Number 1 on Cell Phones

I learned a cool trick to check my voice messages – but maybe most of you know it already.

At a recent workshop, I received a rather urgent call from a hospital requiring me to call them back as soon as possible.  Because my cell phone was turned off, the call went to my voice messages.

At lunch break, I turned my phone on and had several non-urgent messages  which I listened to and then deleted.  One message was urgent, and requested a call back to a hospital at a certain number and extension before 2:00 pm.  I was not prepared for that and thus did not have pen and paper handy to jot down the number.  I saved it in the archives and thought I could easily retrieve the message.

Grabbing a pen and paper, I tried to replay the message, but my phone did not cooperate – I have a simple little old Pantech phone that is not smart, just simple (but really cute).  No one in the room knew how to access phone messages except for calling in and entering a pin number – which I did not know, and I also did not know the number to call.

Adding to the panic was the very low battery signal – single bar, flashing red.

Well, Aunty left the workshop early to see if a message was left at home.  Message left, but no phone number.  It was a blocked call i.d. number and then finally Aunty found an easy way (using Google search) to access voice messages on the cell phone.

Press and hold the number “1” for a few seconds.  Voila!  Voice messages are accessed.

How simple was that?!  So simple, Aunty will be able to remember how.

The thumb and forefinger flight saga

Aunty is in Vegas right now – for a real short trip to check out some cheap condos.  The approach landing into Vegas was a bit too bouncy for me and I didn’t have my usual stash of li hing mui (salted dried plum) or ginger to help, so I tried a therapy that I had heard about for motion sickness, but never tested yet.

There is a little acupuncture point in the area between your thumb and forefinger, about an inch in from the where it makes an inside corner.  Squeeze with the thumb and forefinger of the opposite hand.  Squeeze with medium hard pressure and alternate.

As Aunty started to think “oh-oh” when the plane started bouncing and thoughts of motion sickness began creeping into the psyche, Aunty started pinch squeezing the pressure point, and instantly the creepy oh-oh this is not good moment passed and so Aunty kept squeezing until the queasiness totally went away.

This pressure point is also good for helping to ease headaches.  The bigger your headache, the more sensitive this spot will be when squeezed.  Squeeze for 5 seconds, release for 5 seconds, and repeat over and over, alternating to the other hand after about 3 squeezes.

So far it has been a break even jaunt on the penny machines and on the Pai Gow table, and it is homeward bound on Hawaiian Airlines tomorrow evening.  I almost kind of wish it is a bouncy flight again so I can test out this therapy again, but the wish for a smooth flight is stronger.

This post will also be injected into the Travel Tips page.  A happy stomach makes air travel much more bearable.  Please let me know if it works for you!