blogging

Official pick to win the Superbowl.

/ Jo Redd / Leave a comment

A week ago, an image appeared showing the Simpsons having predicted the game’s outcome. I’m not about to go against a beloved cultural icon, so I have made my decision.

This year I am betting on the Bengals to win the Superbowl. I’m so confident that they will win I’ve placed a small bet on the Bengals to win it all in overtime. I’ve watched the last few games, and it seems like they’ve all ended in overtime heartbreakers. Why would this one be any different? It would be even cooler if the Rams could have the lead at halftime with the tie coming in the third or fourth quarter.

I have no gut feeling when it comes to tomorrow’s game. I was secretly hoping that Tom Brady would make another appearance at the Superbowl, so my heart isn’t really in the game. The Superbowl has always been a nice distraction during the offseason of Baseball, and this year is no different.

*Bitcoin is part of the future of currency.

/ Jo Redd / Leave a comment

I am not a financial expert, and everything I talk about is based only on my feelings and opinions.

Yesterday bitcoin was down to where I was losing close to $50. As you can see, it has bounced back today.

I know this looks scary and intimidating, but as someone who has invested in the stock market for the last five years, I promise you this is nothing new. I realize that Crypto is different from the stock market, but, in my opinion, there is a ton of room for Crypto to grow. It is only a matter of time until large governments begin to accept it as a legitimate form of currency. Within the last year, there has already been one country that has opened its economy up to Crypto. Fundraisers and charities accept crypto donations, individuals receive it when funding projects or other endeavors, etc. I am willing to ride the wave of uncertainty and see where it takes me over the next few years.

I wouldn’t tell anyone to over-exert themself in investing because, like with stocks, something could very quickly go wrong, but it is fun to watch the Crypto market keep rising.

My home office is complete.

/ Jo Redd / Leave a comment
New all-in-one printer.

Finally, I have added a printer, scanner, and copier to my home office. A few years ago, I bought a brother’s printer brand, and I was never able to get my laptop to recognize it. I wasn’t very keen to get burnt again, so I did my research this time. I wanted something simple to set up and small enough to fit in a small space. This one is perfect. It’s wireless, so I don’t have to waste port space for it, and it is connected to my wifi in two simple steps. I also opted to take the deal on ink so that I get free ink for 6 months, and then each month after that, it will cost only $2.99

The ink colors pop out with the test page, it isn’t smudged, and the machine didn’t try to eat the paper. Initially, I wasn’t sure that it would hold the paper I’ve already got, but you can load it with a decent amount. I don’t think this thing would be able to print a massive amount at one time, but for a home office, this is perfect.

This desk is essential for small spaces.

/ Jo Redd / Leave a comment

About a month ago, I bought a desk for my apartment because I was tired of using a cardboard box (literally) as a computer stand.” I wanted to get a desk that was small enough to not take up a ton of room, but I also needed something that could hold more than just a laptop.

This desk can hold a 17″ screen laptop with room to spare.

This desk fits in my bedroom without making the space feel cramped, and I even have enough room that I was able to purchase a computer chair to go with it. I also wanted something that would give me the option to stand up if I wanted to. One of the local ads around here talks about how “sitting is the new standing,” so I thought it best that I make an effort at being a little bit healthier. I stand just under 5’7, and this desk is perfect for me. It has wheels that you can lock in place, and it is super easy to adjust the desk’s height. I also love how easy it was to put the thing together. I’m not much for construction, no matter how small the task, but I was able to put this together in under an hour, and I didn’t need any help other than the instructions that came in the box. This desk has a handy shelf underneath the main table, and it’s wide enough to hold books, headphones, etc.

The shelf is more than capable of holding multiple items.

I’m so glad that I went with this desk over the other advertised ones. It doesn’t tip towards me, but I’m not looking to use this for drawing or for using a tablet. If I owned a clinic for nearly any specialty, I would use multiple desks just like this one.

Kindle is great for an avid reader.

/ Jo Redd / Leave a comment

The older I get, the harder it is for me to find time to sit down and read a physical book. I don’t know if it’s because I feel like I have so many other things I need to be doing, but it had really started to bother me. I love to read. Reading was my main hobby behind watching baseball and playing softball as a kid. I have always loved to get lost in a story, and a good fiction book always left me wanting a sequel. When I was growing up, the Harry Potter series was being released, and I always had to have the book the second it was on the shelves. I was inspired to start writing because of some of my novels as a child.

I bought a membership to Kindle and initially didn’t use it very much. Now though, I love to open the app and scroll through the endless number of books at my disposal. You can find literally any genre you’re interested in. If you’re not looking to invest in a membership, the prices for books on Kindle are very reasonable. Almost every title you find has a deal applied, so you’re never paying the total cost, and frequently there is the added perk of being able to get the audible version at another heavy discount.

