Re-Inventing Retirement through Technology

I would love to be wherever this picture is. And thanks to AI for making me look better and thinner in the above pic. But I’m completely doing a redo of all things Sonya! Redoing Retirement! That mainly means, that I have ignored everything (most of my responsibilities, lol) and have decided to work on techie-like things and by that I mean, I just did an overhaul on my To Do List, and my iPhone Calendar, and my iPhone apps and widgets, and so forth. All because I saw a video that gave me some ideas on how to do a few things better. Then I got into that and realized how the Lists worked in the Reminder App so not only do I have my To Do List in there but I put other lists in there as well. Duh, why did not do this before? Then that made me delete my lists on Notion and now I’m just using that as a spreadsheet, notebook, and planning only kindof an app. No worries, I still love my Notion.

iPhone Home Screens and Wallpapers

And when I got through with my lists and calendar, I redid my entire phone screens and added and changed around some widgets.

And then I had to download a new wallpaper. You can download it too from here if you want. I thought it was pretty for summer.

I reset my iPhone calendar which I’ve mainly ignored until now. I’m going to try again to go digital.

So I basically have 5 screens and of course the last one I didn’t show as Apple has all your apps in the library.

Page 1 of iphone

Color Widgets displaying Texas guest house porch, date, time. My To Do List with it’s next up lists which I can punch off the list straight from here, The Weather Channel widget. And I had to chose the most 4 used apps daily for the remaining space.

Page 2 of iPhone

I added my calendar at the top which also brings in my to do’s – not fond of that really so much but I didn’t have any appointments today so that all shows up as I have most of my to do’s set to a time during the day, mainly so it will fall under the alotted Morning, Afternoon, and Evening sections.

I then chose apps I used most often – many of these are every day. Have I started back using My Fitness Pal yet? Nope, but I think I’m about to start. Getting the app redownloaded and it’s ready for use.

Page 3 of iPhone

I downloaded the iScreen app, but I only used the Bible verse. I hope it changes daily, because otherwise I don’t want the same one on there all the time. So I’ll see. I put a lot of popularly used apps here as well. I had to redo my thinking because I used to always put settings on my first page, but why? I hardly ever change anything. So this page is primarily a “tool” page. I does have my blog on there and some grocery and shopping apps. I don’t usually use those but some time I do. My Bible app is on here and it got booted to the back when I retired as I can read actual devo’s now and read from a real Bible since I’m home. The plane finder is fun. I use it quite a bit.

Page 4 of iPhone

I added a widget to show random photos from my iPhone and it often groups them together. Right now it’s showing Summer of 2023. It just randomly pics things. My book from the Kindle app that I am reading is on here, so if I have to wait anywhere I always have a book handy. All these things are kinda of a “fun down time page”. All my games are on here and an overflow from the Tools page as it has my health care apps, the calendar apps, photo tool apps, and then onto social media apps besides Facebook and Instagram which I have on a previous page as I access them more often. My Netflix and Hulu app is on here and Eating or reservation pps, lol. I hardly ever use those. My Print Master app is here for when I make labels (rarely).

Page 5 of iPhone

So I was testing out the Google calendar widget to see if I liked it better. We’ll see. I just added it at the end. It is syncing from iPhone calendar. But I may download another app that syncs your calendar and to do list into a time blocking app. That is really what started all this. But before I do that I needed to get iPhone and the calendar in order. I was trying to see if could better plan my downtime in that way and the app looked really cute. AI helped me narrow down the app but we’ll see. I’m still thinking about it. I think actually I got started on all this because I was seeking a planner for the iPad with pencil – as I’m probably going to get that soon, if not for Christmas then in 2026 sometime.

So I stuck the calendar widget on this back page and then just threw some news apps on there which I rarely use but if I’m bored, they are there. I’m never bored, lol. But just in case.

So I cannot believe that it’s almost 2:00 p.m. and I have not even had lunch yet. I’ve been lost into my techie bless and to me that is what retirement is all about. I’ve totally ignored my to do list today as “being techie” was on the first of the list and I’m not through being techie yet.

I have 44 other things on the list and most of those won’t be done either. But I rest easy when things are organized. One must also shower and eat. lol. But I’ll happily move some things over to Monday.

One thing I must do today is pack. I could wait til Monday but I’d rather pack leisurely and do it today. Suitcase is on the bed. Laundry is done.

So I’ll try to come in a blog tomorrow too. But it’s Mom’s eye appt day and Saturday we have an excursion to Cool Springs, and then Sunday we are going to church and doing Mom’s things.

But I feel renewed by getting to be techie today.

Medical Updates

The sleep test is not coming. The insurance did not approve it. I’m kinda glad, lol. I have my own sleep test through my Sleep Number bed that will do it for free anyway. Apparently I’m not sleepy enough during the day to warrant the home test one that the doctor ordered – lol.

I have my bone density tests. I was told to take Calcium and Vitamin D –hello. I already do! :-). So I guess it doesn’t help much. But anyway I will keep taking it. And they said to avoid Steroids. I guess that weakens the bones? Have no clue. Wasn’t explained and I didn’t ask.

Tri Star called before I could call them and my Plaque test – calcium build up scan is scheduled. I only agreed to do it if it was under $100 and they said it would be. Insurance wouldn’t cover that either.

I won’t get started on that.

See ya later and have a great day.