Post partum Depression?

Today, I am so depressed.  Although a number of factors have started my week wrong since yesterday, I think how I am feeling is more than just mere irritation or anger.  I am depressed.

I am depressed because I cannot even style my hair the way I want to style it because I have to think of the well being of my child who breastfeeds.

I am depressed because I cannot find the time to lose weight without feeling guilty that I have to sacrifice time I should be spending with my daughter.

I am depressed because I am just so tired.  I just want to have a vacation without having to worry about every little detail going wrong.

I am depressed because I feel neglected, by myself, and the people I hold dear.

I am depressed because although my job requires just the right effort on my part, the daily commute sucks the life out of me.

I am depressed because I want to do things that entails so much time and money that I cannot produce because I have to spend time with my family.

I am depressed because I cannot cry.

I am depressed and I am scared. God help me.

A non-techie's product review: HTC ONE

You won’t get your usual techie review here. Move on if that’s what you want.  This is a review of the HTC ONE as appreciated through the eyes and other senses of someone who chose to use Android for the first time for reasons that are simple.  My standards are basic:  Is it pretty?  Is it easy to use? Will it serve the purpose for which I am getting it?



It is my first time to use an android phone.  I used to be afraid of all the techie stuff I felt I had to learn whenever my husband would show me something his phone could do (He currently owns a Samsung S2 and is up for an upgrade very soon).  First, I have to admit that I have stuck it out with my blackberry handsets because I was afraid of typing without a keyboard.  The only reason I even considered using an iPhone two years ago as my second handset was because I got to inherit my YOUNGER sister’s unit when she upgraded to the latest model back then. I love the way I can type fast using the qwerty keyboard of my blackberry 9930.  Nevermind that I had to make do with a small screen compared to the humongous ones on iPhones and android smart phones.



This year though, as I was choosing a phone from those available for free with my plan, the offering of blackberry was a Z10 –and it had no keyboard! Panic-stricken, I turned to my husband for help.  He then patiently explained to me the merits of starting to ease out of the dinosaur age of actual keyboards.  He also got excited and helped me in deciding to go android (instead of getting the iPhone 5).  According to my husband, the HTC One is on the top three list of smartphones, and it is also the latest one out (a few days after I got my HTC ONE, the S4 was also released.)



I had to go through 3 Globe locations and numerous phone calls with their customer service before I finally got my hands on a new unit of the HTC ONE.

It’s pretty.

When I finally got to open the box, I am immediately impressed.  The HTC One screams “Sexy!” It is a beautiful phone with a unibody curved at the right places for just the right feel when it is in one’s hand.  Even now, a month after getting it for the first time, I sometimes catch myself looking at my phone and thinking “that is such a beautiful piece of technology!”  Compared to the S4 and the iPhone 5, this phone feels expensive in a way that is classy and luxurious.  Looking at it from afar, and even up close, one will appreciate the time and research spent on designing the HTC ONE.  In my opinion, it brought sexy back with its curves and is definitely far better in form than the latest iPhone.  That says a lot, since I used to think that the iPhone is the sexiest phone out in the market, even when I remain loyal to blackberry’s functional design—until now.

It’s  easy to use.

Despite the beauty that is the phone, I was afraid to turn the darn thing on.  It’s beauty, while enticing, did not detract from the fact that it is a smartphone with NO physical keys.  Now, I have had an iPod touch and I am using an iPad 2, but my experience with small gadgets without keys I can actually press is disastrous…  I could not even type decently most days with my iPad. But, never one who chickens out from a new experience (except that one time when people wanted me to eat Odoks during a Baguio Trip), I turned the thing on.  The screen is vibrant and, while I was scared that I had to master another form of OS, I learned the ropes pretty fast.  The camera takes nice pictures (better than the BB 9930), and the virtual keyboard… was very responsive!  My husband installed Swift Key app after a few days to help me adapt to the virtual keyboard, but even without the app, I have to say, the original keyboard was easy to type on.  Soon enough, I was typing away like a semi-pro.



It is functional and fun.

I use my phone basically for calls, sms, emails, and some browsing before.  My blackberry could do all that.  For serious browsing, I simply used my iPad.  Now, I rarely use my iPad.  I am even thinking of switching my iPad 2 for a mini since I only use it now for reading my ebooks.  The HTC ONE has become my workhorse.  It has become the only thing in my bag I really need to get by.  Except for the fact that I would never even attempt to make it my ebook reader because it is just too small for the task, the HTC is my phone, my gaming gadget (playing Aralon HD, an RPG game right now), my planner, my email device, my browser, and my music pod. The beats speakers are a handy addition that makes watching videos a wonderful treat.



Do I have any complaints?



As a matter of fact, I do.  I hate that the unit is so beautiful on the outside that I am scared that it might get scratched and dented!  What’s worse, there are no casings available.  And even if there were, I doubt I’ll cover it up heavily, if at all, because that’s what happened to all my phones.  I just think that the phones we have were made to be displayed and enjoyed bare naked.  However, I have no one to blame if (and I hope this never happens) a) my phone falls into flood water; b) my phone falls, period; c) my baby grabs and chews on my phone; and, d) my baby flings my phone to the floor/wall/her soup…etc.

Also, the phone gets a bit hot when I use it for gaming or for browsing at times.  It’s not scalding hot, but it can get a bit bothersome.  When this happens, I go to the main menu and turn off other apps that might be left working in the background.

Needless to say, I am happy I chose this phone. I hope this review gives un-techie people like me an idea of what to expect from the HTC ONE.  If you do decide to get one for yourself, I congratulate you for passing the first difficult question you have to answer: “the black or the white one?”  Either way, it is a beautiful workhorse and a wonderful first phone for non-Android users.