ipod Touch and Dragon

okay, I just spent the best $8.95 I think I ever have on a piece of assistive technology. The microphone arrived yesterday from Amazon and it works fantastic with the iPod touch and Dragon dictation.

I downloaded the free Dragon dictation application from iTunes and simply plugged the new microphone into the headset jack. I began dictating without any training program and had zero errors in recognition! I'm pretty excited about the possibilities of answering e-mail on the iPod touch.

Next up, trying it out with Skype!

ipod Touch

Okay so I am a little behind the iPod craze, I admit that.... So the other day I ordered a refurbished 8 GB from Uncle Vic.

It arrived a short time later but had a connection problem with the headphones (the music would cut in and out of one ear). They e-mailed me a shipping label for free return shipping and I quickly had a replacement, thanks uncle Vic !

Yesterday I set up the iPod touch with my music, e-mail, contacts and calendar which were easy to sync with my Outlook express. Since the house runs on WiFi it is easy to check my e-mail from my wheelchair anywhere in the house or watch hunting videos on YouTube for that matter.

I downloaded the free Dragon NaturallySpeaking application from the iTunes store and ordered a microphone from Amazon.com, when I get it set up next week I will let you know how Dragon NaturallySpeaking works on the iPod touch.

I'm also curious to see how Skype works using the iPod touch. Once I have the microphone set up I will let you know about that as well.

I think there are a lot of possibilities for using the iPod touch as an assistive technology device. My only complaint is the touch screen, I wish I could use my pencil as a stylus. Using my knuckle is not very precise. When will Apple realize that people with disabilities cannot always use their finger?

Portland cartoonist John Callahan dies at 59

Portland cartoonist John Callahan dies at 59

I really enjoyed his humor and was sorry to read about his passing....Check out his myspace page and play his song Touch Me Someplace I Can Feel... I wish I could play harmonica like him.

Vacation wrap up

I just rolled in the door from my vacation to Cape Cod, I miss it already...... I spent the week with really good friends enjoying the best seafood on the planet as far as I'm concerned. Here's a little photo evidence, you be the judge.

Lunches... fresh oysters



Dinners... fresh lobster


or fresh grilled tuna


I had such a fantastic time sitting beside the ocean, it really did recharge my batteries. I'm already looking forward to next year's vacation. Now it's time to unpack and get back to reality.

R-Net Bluetooth Mouse Module

When I am at home I usually use a Kensington trackball mouse, but when I travel I rely on my R-net Bluetooth mouse module. It allows me to control my computer using the joystick that I drive my power wheelchair from.

It works fantastically and it's one less part I need to keep track of or have someone set up for me. If you have a power wheelchair and use a a laptop I would recommend this Bluetooth mouse module. It makes writing my blog beside the Atlantic so much easier.

Crossbow Adventure

I realize the last few posts have been about the great New England seafood, so let's try a little different Avenue.

I had a fantastic time yesterday zeroing in my crossbow with Matt and his son Alex. For those of you that are interested in adapted hunting, continue to read otherwise move along there is nothing more to see here.

I have a Parker crossbow Buck Buster 175 pound crossbow with scope. I also use an adapted brace to hold the crossbow onto my wheelchair and a cranking trigger release. It sounds really complicated but it works extremely well. I was actually shooting a tight group at 50 yards.

Hopefully I am able to go shooting again this week with Matt. It was such a great couple of hours and I was shooting fantastic! I feel extremely confident in taking a shot at a deer from 20 yards on out. Realistically the ideal shot for me would be under 30 yards but it's nice to know I am shooting really tight groups at 55 yards.

Recharging the Body

It's only been a few days sitting by the ocean and already I can feel my self recharging.... I really could sit and watch the Atlantic Ocean all day every day.

The temperatures have been extremely high but the mornings are beautiful with a breeze coming off of the ocean. It's nice to put on my sunglasses and drink my tea listening to the waves and seagulls. It's so relaxing.

Today I have plans with my friend Matt to shoot my crossbow. Matt and I go back a long way and have been hunting partners on many trips to several states. It will be nice to spend a few hours shooting again.

Matt has never been weirded out by my disability... I never have to ask him to cut something up when we are at lunch or dinner, he just does it. He made sure his house was accessible by adding on a sweet ramp. When he bought other properties he made sure they were accessible as well... Maybe that's why I enjoy coming back to New England so much, I don't have to think as much about being a quadriplegic around here.

I'm not sure what my lunch plans will be today, yesterday I had a dozen oysters on the half shell with a side of clams..... I think it's time for some lobster and melted butter. That should help with resetting my natural Bio rhythms don't you think?

Clams in Plymouth

I spent the morning around the harbor then had whole deep-fried clams for lunch at one of my favorite haunts.... Cabby Shack, and finished it off with one of my favorite beverages.... Now back at the hotel, thankfully in the air-conditioning (90s outside 65 inside).... Waiting out the heat and relaxing with WiFi.

American Pickers

Have you seen the show American Pickers on the history channel? It's two antique dealers who travel the country visiting individuals and purchase their long forgotten items. You may ask what are these valuable treasures?

