I have been reflecting on the recent incident where a senior patted a child on the head, which led to an ugly confrontation. In my view, there are two perspectives to this: the senior’s understanding of social norms versus that of the parents.

For the senior, patting a child on the head is simply a gesture of elderly affection and friendliness. For the parents, however, it can feel like a violation of their child’s personal space and boundaries.

As a senior navigating today’s world, I realize I need to be aware of how much things have changed. What was considered normal in my younger days may no longer be acceptable now. In this case, walking up and patting a stranger’s child on the head is simply no longer the norm.

I can recall that in years past, whenever an older lady saw someone carrying a baby or toddler, she would likely give the child a gentle pinch on the cheek and exclaim, “So cute!” Today, even that is no longer seen as acceptable behavior. The proper approach now is probably to ask for permission before making any such gesture. It is definitely better to err on the side of caution!

I have dabbled in blogging a couple of times previously, trying out various free blog sites.

I have also been using GitHub repositories mainly to store my code.

Lately, I came across an article about blogging using GitHub Pages, with a theme called Contrast*.

So, why not explore blogging on GitHub?

I have been sharing my musings on WhatsApp, so why not consolidate them into a blog?

With some help from a friendly AI that provided helpful Git commands, I was able to get the basic blog up and running.

There you are. Enjoy the musings of a curious senior.

• The public repo for this theme can be found here: https://github.com/niklasbuschmann/contrast

Musing over our digital realm…

We have all sorts of maintenance schedules — for the house, bikes, equipment, personal stuff, and other things.

Correspondingly, we should also set aside some time to maintain and clean up our digital bits:

Google account(s), Microsoft account(s), and social media accounts — TikTok, WhatsApp, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook Tablets Computers Mobile phones Storage devices

The upside of this digital spring cleaning is getting rid of old gunk, taking stock of our data usage, and reviewing our privacy and security settings.

Oh man! This can keep one very busy — the more digital stuff we have, the more time we need to spend keeping them in order. 😰😰

Inspired by: Breaking the silence on hearing loss: She couldn’t hear at birth, now she speaks English fluently, The Straits Times, 1 March.

After reading an article in the Straits Times (Breaking the silence on hearing loss: She couldn’t hear at birth, now she speaks English fluently, March 1), I was prompted to write to the Straits Times Forum to attest to the benefits of wearing hearing aids.

Read the letter below:

As a senior in my late 60s, and a proud wearer of hearing aids for the past two years, I can attest to the transformative power of these devices (Breaking the silence on hearing loss: She couldn’t hear at birth, now she speaks English fluently, March 1).

I experienced high-frequency hearing loss from a young age. Looking back, I regret not seeking assistance sooner.

The moment I put on my hearing aids, a world of previously muted sounds sprang to life. The gentle drip of water in the sink, the subtle squeak of my slippers, even the crisp rustle of the newspaper – these everyday sounds, once lost, now enrich my daily life.

Beyond the simple pleasures, my sleek, discreetly designed hearing aids have significantly improved my social interactions. Conversations in bustling environments, previously a source of frustration, are now enjoyable. The clarity of speakers in large halls, be it at a seminar or in church, is a welcome relief.

And thanks to modern technology, seamless Bluetooth connectivity lets me stream music and enjoy media directly from my phone and tablet.

I understand the hesitation many seniors feel. The common complaint about hearing aids being “noisy” is valid during the initial adjustment period.

However, I urge those with hearing impairment to persevere. The rewards far outweigh the initial discomfort. You’ll rediscover the joy of engaging in conversations, find yourself speaking at a more comfortable volume, and, ultimately, experience a profound enhancement in your quality of life.

Source: https://www.straitstimes.com/opinion/forum/forum-wonderful-world-has-opened-up-thanks-to-hearing-aids , 05 Mar 2025

When I was younger, I used to get excited and goo-goo-ga-ga over branded earphones — AirPods, JBL, Shure, Sennheiser, Jaybird, and many more.

Hmm… 🤔🤔 The senior me is now getting excited looking at the specs of Signia, Phonak, and ReSound.

In case you are wondering, these are various brands of hearing aids… 😂