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FAREWELL TO A FITBIT
Not long after I arrived in Hawaii in 2020, I dove into the ocean at Poipu and a minute or two out realized that I was wearing by Fitbit Charge 2. Whoops! It was not graded as waterproof at all, though I believe that had to do with the last generation causing rashes if you showered with it all the time. Anyway, I got it back to shore and it was still alive, but that same day I ordered a Fitbit Versa 2, which was not only advertised for swimming, but specifically flagged for swimming in salt water.
Well aware of how harsh the salt-water environment was, I wondered how long it would actually last, and the answered turned out to be 2 or 3 years. Somewhere around the two-year mark, after a swim, I saw that its screen was all kinds of weird static. It got better after a day or two, but thereafter there was always a weird background of previous screens on any watch screen I was looking at. The tracking still seemed to work though.
Then, on Thursday, I went for a last swim before my Germany trip (as Friday through Sunday were jellyfish days), and when I came out my watch was totally dead. I plugged it in to make sure it wasn't a charge problem, and when I retrieved it in the evening I found it so red-hot that I almost burned myself. And the screen was even more burned in. So, farewell to the Versa 2. Its battery had also gotten really bad after three years, lasting 3 or 4 days, which was half what it started at.
I'd generally say that Fitbit makes poor quality products, but much of that is a reflection of my early models. I swapped out my first Fitbit two or three times before its warranty expired because its arms kept ripping off or apart (and in those days there was no way to replace them). But, I actually still have my old Charge 2. It's barely been used these last three years, except times when I was charging my Versa. And, it's been in the ocean a second time, on one of those days the Versa was charging. But it's still working. We'll see how it does on my trip to Europe, as I have no idea what its battery looks like any more, as I haven't worn it for more than several hours in a few years.
Despite that qualm, I'll probably replace the Versa with another Fitbit. My top contenders are the Versa 4 and waiting for a Charge 6, which is expected next month. I've liked the smartwatch capabilities of the Versa, but the Charge is most likely my next watch, in large part because Fitbit is no longer saying their watches are salt-water-resistant, instead saying that if you swim in saltwater you should wash it in fresh water thoroughly afterward. That doesn't surprise me given the increasing failures of my Versa 2 seemed to be due to saltwater exposure, but it means I should likely get the cheaper watch if it's just going to die in another 100 swims or so.
So, I guess I'll see if my Charge 2 holds up until a new release. (And if I can manage to avoid swimming with it again.)
LUCY FINDS FREEDOM
We took Lucy in to the vet today, and the vet said that her healing stoma looked good, so she got her gauze and collar off, returning her to what I've always called the "Lucy the Barbarian" look, after she destroyed a few collars when she was a kitten and we gave up.
She seems pretty happy to have the collar off. The incessant scratching has mostly stopped!
Meanwhile, the mediocre eating seems to be ramping up. I offered her and the Orangies some Fancy Feast this afternoon, and Lucy was the one who kept going back to the plates until they were empty (and demanded more several hours later, resulting in more Fancy Feast being put on plates). Oh, and there was some dry food eating too which I offered her some of her old lady food.
Could we actually be at a point where we can just leave out food and Lucy will eat it? It seems too much to hope for, but my fingers are nonetheless hopefully crossed.
THE TRIP LOOMS
Man, I feel so totally unready for my upcoming trip to the Bay Area and onward from there to Germany. I haven't really done *anything* to prepare for the trip in the larger picture, so I just hope that I have everything I need.
I did do some laundry today, so that's a plus. But I need to mostly pack tomorrow before we go into town to get resources for Kimberly while I'm gone, just in case there's anything I need too.
And I still haven't prepared all of the work I want to do. And there are taxes to pay. And invoices to write. And ...
Sigh.
(My dad says the nice thing is there's a deadline, so I'll have as much prepared as I can by Sunday night, and then I should have a few relaxing days with my Mom and Bob in San Martin befor eI fly out to Germany.)
At least there's now the hope that Lucy will continue eating and things will maybe be normal when I return home. Some normalcy is badly needed after this summer.
