Author: Bryan Villarin

Bryan works at Automattic. Cat whisperer. Sometimes, a photographer and card magician.

One year heart attack anniversary

One year ago today, I had a heart attack, and figured I should reflect and share some updates here.

  • Since my second Automattic sabbatical (May 2 – August 2), I walk an average of 20–25 minutes per day.
  • I’m not as strict on diet as I was a few months after the heart attack, but I still avoid beef and pork. (If I have chicken, it’s in the form of eggs.)
  • From early last month (September), results from blood tests are within range. My total and LDL (bad) cholesterol levels are low. Relieved.
  • For tracking medication, I switched to Apple’s Health app.
  • I got COVID-19 vaccine boosters in February and September; the latter was the bivalent vaccine. With both boosters, I experienced side effects like fever, chills, and elevated heart rate. After the first, I went to Urgent Care — and later, the Emergency Department — as a precaution because my Apple Watch warned me of an elevated heart rate while I was inactive. A doctor confirmed it was only side effects, and I should use acetaminophen.
  • I had a CT angiogram, and there is “no aortic aneurism or dissection“. Thankful.

As of now, the cardiologists still don’t know why I had a heart attack, but I’m pleased we’ve prevented another one.

Hyper key via Karabiner-Elements

I installed Karabiner-Elements to use Caps Lock as a Hyper key (Shift-Control-Option-Command) on my Mac, and figured I’d share my setup here.

My hotkeys

With Caps Lock mapped to Hyper key (Caps Lock if used by itself), I can do some stuff more easily, with less keypresses.

I created an Alfred workflow (Powerpack required) to open the following apps:

Hotkeys set within their apps

To open Alfred’s Clipboard History Viewer, the hotkey is Hyper-C. Before, it was Option-Command-C.

My hotkey to activate Moom is Hyper-M. Before, it was Control-Option-Command-M.

I’ve had PopClip installed for years, and a friend/colleague (Clicky Steve) made an Alfred workflow to trigger the menu as needed. I set the hotkey in the Alfred workflow to Hyper-P. Before, it was Control-Option-Command-P.

I use Itsycal — “a tiny menu bar calendar” — to glance at the next few days in my selected calendars with Hyper-I. Before, it was Shift-Option-Command-I.

I use Hidden Bar, an open source Mac app to hide/show menu bar icons with Hyper-B. Before, it was Option-Command-B.

Within Vivaldi Settings → Keyboard:

  • Hyper-←: Close Tabs to the Left (or above, if the tab bar position is to the left)
  • Hyper-→: Close Tabs to the Right (or above, if the tab bar position is to the left)
  • Hyper-↑: Move Active Tab Backward
  • Hyper-↓: Move Active Tab Forward
  • Hyper-G: Filter Grayscale (helpful for content review)
  • Hyper-O: Open Saved Session

I probably don’t need the “Move Active Tab” ones, but those can help if I want to temporarily reorder tabs without using the trackpad.

Quirks

I made three adjustments for Karabiner-Elements to work with the following devices:

My current work setup is a 13-inch M1 MacBook Pro (2020) connected to the LG display and very old Apple Wireless Keyboard.

On the Apple Wireless Keyboard, the brightness_down and brightness_up keys would adjust the built-in display, not the LG display (desired). The Launchpad key didn’t do anything.

In Karabiner-Elements → Function keys, with the Apple keyboard selected (not internal), I made changes to these physical keys:

  • f1: apple_display_brightness_decrement
  • f2: apple_display_brightness
  • f4: launchpad

Ending thoughts

I’ve been using the Hyper key for one week, and dig it. The adjustment period felt small. If you use a lot of keyboard shortcuts and want to reduce the number of keypresses, I recommend it.

Experience with Citi Extended Warranty program

In June 2020, I purchased a Samsung 43″ Class 7 Series LED 4K UHD Smart TV (model UN43TU7000FXZA) from Best Buy with a Costco Anywhere Visa Card by Citi, and it included a 12-month warranty. About 18 months later, the TV wouldn’t power on, and an authorized service shop said the repair would cost more than a new TV.

I thought we were out of luck. Then, I remembered this 2018 article from Consumer Reports (“Why You Should Steer Clear of Extended Warranties“), and that my credit card has an extended warranty:

Get an extra 24 months added to your warranty when you purchase items at least in part with your Citi card and/or your Costco credit card reward certificate. In the event of a covered failure, the item will be repaired or you will be reimbursed up to the amount charged on your Citi card (including Costco credit card reward certificate) or the cost to replace the item, whichever is less, up to $10,000.

After about eight days, Citi Card Benefits replied:

Your claim under the Extended Warranty program has been approved.

A payment in the amount of [redacted], which represents the full amount payable for this claim, will be credited to your card account within 1 to 2 billing cycles.

The amount didn’t include the cost of shipping (understandable), and they credited the card one day later.

If you’re about to buy a TV, keep this in mind!

I had a heart attack

Sunday, October 17th started as a normal workday. On my lunch break, I noticed that my chest felt uncomfortable, and I was sweating (even though the air conditioner was on). My wife also noticed that I kept stretching intermittently.

