Technology...
I know it is bound to happen. I can't stand it. I'm already lagging, and I don't want to be left in the dust. But I try really hard to keep up with technology's evolution. Not just the surface stuff, but the inner workings of computers, phones and other devices. I follow the stock market and tech news feeds, I track what chips and parts Mac, Android and PC makers are using, and yes, it could be a full time job to keep up with the progression of technology. Not that I think I need to do that, but I just dread the day when my kids have to tape the instructions on the back of a remote control for the TV to remind me how to use it. The competition in this field is fierce, and that's just all the better for us, in my opinion. Maybe it affects the price and keeps tech companies contesting each other and viable. I'm not saying tech is cheap, because, and maybe it's just where I live, but I hardly think I get what I am paying for. (improper use of a preposition at the end of a sentence, duly noted -- did I tell you my sister, the English teacher, gave me permission to write in my own voice?)
There is a place for social media in all of this, but I'm not sure anyone knows what it is. It means something different to everyone. Where some people use it as an immediate place for discussion of an ending of a show or series, others realize that others have not watched it yet. For instance, when a movie plot or TV series gets spoiled for me, it's a bummer. Could be a different time zone, could be that I DVR'd it -- whatever the reason, I just avoid the computer or phone if it is something that really matters to me. Like Miss America. That one is kind of sacred. Not Miss U.S.A., not Miss Universe, not Miss World -- Miss America. The original. Or the season finale for Mad Men. And I know this makes me a heathen, but, Breaking Bad. That show is crazy.
The realization of how technology driven our world is, came to me the other night when I sat down in the living room and saw no less than seven remote control devices sitting on the table beside me. No duplicates! And there is a drawer across the room for the duplicate ones, like the standard tv remote, which can be combined with both the satellite remote and the cable remote, so it is rarely needed. These seven were ones that we use all the time! There was the satellite, the cable, the Surround Sound, the DVD player, the Apple TV remote -- I don't even touch those other two, because I've told you I live with boys who just tell me to stay away from stuff that I don't understand. That's why I can't lose my grip on technology. Am I being shamed into learning and keeping up? I'm not forced, but I am being influenced and feel compelled to keep up. And that was just the living room! Walk into any other room, and the challenge is the same. Three in the bedrooms, two in the kitchen, four on the back porch, and the home theater -- I feel a sense of accomplishment if I can successfully turn the thing on. There is even a screen with wi-fi on the elliptical machine. Ridiculous, seriously. But, hey, so far I can do it.
These are my favorite technology websites. I'm on a quest to stay young and informed. Just let me pretend, k?
