It’s been a long time since I’ve written and I do apologize.  You may remember that I had cataract surgery on both eyes a few months ago.  Well, after the second one, my vision changed quite a bit and I’m still getting used to it. It may still improve so I’m trying to stay positive.  In the meantime, I have to curb my computer usage because my eyes get very tired very quickly.  (That’s led to a few withered crops on my farm on Facebook, let me tell you.)

I’ve been trying to use the new Smartlink FM system but haven’t had any luck with that so far.  It’s a different brand from my hearing aids so it needs “boots” to make them work together.  The boots unfortunately, are surprisingly flimsy and poorly designed.  I’ve only had one day where the system did work and it was a wonderful day, but only one.

Wonderful Audiologist went to Chigaco to a conference and promised to try to find a way to get them to work for me.  In the meantime, the FM system is back at the manufacturers getting checked out.  Siemens is coming out with a new device called the “Mini-Tek” which may help the FM system work with my hearing aids.  I’m keeping my hopes up – but not too high.

Ahh technology!  Well, I really do have more good technology news than bad to think about today. (Who am I? I feel like I’m channeling David Pogue! 😉 ) Logitech brought out its next generation of security cameras and they’re far superior to the originals (which do work very well themselves.)  The new ones are high def, have night vision and are easier to access on the web and  I highly recommend them, especially for hearing impaired or deaf people.  You can get a lot of peace of mind when you don’t know what you’re hearing (or not hearing) and you can check the cameras.

I’ve also found a way to access my computers wherever I am.  And, I can also do it through… tada… an iPad!  Imagine this:  Sitting in a car on the New York State Thruway, connected to my desktop at home or just connected to the Internet in general.  There may not be much reason to do it, but you have to love that you can.  Well, I guess you don’t have to, but I can’t help it.

Technology has become very important to me since I lost my hearing.  I can text anyone anywhere in the world instantly and even people who don’t have hearing loss text constantly.  How much business is done via email?  We don’t have to call 411 for information anymore – we can just find it on the Internet.  We can search anything we want to know and find answers immediately – even on a smartphone while standing in the middle of the street.  Answers and information are at our fingertips.

How else would we get the news before the TV and newspapers print/air it?  How else would our cars nag us? (…<HUGE SIGH>..recalculating!)   How else would we find menus for restaurants in every major city?  How else would be buy movie tickets before even leaving for the theater?  How else would we hear people talking about their farms?

If you stop to think about it, it’s almost miraculous how connected we’ve all become.  You’re out there reading this and we’ve probably never met in person.  Maybe you’re my Facebook friend.   Maybe you’re even my Farm neighbor!