Not long after I arrived in Hawaii in 2020, I dove into the ocean at Poipu and a minute or two out realized that I was wearing by Fitbit Charge 2. Whoops! It was not graded as waterproof at all, though I believe that had to do with the last generation causing rashes if you showered with it all the time. Anyway, I got it back to shore and it was still alive, but that same day I ordered a Fitbit Versa 2, which was not only advertised for swimming, but specifically flagged for swimming in salt water.
Well aware of how harsh the salt-water environment was, I wondered how long it would actually last, and the answered turned out to be 2 or 3 years. Somewhere around the two-year mark, after a swim, I saw that its screen was all kinds of weird static. It got better after a day or two, but thereafter there was always a weird background of previous screens on any watch screen I was looking at. The tracking still seemed to work though.
Then, on Thursday, I went for a last swim before my Germany trip (as Friday through Sunday were jellyfish days), and when I came out my watch was totally dead. I plugged it in to make sure it wasn't a charge problem, and when I retrieved it in the evening I found it so red-hot that I almost burned myself. And the screen was even more burned in. So, farewell to the Versa 2. Its battery had also gotten really bad after three years, lasting 3 or 4 days, which was half what it started at.
I'd generally say that Fitbit makes poor quality products, but much of that is a reflection of my early models. I swapped out my first Fitbit two or three times before its warranty expired because its arms kept ripping off or apart (and in those days there was no way to replace them). But, I actually still have my old Charge 2. It's barely been used these last three years, except times when I was charging my Versa. And, it's been in the ocean a second time, on one of those days the Versa was charging. But it's still working. We'll see how it does on my trip to Europe, as I have no idea what its battery looks like any more, as I haven't worn it for more than several hours in a few years.
Despite that qualm, I'll probably replace the Versa with another Fitbit. My top contenders are the Versa 4 and waiting for a Charge 6, which is expected next month. I've liked the smartwatch capabilities of the Versa, but the Charge is most likely my next watch, in large part because Fitbit is no longer saying their watches are salt-water-resistant, instead saying that if you swim in saltwater you should wash it in fresh water thoroughly afterward. That doesn't surprise me given the increasing failures of my Versa 2 seemed to be due to saltwater exposure, but it means I should likely get the cheaper watch if it's just going to die in another 100 swims or so.
So, I guess I'll see if my Charge 2 holds up until a new release. (And if I can manage to avoid swimming with it again.)
LUCY FINDS FREEDOM
We took Lucy in to the vet today, and the vet said that her healing stoma looked good, so she got her gauze and collar off, returning her to what I've always called the "Lucy the Barbarian" look, after she destroyed a few collars when she was a kitten and we gave up.
She seems pretty happy to have the collar off. The incessant scratching has mostly stopped!
Meanwhile, the mediocre eating seems to be ramping up. I offered her and the Orangies some Fancy Feast this afternoon, and Lucy was the one who kept going back to the plates until they were empty (and demanded more several hours later, resulting in more Fancy Feast being put on plates). Oh, and there was some dry food eating too which I offered her some of her old lady food.
Could we actually be at a point where we can just leave out food and Lucy will eat it? It seems too much to hope for, but my fingers are nonetheless hopefully crossed.
THE TRIP LOOMS
Man, I feel so totally unready for my upcoming trip to the Bay Area and onward from there to Germany. I haven't really done *anything* to prepare for the trip in the larger picture, so I just hope that I have everything I need.
I did do some laundry today, so that's a plus. But I need to mostly pack tomorrow before we go into town to get resources for Kimberly while I'm gone, just in case there's anything I need too.
And I still haven't prepared all of the work I want to do. And there are taxes to pay. And invoices to write. And ...
Sigh.
(My dad says the nice thing is there's a deadline, so I'll have as much prepared as I can by Sunday night, and then I should have a few relaxing days with my Mom and Bob in San Martin befor eI fly out to Germany.)
At least there's now the hope that Lucy will continue eating and things will maybe be normal when I return home. Some normalcy is badly needed after this summer.