Ok so maybe I didn't grow up with an outhouse for a bathroom. And we did have running water. We even eventually had an ice maker! But we did survive several years without a phone. When we did get a phone, it was on a line shared with several other households and called a 'party line'. We made coffee in a percolator on the stove; relied on road maps to get us where we were going and actually had to get up and walk to the TV to change between the 3 and sometimes 4 channels we got. It was a more simple time in some ways. And my kids consider those times the dark ages. Sometimes I kinda agree with them!
Last night a text came in that started me thinking about all the newfangled gadgets that I absolutely love. Sometimes I am amazed (and even embarrassed) at my reliance on my cell phone. It does everything from keeping me connected to my family to giving me directions to reminding me of appointments to keeping my grocery list to timing my 5ks.
That text last night, though, was something special. It was started by one of our sons who is at a conference almost 9 hours away. He was eating at Rainforest Cafe' and wanted to share a picture of it with us all. That got the ball rolling. It was almost like enjoying a meal around the family table as we each voiced our opinions and attempted to make the others laugh. Six people. Four different locations. Family conversation. Newfangled. Priceless.
As I type this on my laptop computer, not my manual typewriter, I drink delicious coffee made in a matter of seconds in our Keurig. And by the time I finish this one cup of coffee, I will be ready to post this blog on the internet instead of placing it in paper form in a large manilla envelope and mailing it to a publisher hoping it will be published.
Another amazing newfangled gadget that I love is the DVR. As I have said before, I have a very short attention span most of the time. My family can attest to the fact that I regularly walk out while a movie is being watched on TV and go take care of some urgent task that has popped up in my mind. Many times they have stopped the movie and waited for me to return because they know that, when I get back, I will be asking them what I missed. But I also use the DVR to record and watch shows that my family thinks are goofy. I must admit, I've come to understand their frustrations with me though. While watching those recordings (usually 30 minute sitcoms with the commercials cut out) I find my mind wondering and I have to replay what I've daydreamed thru!
I know there are drawbacks to some of these gadgets. Like phones that can't get signal or the price of Keurig K-cups. And I guess the biggest drawback to the DVR is when a certain someone watches a football game and replays the instant replays, in slow motion, frame by frame, analyzing every move of every player. But I wouldn't trade last night's family text for anything right now.
Just finished my cup of coffee. Perfect timing.
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