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Monday, August 3, 2009

T*E*C*H*N*O*L*O*G*Y Make Me Crazy.....

"It is difficult not to wonder whether the combination of elements which produces a machine for labor does not create also a soul of sorts, a dull resentful metallic will, which can rebel at times."
~Pearl S. Buck~(image source)

Technology, love it or hate it, it is a huge part of
life these days. I grumbled just one too many times last week about missing the days before cell phones when I could actually go out and not be tracked or strapped down with a phone. Mine died, much to my dismay and to the delight of my family.

They were tired of it cutting them off while they were talking to me. They were tired of trying to reach me only to find that my cell phone was as tired as me of taking calls so, it did the logical thing and shut itself off. They were tired of yelling into the phone because my wicked little cell phone made the volume go up and down at will. Her joints had gone slack and her disc slipped causing a bit of disconnected confusion from time to time.

I really think the poor old dear just wanted to live a useful but peaceful existence and not be bothered by the trivial things in life. Now in an emergency, she would come through every time. She was also an excellent receptionist, recording word for word any message left to her. The only problem was that she often forgot where she put them and that made them a little hard to retrieve, especially when her little blinking message light was on the fritz and I did not know there was one. She was also an excellent time keeper. As you can see, she had many fine attributes, she was just a little cantankerous.

I managed to put off replacing her for almost an entire week and it was bliss to travel around without my purse ringing! The fateful day arrived when my sneaky husband suggested lunch at a new restaurant that happened to be strategically placed next door to the cell phone store. Many suggestions of, "Let's go and look at phones.", were met with excuses. After lunch we are strolling to the car and he steers me to the store next door.

"Oh bother!", I think to myself as an eager beaver salesman practically trips over himself to get to us. I tell him we do not need help that I only want to look around. I had no idea so many versions of one little item existed. When he started to follow me I turned and gave him "the look", you know, the one only a mother can give that says, "I meant what I just said!" He backed off a few steps, thank you very much, but he continued to talk, rattling off each attribute as I looked at each little modern marvel.

I almost choked over the prices. After he finished prattling from a respectful distance, I turned to him and quipped, "Does it cook dinner?" He looked a little puzzled, "Um, no." "Well it should for these prices." I am not kidding you people, I could buy a brand new top of the line range with stainless steel finish for what some of these little things cost!

I patiently explain that I don't want a phone with a little keyboard. I don't twitter, tweet, or text, I only talk. Even though I am extremely directionally challenged, I do not need a GPS because I would miss out on many fun adventures if I always knew where I was going or where I would end up. I don't need a built in camera because my other camera would be extremely jealous and might quit on me. I don't want it to play games because I prefer board games where there is interaction with other people, real live people, not just me, myself, and I. I don't want to be able to access the Internet, check emails, or blog because I need to exercise other parts of my body, not just my fingers. I explain to him that there is a real world out there to be experienced and explored and mine was not solely wrapped up in a little electronic device.

After my magnanimous speech, he directs me to the basic phone area where I tell him what I do want in a phone. I need a phone that will allow me to talk, tell time, and take messages if I am not available, to be returned at my convenience, period. I want an easy to see keypad and to not need a degree from MIT to operate the thing. And, could you please make mine green?

Much to my delight I am now the proud owner of a sweet little green phone with an easy to use/see keypad. It displays large numbers when you dial. The day, date, and time are clearly visible. I can navigate around easily and it takes wonderful messages. I was told that it does come with some basic extras but he hastily assured me that I don't actually have to use them. And, it did not make a dent in my retirement fund to purchase it, although I am disappointed that it cannot cook dinner!

Now, I know you are thinking, "Miss Sandy, where are the pictures that always accompany your posts?" Well, I tell ya, we are having a little electronic rebellion here at the Quill. Just yesterday afternoon I go in to use my printer only to find it had joined my old cell phone in the great technology heap in the sky.

A trip to town netted a new one, I'll spare you the speech this time. Somehow, this new one is very sneaky. When we loaded, (we, meaning Handy Hubby), the software, it hid some of my stuff and I can't find it. When blogger brings up the box to upload photos, my photo page is gone! It is on my computer but not on my list of choices. I can't scan anything because it says some screen has to be changed but does not tell me what to change. I did get it to print though. That is progress don't you think?

I think I will go and give it "the look" and see if I can make it understand that I mean business! Do you think it will work?

Blessings,
Miss Sandy

P.S. I hope by the end of the day to have brought a smarter than me piece of equipment under submission, find my photos, and pretty up my posts!

14 comments:

Alice's Aunt said...

Came over, via Vee's blog... Ahhh yes! Technology and all its... perks. Hehhhhhhh.

