I hope your new year has been awesome so far, and if it hasn’t been a joy so far, I hope it gets better.
There were a few major decisions that I needed to make and, well, I did a major reversal and decided to just finish my study. I’m almost there. Might as well do it, finish it, and then get on with my life. So that’s where I’ll be for the next few weeks.
I have also started making excuses why I can’t get to the gym like the doctor asked me to. I will eventually make it there once my back and shoulder gets better. The doctor did actually tell me that, so I guess it’s not really making excuses, is it? After the next couple of weeks, I’m hoping to return to the gym to build back my core strength levels so work sucks a little less.
Anyway, hope you’re doing well. I’ve taken some antihistamines an hour ago and that’s starting to make its way to my system. Grass and pollen allergies. They suck!
We’ve all heard the criticisms of Apple’s Magic Mouse which has no left or right click buttons and you have to charge it by plugging it in on the bottom. Those are some pretty big engineering flaws. They come in the box with the iMac, so I have one that I still use with my old Intel iMac.
A lot of people complain about the mouse that’s a standard inclusion with the iMac and I was one of them. I didn’t like that it was too flat and that I had to wait to use my computer while I charged it but now I have changed my mind.
Why? Why do I like it now?
I suffer from essential tremor which is a neurological condition that comes with involuntary shaking. It usually affects the hands and arms, but can also affect other body parts like the head. It also can affect a person’s voice. It can significantly impact daily activities like writing, eating, and using tools. It can also causes emotional impacts like embarrassment and anxiety. It has gotten to the point so that I now have to take beta-blockers to help control it.
I cannot tell you how many times I have double- or triple-typed keys while typing this. I used to write code and I am surprised that I haven’t worn out the delete key yet. I also tend to type the letters f or j for no reason. It’s embarrassing when I’m at work and people see me getting frustrated while typing.
What I have a huge problem is using a mouse. I end up clicking things 2-5 times in a row which means things get selected that I didn’t want selected, windows get maximised when I don’t want them to be, and I drag and drop stuff on the screen all the time. I’ve tried different mice to be able to find one that is a bit tougher and it won’t pick up every single click of the mouse. I haven’t had much luck with it until I realised that the Magic Mouse I swapped was the best option.
Sure, it’s not my favourite mouse, but I have found that it really helps with accidental clicking of stuff. My extra clicking is very light but sensitive mice kind of register them as clicks. The Apple Magic Mouse doesn’t do that and I’ve gone back to using that instead. I miss the extra buttons, but I’m also relieved that I’m not clicking on everything accidentally.
Essential tremors are embarrassing for me. They disrupt a lot of aspects of my life and over the years, it’s gotten worse. I seriously get sad and depressed over it. But, this badly designed mouse has helped me get at least some control over my computer use. Now, if I can find a keyboard that would work for me, that would be fantastic.
(Disclaimer: The links to the mouse are Amazon affiliate links so if you buy it through Amazon, I get a commission for it. Having said that, this is a product that helps me from personal experience and I thought I’d share it with you.)
