Me, standing up straight. (Photo credit: nicknacknickers)
Are you like me and miss the days when your mom would slap you upside the head and say, “Stand up straight!”
Ah . . . those were the days.
Well, long no more. There is a new product that will stand in for your mom. It is called the Lumo Lift. There is a similar device called the iPosture.
Lumo Lift is an electronic sensor you wear on your upper body and when you slouch, you get zapped with something akin to a cattle prod. Perhaps it is more like a gentle nudge, but you get the idea. The bolt of electricity through your body reminds you to sit or stand up straight. The device also measures how many steps you take and how many calories you burn each day and sends the data to the NSA.
The makers of Lumo Lift say you will look slimmer, be more attractive, and your confidence will improve. Sign me up! It sounds like the miracle drug I’ve been trying to concoct in my garage.
All joking aside, I think every writer should buy the Lumo Lift. I’ll hazard a guess and say that along with a penchant for drinking scotch at two in the afternoon (because it made Hemingway look cool), all writers slump over their computer. My aching shoulders will attest to that. Look, I am slouching right now.
Now you know what to get me for my birthday.
For a writer, that misfortune is writer’s block. (Photo credit: Viorentina)
Robin Coyle 
Gosh, now we need is a machine to smack our hands with ruler when we make a grammatical mistake. (Ouch!!)
Someone is sure to see your comment and invent a grammar smacker!
Oh, I could use one of those. Although… I think if you practice opening all your wine bottles with a shoe instead of a bottle opener, you’ll acquire good posture eventually.
Ha ha! Good point!
Oh no, I think you must have been looking at me, leaning back in my chair while reading your post. I’m now sitting up nice and straight.
Yes, I was looking at you. Need another reminder? Sit up straight!
You caught me out again! Where is that hidden camera?
I am always conscious of my posture, mainly because my back gets sore otherwise. My mom wasn’t the one who reminded me to stand straight — it was my ultra-British grandmother! 🙂
Those Brits have a thing for good posture. It has something to do with being ruled by a queen.
I don’t know about a slap, more of a punch to try and get my posture right. I do slump and I figure it is too late to do anything about it now.
I like the idea of the cattle prod …
I need a cattle prod. Look at me . . . all hunched over as we speak.
I wonder if you can buy them on eBay …
O M G You can buy them on eBay!
OMG is right! You can!?!?! I guess there is a market for everything. What a crack-up that you looked on eBay for cattle prods.
I’m probably on some sort of watch list now. 🙂
You crack me up, Pete.
All part of the service 🙂
We got pinched in the small of our backs! I rarely slouch now because of it! And whenever I sit in an office chair the first things I do are adjust the back rest and height.. If I don’t sit up straight then I feel achy and in pain.. Mental pinches are real. Lol
I think I am a lost cause.
I had a friend who had to wear a stiff back brace-type thing because her mom didn’t want her to slouch. (You couldn’t tell, but she had trouble using a hula hoop.) She said her back and muscles hurt all the time). Probably child abuse.
I stand up a lot at the computer, less slouching….and easier to intercept dog tearing up something…and the German visiting with bad weather…pass the scotch, please
What German is visiting you with bad weather? You should tell him/her to go home and take their bad weather with them. I’ll pour you scotch while you shoo them home.
Oh, it’s our foster dog, the German. Her person was out of town and Molly always loves a sleepover friend. The German was so used to being in cold weather, it doesn’t really bother her….and she’s difficult to get back inside once she’s out dancing around. I’ll take a couple of those scotches after she leaves….having 2 large energetic dogs indoors is pretty wild…they move furniture….
I hate slouching at the computer after all those years of good posture and sitting straight on the piano bench. But I still find myself doing it. So I work out nearly every day with a mix of strength, core, cardio, and stretching exercises. I hope that helps undo the damage of slouching!
One would think that my years of piano lessons, dance, and evil nun teachers for catechism would have cured me of slouching too. Nope. I’m not bad at the dinner table or standing, but put me in front of my computer and I am the Hunchback of Notre Dame. Yoga helps me work out the kinks. You work out every day? Count me impressed.
I immediately straightened my back when I read this, Robin. No need for my mother’s slap on the side of the head or for Lumo Lift – I’ll just come and read your blog to keep my posture perfect! 😀
Ha ha! Finally this blog has a purpose! I have found my calling and am here to serve.
The scotch sounds good but yoga is cheaper. I too sit hunched at the computer hour after hour – even my dog knows better and regularly comes to tell me it’s time to play outside – but yoga really has helped.
I’m a yoga gal too! I shoot for three times a week but am happy if I make it twice. Nice that your dog reminds you to play! My dog mostly asks me, “When’s dinner? Isn’t it time you fed me?”
Well I get that too, and right one time, every day. How do they do that?
I swear my dog can tell time.