I have been on a non-fiction kick the last few years, and it is always interesting to dive into memoirs or other recountings of current events. Recently I decided to travel back in time and give the federalist papers another try. I highly suggest anyone wanting to better understand the founding of this country <a href="http://<iframe style="width:120px;height:240px;" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ac&ref=tf_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=joredd311-20&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=B075173F15&asins=B075173F15&linkId=e923534a08aa197730f28af910d59d8a&show_border=false&link_opens_in_new_window=false&price_color=333333&title_color=0066c0&bg_color=ffffff"> reads this book.

I’m starting to notice a trend.

/ Jo Redd / 3 Comments

Three of the last four items I purchased on Amazon have gone missing somewhere throughout the shipping process. After the first package went missing, I attempted to order items together to ensure the box was more prominent and, therefore, harder to lose. However, Amazon still broke my order up into different segments. Now both of those items are missing.

I love shopping online, and in particular, I’m usually pleased with my purchases on Amazon. Nothin irks me more than when things go missing, though.

Oh me, oh my, it’s quarantine time.

/ Jo Redd / 1 Comment

I tested positive this morning.

I woke up with a sore throat, the only abnormal symptom I have. No fever, my cough, and sniffles are ordinary things, and nobody aches. I feel warm, experiencing very mild chills, and I am pretty tired. I feel like everything will be okay.

Photo by Andrea Piacquadio on Pexels.com

The doctor thinks I’m already close to being five days out, so really, I should be feeling better by Monday. All in all, I could feel a lot worse than I do, but I would prefer to feel better. It’s cold and gross outside now, so I already had zero plans to go outside this weekend.

Almost one month into the new year.

/ Jo Redd / 2 Comments

Just wanted to do a quick update because I said I would.

I have not opened the Noom app in almost three weeks.

I love the Coursera website, even though I am not a massive fan of bookkeeping.

I am officially done with my job on February 3rd, and that date cannot come fast enough.

My would is ready for winter to be over and the sun to feel warm again.

I have almost completed a transcription program and hope to find a job through the program.

My mission to set up a home office is complete, and I’m impressed with the space I utilized.

Reasons why winter is awful: part 760

/ Jo Redd / Leave a comment

I realize that this is a reoccurring blog post, but as long as I live in the midwest, that’s just a part of life. We are once again experiencing record low temperatures. Kids have to stay home, businesses are attempting to remain open while customers and patients refuse to go outside, and there is no good reason for going out in this weather.

Every year I say the same thing, “It isn’t so bad as long as it isn’t snowing.” Then, once it begins to snow, I can’t help but turn into a negative Nellie. I hate winter, I wish I could somehow convince my entire family to move somewhere where the weather doesn’t turn so harsh in the winter months, but I know that will never happen.

My grandparents used to vacation in Florida every winter, but they haven’t gone in years, and I wish we could make that a tradition in our family. I just want to be able to go outside without a million layers on; I don’t want to have to worry about frostbite; I want my son to get fresh air without his cheeks turning pink from the cold. I just want the weather to be excellent for everyone.

A sad day for baseball.

/ Jo Redd / Leave a comment

The votes are all in, and the single inductee for this year’s Baseball Hall of Fame has been announced. David Ortiz finds himself lucky enough to enter the prestigious club in his first year on the ballot. Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens find themselves left out and out of chances. The voters for the HOF have again decided to be petty and punish Bonds and Clemens for their sins.

I would have agreed with this pretentious mindset in my younger years, but as I get older, I realize that it’s nothing but a bunch of crap. It’s time for baseball fans to come back to reality and realize just how many players use or used to use PEDs. These men are competitive. They want to win. I don’t know why anyone thinks that steroids are above these players. Clemens and Bonds were fantastic players before the steroids, and they played their hearts out each day. Clemens was a beast on the mound, and Bonds was a monster at the plate. He always went out on that field every day. He played in the NL, and there was nobody to take his place out on the grass.

Ortiz was a designated hitter. He sat on the bench every half-inning and watched his teammates play defense. As a Yankee fan, I don’t particularly see him as charismatic, but I can put that aside and address the lack of playtime. Ortiz was also a prevalent player that steroids seemed rampant throughout the years. There have always been speculations about Ortiz’s use of PEDs, but he could enter the Hall of Fame for some reason.

It would have been nice to see two of the most prominent players from my childhood get voted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. I can remember when Bonds was smashing away at those home runs, and while I was not a fan of him at the time, announcers would constantly talk about how he would be in that famed club of players one day. Today was saw that dream basically disappear for the man.