August 8, 2019 – Out with the old, in with new technology.

         This morning I realized I am embracing new technology as it has cemented itself into my life without my noticing how stealthily it has crept in.

         I own a smart phone now after clinging to my flip phone for years after it was fashionable. Now I witness others use of the “smart-ness” of the phone making me think differently.

         Example one:  I employed a gutter man a few weeks ago.  Up on the roof he took pictures of a few problem areas.  When he climbed down off the roof to ask me which of two ways did he want me to handle the situation – he showed me the pictures to explain what was happening otherwise I would have had to blindly trust him of the status of my roof and gutters as I wasn’t going to climb up and look for myself.  It was a great “communication” tool.  It made him so credible and honest and the phrase: pictures are worth a thousand words hit home with me.

        

         Later, the gutter man telephoned me from the roof to ask me to send my husband out to turn the water off on the front of the house and then go to the back of the house and hand him up the back garden hose and turn the water on so he could finish his job.  As the gutter man worked alone we didn’t mind as we wanted to make it easier for him. 

         I found it clever and amusing at the same time to receive a telephone from the man on my roof to me directly below in the living room where I had my broken foot propped up.  At that moment I started to think differently about the smart phone’s use.

         Example two:  I have always prided myself in being early to an appointment. Sometimes the 15 minutes early is more like 30 minutes early due to light traffic.  Now when I get to my destination, I can make a quick telephone call to a friend or family member while I am waiting.

         Last Example.  This one is not meant to show how I’ve absorbed the capability of the smart phone it just shows how archaic I am and how I am shifting gears.  Below is a picture of a book weight.  You plop the weight on the book to keep it open while you are reading, or in my case, while I am copying out a reference passage.

         This morning while typing out a passage, the book didn’t stay open and I instantly grabbed my smart phone and plunked it on the book to keep the page open. 

         First I smiled to myself and then I felt a bit sad.  Just think of all the book weights that will never be used again or purchased as gifts for book lovers.

         Just an observation that even antique me, is embracing technology differently.  I bet you are too.