Computer | Fat Wallet Refugee

How do you know when it’s time to unplug? What do you do to make it happen?

Hmm, maybe when my wrist hurts? My back is sore? Or when my jaw seizes up from clenching too long?

Gaming woes to be sure.

Actually, I am quite happy to be connected and “plugged” in.

I recently finished a 14 month suspension from smartphone usage and I must say, life with a feature phone is tough.

Not only did I have to give up mobile gaming but I also encountered many difficulties navigating modern life, which is more and more connected these days.

While I had heard of people being unable to shop or dine without a smartphone or QR code readers, it was not until I experienced it for myself that I realized how much of an issue it could be.

The fast food industry is moving to digital and doing away with cashiers and even cash acceptance.

It’s not just restaurants either, the other day I went to a pharmacy and found only self checkouts and not an employee in sight.

There was actually someone there, but they could have passed for a ninja, as I barely noticed them as I left.

My Charles Schwab and Sofi accounts were inaccessible, except via PC, during my unplugged period. The same was true of my other brokerage service’s and a myriad of apps I installed for offers on Swagbucks.

As I write this on my Samsung galaxy, I am running Windows update on my old Gaming rig. Each update gets me a step closer to being fully connected again.

I am looking forward to slouching in my worn out chair and inviting more sore wrists, clenched jaws, and perhaps even some back pain.

Plug me in and never let me go.

That’s all for now. Thanks for reading.

Comments and questions, please drop them below. Have a great day!

At long last, I have been restored to my property.

Fourteen months ago, my mobile phone, personal computer, and other effects were removed from my home.

What followed was a massive headache as I quickly realized that I could not access the majority of my accounts without the two-factor authenticator (2FA) app on my phone.

My bank, primary email account, and all the financial offers I had done on Swagbucks or any other service that was exclusively app-based. All locked.

I borrowed someone else’s phone to order a new computer from Amazon. I also bought a new cellphone but, I could only afford a feature phone, which meant I could not use apps.

I was also locked out of my college’s email system which had recently started enforcing 2FA use. This meant that I couldn’t continue my classes during the Spring semester. I had to call my professors and have them drop me from their classes.

It took a long time, but eventually, I was able to reenroll for the Summer semester. I was left short on credits for my degree and this set me back quite a bit as some classes were only taught during the Spring period.

I also had to stop posting mobile game content on my YouTube channel. I tried to pivot to the PC gaming niche while posting some older mobile game videos that had been saved on the cloud from a secondary email address. I tried posting about Manga and Anime. I tried a lot of things.

But all those worries are finally set to be relegated to the past. I now have my stuff back. I do need to wait 30 days before I can restore the Google account on my old phone, but once that is clear I can try accessing the 2FA app.

Well, that is it for today.

Questions or comments? leave them below. Thank you for reading.