't always mean that you are free from maintenance expenses. Often times air filters, lawn maintenance, and pest control are not paid for by landlords. Sometimes even small repairs are required to be paid by you. Thoroughly read over any application and lease before signing and compare it to the landlord/tenant law statutes governing your area.

Where will I live?

Which location is convenient to locations that matter the most to you? Is the neighborhood safe? Before settling on a location drive through the area at different times during the day. Does the area around your dwelling flood when it rains? Once you settle on general location you can start finding which dwelling fits inside your financial requirements.

My Decision

I chose to rent a three bedroom/two bathroom home. This house gives me plenty of space for my home office and has a guest bedroom. The house has been remodeled and is EnergyStar and WaterSense compliant. The property has an attached garage along with a fenced yard for security. Due to maintaining my own privacy I won't share the address or the rent amount. The rent amount does follow the "30% rule" and I look forward to saving towards owning my own home in the future. Housing is the first issue (after employment) to consider when moving out. As I encounter more experiences I'll post about them. I hope this post helps you if you're considering moving or  moving out. Please comment to share your experiences with me!

How to Reduce Water Use in the Shower by 50% for ONLY $8

Are you trying to conserve water or are the increasing utility rates putting a strain on your budget? A families showering can use and WASTE thousands of gallons of water per month. I've found a product that can really help conserve water and your hard earned money. The Niagara Earth Massage 1.25 gallon per minute low flow shower head will reduce the amount of water you use in the shower by 50% or more (based on a traditional 2.5 gallon per minute shower head). You will also conserve whatever energy you use to heat your water because you'll use half as much water as before! If you sometimes run out of hot water in the shower this product will double the amount of showering time before your hot water runs out. I purchased the Niagara Earth Massage shower head a few weeks ago and I've been so pleased with the results that I purchased one for my parents. Both of my parents endorse this product. But the real question is...

How much money can you save?

In my circumstance we are using this shower head as a family of 3. The shower head costs about $8.50 after tax (depending on where you live). Water costs $8.74 per 1,000 gallons where I live.There are approximately 45 minutes of shower use per day in my household. Using this shower head saves my family 1,687.5 gallons of water per month (compared to using our old 2.5 GPM shower heads). This equals a savings of $14.75 per month (plus the taxes that would be charged on that usage) on my water bill and a 50% reduction in water heating expenses (Natural Gas). This shower head pays for itself in only 2 weeks! My family will save over $200 this year alone from this inexpensive upgrade that only cost about $8.

Want to watch a review?

Here's an in-depth video review. You can see how the product and how it performs!

Where can you buy this shower head?

Amazon.com has the best distribution for this product and it has consistently been in stock.