I decided to go to Urgent Care (Kaiser Permanente), so my wife drove me there.

After a nurse took my vitals, the physician assistant took an EKG. Things escalated quickly because the reading was abnormal, which meant I was having a heart attack. 😓

I did not expect to reach that milestone months before turning 40.

Paramedics arrived, then took me to Arcadia Methodist Hospital in an ambulance (with sirens blaring). After being prepped in the emergency department, I was wheeled into their cardiac cath lab. One of the things they did was insert a stent.

I was discharged two days later, then was off work through November 8th (about 22 days).

Before the heart attack, I was taking two medications (for blood pressure). Now, I’m on six medications (including blood thinners).

On November 8th, I had a follow up with my new cardiologist. 👩‍⚕️ At the moment, we don’t know the reason I had a heart attack, especially since my “bad” cholesterol isn’t super high. For now, all we can do is try to prevent another one. (Also, I’m supposed to wait until next year to get a booster shot.)

Today, I’d say I’m doing well, and am feeling less anxious as more time passes after having a heart attack. 😌

  • Since October 26th, I walk almost every day. 🚶 According to the Apple Fitness app, I missed maybe two or three days. I started slow with ten minutes, and am now up to 25–30 minutes. (Before, I didn’t walk regularly.)
  • I eat out 1–3 times per calendar week, but choose plant-based food. Before, I’m ashamed to write that there were definitely instances when I ate out two or three times in one day. The horror. (In Day One, I have a dedicated food log journal, and have been tracking what I eat since December 18th, 2018.)
  • Since the heart attack, the only meat-based products I’ve eaten are fish (usually for lunch), chicken (twice), and cheese (once).
  • I haven’t had a breakfast burrito since October 14th. 😄 My regular breakfast is instant oatmeal (organic), shelled hemp seeds, and unsalted peanut butter.

In addition to all the medical professionals, I’m extremely thankful for the support of my wife, friends, teammates and colleagues at Automattic, and Automattic for fantastic benefits.

Lastly, if you’ve read this far and think it can’t happen to you, please review and consider the following:

Thank you for reading. Be well!

Fifteen days with the Boosted Rev

Boosted Rev on the bridge of Sierra Madre Villa Station

After waiting 26 days, FedEx finally delivered my Boosted Rev. I’ve enjoyed each of my rides, and look forward to many more as the weather cools down.

Why?

Consideration of owning a personal electric scooter hadn’t been on my radar. Ever. Then…I heard an ad spot on Accidental Tech Podcast. 😄

I’d never get the marketed 22-mile maximum riding range. From the Safety & Compliance page:

Up to 22 miles / 35 km Tested on a smooth, flat riding surface with no wind, 73°F / 23°C ambient temperature, constant riding speed of 6 mph (9.6 km/h), and a 160 lb / 73 kg rider.

Ha. I can’t go that slow, and I weigh more than that.

All the other features highlighted in their product page sounded fantastic, and it looks rad.

Here are some scenarios where I’d use my Boosted Rev:

  • Car isn’t available.
  • Not pressed for time, or am able to carefully plan my route.
  • Short trips within a few miles from home, or relatively close to a Metro rail or subway station.
  • Go somewhere near a Metrolink station.

While I have a car, using it only when necessary would obviously be better.

Where have I been?

The day the Boosted Rev was delivered, I fully charged it, then went to Target in hopes they had cans of compressed air. (They didn’t.) Taking a cue from "Boosted Luke" on YouTube (he isn’t affiliated with Boosted), I walked it into the store, did my best keeping clear of everyone, and avoided blocking aisles. None of the employees objected (and all seemed super preoccupied). If any stopped and looked more closely, I would’ve happily asked for express permission.

Early morning errand to Office Depot, 4.6 miles round trip. Walked it inside, and none of the employees spoke up. (Compressed air acquired, and the “N” key on my 2017 13-inch MacBook Pro works again.) Also rode by parked motorcycle police a couple of times, and they didn’t call out to me or pay attention.

Late lunch at a place serving Mexican food. Outdoor seating only, and I kept the scooter next to me. The place was empty. On the way home, a police SUV drove by. It didn’t make a hard U-turn to come after me, so that was a relief.

Early morning breakfast at McDonald’s. Locked it outside — as suggested from Mediahound on YouTube — just to try it.

Early morning breakfast at Jack in the Box. I brought it inside, asked, and was allowed to keep it with me.

Another morning, I went to a place that has good breakfast burritos. There wasn’t a dedicated bike rack, so I locked it along a rail directly in front of the place. Chose not to ask this time, but they probably would’ve allowed it. Ample room under their tables, I could’ve probably folded it, too.

Successfully did a late night test ride to and from a Metro Gold Line station. The headlight looked sufficient for Eco mode (2).

A day later, rode to that same Metro Gold Line station, went a few stops, ate breakfast, then got a haircut. Both places let me bring it inside (I asked). I kept it folded down, tucked away from foot traffic. At Corner Bakery, I also charged it for 25 minutes (13% increase). Longest cumulative day ride so far of 8.8 miles, with the longest two legs of 3.2 miles each.