Courage!

^_^

'Alice's Aunt Amelia'

Domestic Designer said...

Technology! A true love hate relationship. Have a great week!

Barbara H. said...

Good for you for telling the salesperson exactly what you wanted!

I wish I had done that with the alterations lady. I took my mother-of-the-groom dress to ask her to somehow widen the skinny little straps so it wasn't so bare (it has a lace jacket, but, being lace, it can be seen through), and she said "It wouldn't look right." I wish I had been a little more assertive and just told her to try it anyway and let me be the judge.

The couple of ladies at church who are capable of such transformations are unavailable. So I've got to try it myself this afternoon. It shouldn't be too hard -- I've got some matching material and just need to make much wider straps and sew them in. So why is it so intimidating???

This has nothing to do with technology -- I guess I got off on being assertive with sales people and then lapsed into venting. :-)

Hope your printer and computer can make the proper connections and play nicely together asap!!

Mary Green said...

Congratulations on the new cell phone!!! I need a new one too & I'm just putting it off.

Anonymous said...

Went through a similar situation with HH. I just D/Cd my phone after I retired, but when I went out of town to the city, borrowed his. He got tired and got me a generic phone and that is all I need. Be sure to check my note from your post yesterday, I have something for you.
QMM

Susie said...

It might work if the look you gave the salesman made him back off a bit!

Good luck with it! Recently I got a new phone and truthfully I don't think I like it as much as my old one.

Linda said...

This is one topic that I am fully, happily, out-of-the-loop! :) I only have a pay-as-you-go trac phone that my husband got me, just so I would have something with me while I'm driving, in case of emergency and that's truly all it is.

First of all - I hate using the phone. Always have. Secondly, I have no one to talk to on the phone. I really just don't use it - ever.

Usually my trac phone is dead in my purse and I'll remember from time to time to charge it.

So, believe it or not, there are still some 40 something year old women who do not utilize this technology and still manage to survive through each and every day, ha. :D

Anonymous said...

Oh this is so funny! You are just like me. If my plain ol' cell phone dies, I have had it! Oh how I hate to be followed around by a salesperson who looks like they are not old enough to drive yet!!! Hope you get EVERYTHING working smoothly again.

Cheptoek said...

I do not own a cell phone and so far I am content that way. I even forget that I do not have one. My house phone suffices. Although I do know when in an emergency these cell phones come in handy. I have a small TV too. I had a friend who was quite amused at my not having a cell phone and my tiny TV. So I understand you Sandy!

KathyB. said...

I hate the phone, really! I do have a pay as you go Trac phone, and I keep it in the car. I know my dislike of the phone bugs a lot of people, but I am not going to allow that little dinger to dictate my days and don't want it or a salesperson to follow me around making verbal requests or taking up time unless I have it to spare. And I also am perfectly happy if the people I call choose not to answer the phone if they do not have time to chat, don't want them resenting me or the time I might take up.

Funny post, glad you got a new phone you are happy with!

Ragamuffin Gal said...

Sandy,
I needed this visit this morning to Quill - I have been delightfully entertained as always!
I understand your technology story quite well!

I have a story to share with you about the beautiful Vin. Bird Collage I won here on your blog earlier this summer... I'll email you.
Thanks for brightening my day! You are so good at that!! <3 Katie

kathy said...

Had to get a new cell phone a while back -- Oh this one does not behave -- and not foramtted for my Technologically challenged brain -- Will limp along with it -- Let me know if the look works --
Kathy - ga

Vee said...

Can we talk about this laptop I'm trying to leave a comment with? Would you believe that I've been trying to get here for what feels like forever just to see what you were having troubles with? Sorry that two things are on the fritz. I'm holding my breath waiting for another two to go down here. Ha! Glad that you have your green phone and that you held your ground. You must look like a woman of means when you go shopping.

I love the project in the two above posts and someday I will be returning to see them better. I dare not click to enlarge or attempt to make this wee little screen any larger nor do I dare ask my niece for help again. :D

Miss everyone in Blogland, too.

Linda said...

My son won a phone with a slide out part. I see now from your post that it is a keyboard. I haven't really looked at it closely, though it looks nice. He gave it to his sister.

My phone was forced on me. The network was changed in Australia for people who live in the sticks. This was the only phone we could find that would still have good reception, though there must be others. There was a cut off date and we were in a rush, though it was extended and we were late, but within the time of the new extension.

My phone is too complicated, I can't use the camera, and the numbers are too small. It is largely displayed so I guess that is one thing.

I am happy for you about your green phone.

I wish my old one still worked on the new network.

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