Garmin Nuvi 350

Welcome to Gym Junkie's first product review.

I have no sense of direction. I must have been dropped on my head as a baby and the fall damaged whatever part of the brain is responsible for direction. I have gotten lost walking in midtown Manhattan; I have gotten lost in the city in which I've lived for more than 20 years. When every fiber in my being screams "turn right!" I should turn left.

So I've been investigating global positioning system devices for about six months. A friend who had bought one loved it, and when he was ready to upgrade, I bought his used model.

I now have a Garmin Nuvi 350 and so far, it rocks!

I decided early on to spend the money necessary to get a GPS device that speaks street names. With my direction impairedness, I need the device to say "turn left on Main Street," not "turn left in 100 feet."

The Nuvi 350 does this, and it does this fairly accurately. Of course, it's going to stumble on quirky street names. But in the week that I've been using the Nuvi, I've found it to be just what I need.

Setup could not be easier. One turns the device on (outside, so it can see the satellites) it loads the maps. I recommend immediately inputing one's home address and work address and adding them to your favorites, which is accomplished by pushing save.

The Nuvi 350 comes loaded with various points of interest, including Starbucks, hotels, restaurants, airports. You can add your own, and it remembers the last several addresses you've typed in.

The routes it picks to get from point A to point B, with on exception, are not the ones I would have chosen. The route it took me home from work had me traveling through some very dicey areas of town. The route to my mother's house had me getting off the Interstate about six miles sooner than necessary.

But if I have no idea where I'm going, I just want to get there. The Nuvi, I hope will do that. I haven't yet tried it that way yet, but I'm willing to trust it.

This device is simple enough for the most terrified technophobe to use. Its small size (it"s not much bigger than my Blackberry 8700) makes it easier to slip into a pocket, purse or glove compartment.

All this easy-to use technology comes at a hefty price. I bought the device used for $450; I've seen it auctioned on eBay for as little as $420. But if you buy it new at a retail outlet, expect to pay at least $550.

My leaf-covered backyard, with evil Japanese honeysuckle peeking out from under the carpet. It will take me two months to suck up and shred all the leaves on my property.

One of my backyard neighbor's oak trees, which drop acorns and leaves in my yard.

Training, waiting

I took two two-hour training classes at the gym this weekend. Sunday's was supposed to be two four-hour classes, but the teacher compressed it all into two hours. Fine with me; I still get eight continuing education credits toward my fitness certification, plus the gym paid me for my time.

The classes were circuit, or interval, training on Saturday, and resistance training, upper and lower body, using body bands. I can't say I learned much. I got a few ideas with the body to incorporate into the ab portion of step class.

I'll have another class, about preventing child abuse, on Saturday. Then I get a break from training until January. I'll probably be putting in extra hours at the gym, though. I volunteered to help the fitness center up, plus teach part of the Work Out before You Pig Out class, Thanksgiving week.

Otherwise, I'm just waiting for the madness that will be the general election to start on Tuesday. I always say early the next day after an election, “It's all over but the shouting.” This election, there will be a lot of shouting, probably for days or even weeks.

Unknown bush in sideyard. I wish I knew its name; I love the flame red fall color. This bush grows well in the shade and provides a privacy screen between my neighbors' house and mine.

A closeup of lamium.

A closeup of my holly bush and berries in November 2006

More fall colors on side and back of my urban estate

My house is surrounded by beautiful fall colors in early November 2006