Old oil cans, advertising signs, toys, rusted beyond belief bicycles, old gasoline pump's, basically any crap that some farmer has had in the barn for the past 50 years..... Seriously this is all crap!

I like at the end of the show how they say an item is picked for $50 and valued at $250..... yeah right! As PT Barnum used to say there's a sucker born every minute, good luck with that.

If it was up to me I would fill the nearest landfill with their week's worth of treasures. Crap I tell you, it's all crap. Why can't I stop watching this damn show?

Glorious Sleep

The previous three nights I really did not sleep.... damn insomnia. I never did really sleep well. For 10 years I had a position that required me to get up between 4 AM and 5 AM every day. Often I was in hotel rooms, so I was paranoid about not waking up on time. It became a habit to wake up and do the bedside math.

But last night, I was exhausted and managed to sleep! I woke up feeling energized and ready for the day. Is this what people feel like who sleep every night?

As I sit here enjoying my hot tea (it feels great on my sore throat), reading my favorite blogs and news articles I'm in a really good mood... I have a few things to take care of, phone calls to make etc. but I'm thinking it's going to be a great day! Hopefully your day goes well too.

Cleveland Sucks

I think Drew Carey had it wrong, Cleveland does not rock..... it sucks!

The crime, unemployment and murder rate are the top three reasons. Then throw in the lake effect winters........ Damn I nearly freeze my blueberries off just walking across the parking lot.

Not to mention all of the sports teams suck and are unable to win a championship..... Most athletes have a felony conviction for God's sake...

I don't care how much money you offer me I'm going to Miami where the weather is warm, the girls are in bikinis and the living is easy.

Sincerely
Lebron James
suck it Ohio

I'm Already There in My Mind

Let the countdown begin till summer vacation. My friend just caught a 150 pound tuna this week, I can't wait to experience all the fresh seafood again this year.

I am waiting on the Ford garage to call and tell me how expensive today's visit is going to be. Pennsylvania State inspection, recharging air-conditioning, tune up, oil change and tire rotation...... how bad can it be right? It doesn't sound like an arm and a leg visit. My left testicle should be enough to cover it..........lol

The Associated Press: UK treasure hunter finds 52,000 Roman coins

The Associated Press: UK treasure hunter finds 52,000 Roman coins I think it's amazing when individuals find treasure like this with a simple metal detector. A $5 million Dollar prize was buried under 12 inches of dirt..... what treasure will you find today if you simply look around?

Meatloaf, Bat Out Of Hell

On a hot summer day is there any better alblum to be listening to than Bat Out Of Hell ? I didn't think so....... turning it up right now. Would you offer your throat to the Wolf with the red roses?

Lindsay Lohan Sentencing

This morning I was reading ABC news online just like every other morning, when I came across the article regarding Lindsay Lohan receiving a sentence for her DUI conviction. After violating her terms for probation she was sentenced to 90 days in jail followed by 90 days in inpatient drug rehabilitation.

I have to say Finally! Although I doubt she will do the full 90 days incarceration, at least she was sentenced. Some people say she received a harsher sentence because she is a celebrity. That may be the case, but I say it's about time celebrities are held accountable for their actions.

Here is an individual with every benefit society has to offer. She should be able to comply with the terms of her probation. She missed 9 sessions of her alcohol awareness classes! Lindsay obviously did not take the court seriously, so she should be incarcerated at least in my opinion.

My only problem with the case is the judge gave her two weeks before she needs to turn herself in to serve her sentence. I would have taken her into custody immediately.

Maybe over the next two weeks she can remove her custom fingernail polish that says f**k u.... it's statements like that that don't go over too well on the prison yard.

Fireworks

I hope everyone had a great Fourth of July weekend. It's great that we can come together as a country and celebrate our independence!

I basically hibernated due to the extreme temperatures which is what I plan on doing today as the highs reach 94° here in Pittsburgh.

I do have one complaint about the weekend so some of you may want to stop reading here...... illegal fireworks. My neighborhood is not what you would call wide open, houses are relatively close together. I live beside an apartment building with 15 apartments, separated by a driveway.

The apartment dwellers in their infinite wisdom decided to set off illegal fireworks Sunday and Monday late at night. So they are setting off rockets from the driveway, bursting above my house with debris falling on my roof!

Throwing packages of firecrackers outside my bedroom window, and setting off arrays of different colored fire displays. Keeping in mind it has not rained in over a week here....... Idiots!

They have no idea how dangerous their actions were. If they continue this behavior this evening I will be calling the police, enough is enough!

National Geographic Wallpapers

If you are like me you like to change your background every once in a while and National Geographic provides some outstanding wallpapers.

National Geographic was the original outdoor/adventure magazine and it continues to produce outstanding work! Stop on over and check out some great free backgrounds.

Thursday Thoughts

When your telephone rings at 6:30 AM it's never a good thing....

But let's back up to 1:30 AM when my alarm system went off. First I heard a noise then the House siren was blaring. If it was an intruder the alarm scared them away, I'm not sure, but after that sleep was difficult at best.

The sunrise telephone call was more family drama, additional stress to a stressful evening and a stressful day. By 8:30 am the florist was called to send flowers to today's funeral... I'm just tired, really tired and it's going to be a very long day.