:))
Hovercraft doggie speaks! Sort of. How are you guys doing?
very good, thank you for asking 🙂 Have moved to London a short while ago and still posting away regularly…how have you been? Long time no see…
Yes, sadly, I find I have little time for blogging these days. I’ll stop by your place right now.
I took Ballet for twelve years and then again in adulthood, I have earned the right to slump now and then. Funny though, my back hurts if I don’t sit straight. I guess I have a slap upside the head built in.
I need to have a slap upside my head installed. I did ballet too and those ballet teachers sure are sticklers for posture. Alas, all that goes out the window for me when I sit in front of my computer.
Buy an exercise ball, I love mine and it helps with posture and core. I switch it out with my normal chair about half the time.
So you sit on the exercise ball?
Yes, it works pretty well, you can buy a stability frame for it so it doesn’t roll about when you are working. Even with the frame, you are still forced to balance.
Forget it, pal. By reaching adulthood I have earned the right to slouch, put my elbows on the table, and roll my eyes. You should be happy to have the freedom to do those things, silly!
I bet you stomp your feet too and say, “I don’t wanna sit up straight and you can’t make me.”
Adorable! That is why you are so tall now. 😉
Not tall at the computer. I look like a little old lady. Oh wait. That is because I am a little old lady.
Uh, yeah right. 🙂
my mom made me balance a book on my head (no guff) and threatened to make me wear a back brace if I did not stand up straight–to this day I still have to remind myself–my go to stance is highly unattractive–I need this to goad me into standing up straight
isn’t it horrible when you catch your sideways reflection in a mirror or store window and see how you are standing? I always snap to attention and grow about 3 inches. That lasts about 20 seconds and I am Quasimodo again.
me too–and add to that the fact that I walk like a duck and you have quite a picture–I try to stand up straight and walk pigeon toed to look like a normal person
I’m sure you look like an adorable duck.
adorable–that is the word!
At work, I got one of those desks that you can raise and lower by pushing a button. I am trying to stand up every hour and work standing for about 20 minutes. But even so, it’s hard to maintain good posture. I need a back brace.
I’ve never heard of that kind of desk. Part of the reason for my slouching at the computer is poor ergonomics. I work at the kitchen table (great view into the garden) but the table and chair height was NOT meant for hours on the computer.
Could that picture of you *be* any more adorable?
I would say more, but my neck and shoulders are killing me!
I feel your pain. I’ve been on the computer all day! Grrrrrrr.
I’m putting this one my Christmas list this year . . . just for kicks 🙂
You know . . . Valentine’s Day is just around the corner! In a few short weeks, you too, could be standing up straight.
Sitting up straight at the computer is impossible. I ditched my home office and chair for the dining room and table to make myself sit back against the high back chair. Lasts about three minutes before I end up on the edge of my chair, hunched over my laptop.
The only solution is to build a high table and make like Hemingway, but with clothes on. 😀
I am hunched as I type this. Good Lord. You would think that the pain in my shoulders and neck would have taught me a lesson by now. I’m the new Hunchback of Notre Dame . . . sans the cape.
*grins*
I know the feeling.
I’ll skip the smack. I find a good heating pad does wonders after a long session at the computer.
The tops of my shoulders are killing me right now! I may dig out the heating pad and pour a scotch on the rocks. (I talk about scotch as though I drink the stuff! It is like drinking gasoline.)
I need a zapper and a smack.
Coming right up.
Firstly, I slouched the entire time I spent reading your post! And just as I did not enjoy my mother nagging me about slouching, I’m sure I’ll pass on the cattle prod as well. As far as giving you one as a gift…I made a resolution to me nicer to my friends…zapping doesn’t sound very nice…oh well.
Why do I get the feeling you are always nice to your friends? I don’t believe a resolution about it was necessary for you.
That’s all part of my plan. You see, everyone says how nice I am…and the ones that don’t…I think they were zapped. 😉
Bah! You are nice to everyone. I have heard it on the street.
I feel like I need one of these now. It’s lovely to be following my dream of writing, but it’s not so lovely to be hunched over like the wicked witch with her apple.
On intense writing or computing days, my shoulders are so painful. You would think that the memory of the pain would remind me to sit up straight instead of doing my imitation of the wicked witch. I am tempted to buy one. It is something like 100 bucks.
Walking on my treadmill while I write has saved my back. If I sit for more than an hour or two, that baby’s crying.
That is smart. You must put in a ton of miles! And, you may own the only treadmill that isn’t used solely for a clothes rack.
Of course if you drink enough scotch then you will become oblivious to your aching shoulders – it’s always worth considering ALL the options before making any hasty purchases Robin.
Hmm, you might be onto something, Vanessa…
To true! I’m off to pour another scotch. Care for one, Vanessa and Carrie?
Yes please!
As long as it doesn’t hold you up so that you turn into a jellyfish, I suppose it’s a good thing. Good posture is a must in my family. 😀
My mom was a stickler for good posture. I just wish I would remember to sit up straight at the computer.