The Merrill Dubrow Blog

Recently I have noticed on Facebook a number of people going to high school and college reunions. This gave me a reason to think about my reunion history and desire.  When I think about high school, I really don’t have fond memories for a lot of reasons. The people I stay in touch with are the people I want to stay in touch with so I really don’t need a reunion to help me with that. In addition, I live thousands of miles away from where I went to high school and the date of the reunion is usually around Thanksgiving so it’s not convenient for me. So I would say ‘no’ to a high school reunion for sure.

College is a little bit different. Some of my closest friends are from college and we did go to our 10 year anniversary in the past. My hope is that we will be able to go again and see some friends that I haven’t seen in years.

As I get a little older I have certainly done a little more reminiscing and my days in college have meant more to me over time.

So I say ‘yes’ to college reunions.

Ok your turn:

• Do you go to your high school reunions?

• Did you enjoy yourself?

• Were there a lot of surprises?

• Did you go to your college reunions?

• Do you plan on going to future ones?

I look forward to reading your comments.

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Everyone worries about their kids. Ok, some probably more than others. Here are 5 ways to keep some tabs on them and ease your mind all at the same time.

Life360 has established itself as a leading app for everyone in the family to use together. You can keep tabs on all family members using the app and also see when kids have arrived or left their destinations. Used as more of a family communication device than a GPS tracker, Life360 also enables group messaging and instant VoIP conference calls to enable everyone to stay in contact.

Price: Free for iOS and Android

Amber Alert GPS

Created more as a dedicated kids’ safety device, Amber Alert GPS lets you track your child’s whereabouts and receive emails and texts if an alert is triggered (if they venture outside of a safe zone, for example). It even notifies you if your child comes within 500 feet of a registered sex offender’s residence and gives your child the ability to use an SOS button if they need immediate help.

Price: $220 for device and one year of service

Pocket Finder

PocketFinder is another GPS tracking option that offers features such as real-time tracking, alerts, safe zone designations and speed limit alerts in cars. PocketFinder works with a complementary iOS and Android app and also lets you view up to 60 days of map history.

Price: $149.95 + $12.95 per month for service

Canary

For parents who want to track their driving teens, Canary for iOS and Android is a helpful app for knowing your child’s smartphone behavior while driving. After installing the app on everyone’s phone, parents will get alerts with details on calls, texts, driving speeds and locations when the car is moving faster than 12 mph.
Unlike many other driving apps, Canary does not disable the phone, but gives parents an opportunity to see activity and bring it up directly with their kids.

5Star Urgent Response

The 5Star device does offer GPS tracking, but its real purpose lies in its emergency response system. In addition to tracking someone’s location using web-based tools, anyone who has the device has instant access to an emergency and medical alert system that gives access to response agents through the touch of a button. It’s a great safety measure for newly-licensed teens whose driving you may be nervous about when they’re on the road.

Price: $49.99 plus $14.99 per month for service

• Have you used any of these?

• What other apps have you used that you would recommend?

I really look forward to hearing from you. This is a very important subject. I am excited to hear your thoughts.

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I must admit. I love a road trip – getting in a car and driving hundreds of miles with a destination in mind and plenty of surprises along the way. There is nothing like visiting an odd museum or a funky restaurant along the way. Some of my favorites have been:

1. Boston to Florida – 1500 miles. I did this every year in my 20’s when I drove my dad’s car to Florida for 23 straight hours with my buddies
2. Boston to Montreal – only 300 miles but my family used to do this at least 3 times a year growing up to visit my Mom’s family – tons of car games and fighting over the middle head rest
3. San Francisco to Los Angeles – one of my favorite trips of all time which included a spur of the moment tennis match with my college roommate in Carmel, CA
4. Boston to Chicago – way back in 1973 when my family moved there.  It was probably more about the excitement of moving to a new city and a brand new house more than anything.

Ok your turn.

• Do you have a favorite road trip?

• Do you have any road trips planned for this summer?

I look forward to reading your comments.

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I will let you in on a little secret. I weigh myself every day. Call me crazy, nuts or whatever other words that you would like to use, but it is a true part of my morning routine. Over the past few years I have been lifting weights more than I had in the past, and I have noticed that my weight isn’t going down. I have also noticed as I get older that my mindset has shifted along with my weight.

It’s not all about weight for me. It’s more about how I look and feel! If I don’t feel good or the weight is moving in a different direction, I ask my buddy C.H. (who is a personal trainer) what machines I should work on to feel a little bit better and distribute the weight in different areas.

I am sure many of you realized this little “Aha!” moment decades ago, but I guess I am a little slower than the average bear.

• Do you weigh yourself every day?

• Have you noticed a shift in your weight distribution?

• Do you work on those areas different than you have in the past?

I look forward to reading your comments.

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