Public transportation

Los Angeles Metro rail and subway allows electric scooters in designated areas marked with yellow labels (bicycles, baby strollers, and luggage). Tough if there already two bicycles there, but I noticed other cyclists that board after the fact don’t stand in the designated area.

See: Riding Metro with your bike

Haven’t tried Metrolink yet, but they allow electric scooters.

Other Notes

I assembled the scooter as described by Boosted in their unboxing video. Feels solid. Whenever I fold it down, I make sure to press down on the rear fender stomp brake. Only "issue" was one of the cable grommets — just below the handlebar assembly — wasn’t seated at all. I reinserted it as best I could.

So far, no issue with unlatching while carrying the scooter up or down one flight of stairs. I’m probably getting used to the weight.

On Eco mode (2), I estimate my range should fall between 10–13 miles. Caveat will always be “depending on conditions”, but I generally ride on flat conditions, with occasional inclines. Since I’ll carry my two locks with me in a backpack, I’m always willing to bring the charger to get more range.

I use saved notes in Soulver to calculate:

  • Estimated range using the battery percentage used and distance.
  • Time to charging completion. About two minutes per 1%.

Boosted app is glitchy, and the odometer is incorrect. I was initially able to register my Boosted Rev. Since then, whenever I power on and connect my Rev, my vehicle in the profile tab always says “disconnected”.

I’ve stuck with “Ride – track your eSK8 rides” (by Kane Cheshire) for ride tracking and battery level. Notifications are handy, including full charge ones. I haven’t tried auto start and auto stop rides.

One person told me to enjoy my new Razor scooter. 😆

Two people asked if it was one of those rentals, and one of them asked about the charge time and range.

As I ate breakfast one morning, I noticed a man getting into his car, who noticably slowed down when his eye caught the folded — and locked — scooter, staring with great interest. (Cue “Hello” by Lionel Richie.)

An older woman asked if I ride it on the sidewalk, and I corrected her that it was against California law. She also wanted to introduce me to some guy who rides a skateboard. No idea if he had an electric skateboard. Boosted Board? Alt-wheels pride, perhaps? 😄

I like having a beautiful scooter behind me during Zoom calls at work. Otherwise, the wall is empty (at the moment). 😎

Check out YouTube videos of the Boosted Rev by:

Some unboxing photos

  • Top-down view unboxed
  • Multi-button instructions (not found in any other documentation)
  • Cable grommet reinserted

Photos in the wild

  • Out to lunch
  • Late night ride, first time to South Pasadena Station
  • South Pasadena Station platform
  • On Metro Gold Line
  • Charging a bit during breakfast at Corner Bakery
  • Minimal footprint under a table in Corner Bakery
  • Waiting for me to get a haircut
  • Waiting on Sierra Madre Villa Station platform

Current Stats (Ride app)

Top speed shown is an anomaly. As of 2019-09-07.

Noticed Boosted Rev Shipping Updates

Last night, I decided to view the post, “Boosted Rev Updates & Payment Information“. From the source HTML, I currently see:

  • article:modified_time of 2019-08-12T21:00:24+00:00
  • article:published_time of 2019-06-20T15:36:09+00:00

tl;dr: Boosted updated their post to reflect that on “August 13, 2019 [they’ll] begin shipping Boosted Rev to all customers”, and — for North American and European customers — you can expect it to arrive three weeks after making the full payment. No joy for New Zealand and Australian customers.

Later in the post, they mention August 14th.

I saved a few screenshot images of the full post, and am sharing for reference. Mainly excitement.

Maybe someone on the Booster Scooters subreddit will see it, and pass it along. (I don’t have a Reddit account at the moment.)

  • First two are cached from Google Search on Aug 11, 2019 11:18:17 GMT and Aug 12, 2019 11:17:57 GMT.
  • Third is the current version.
  • Fourth image is from Diffchecker.

Found my shared Google Calendars

Google Calendar helps my teammates at work with planning 1:1s, conferences, meetups, and reviewing AFK dates. The account is through my employer (Automattic), and I mainly use it on a desktop browser. On my iPhone, Fantastical 2 and Calendars 5.

For several months, I couldn’t view shared calendars on my Automattic account. On my personal Google account, I remembered an obscure Google page that had to be viewed on my iPhone in order to toggle visibility of the calendars.

After searching Google Help pages without success, the “Fantastical 2 for iPhone FAQ” by Flexbits had the correct page for me! 🥳

https://m.google.com/sync/settings/

Years ago, I assume I set up my Google account with Exchange and Google Sync.

This post will be handy if I decide to add another calendar, and I need to see it on my phone. 😄

P.S. I wrote this post from the new WordPress block-based editor! 🤩

Netflix – Download profile-specific viewing activity

Today I learned:

You can download the viewing activity for any profile as a CSV file to easily see which titles were watched and when.

The oldest on my list (Remember The Titans) was from January 5th, 2009, which is 3,596 days ago. Almost ten years!

On a related note, if you want to wipe out all viewing activity on a profile, I think you can create a new profile, then delete the old one. Figured I’d throw it out there. 😄

Source: Netflix Help Center