Technology!!!

So, it's been a minute or two since I've been here. My life is hopefully slowing down a bit, so I am hoping to get back to regular blogging. Bear with me, it remains to be seen how this goes!

I am constantly bombarded by the need to stretch my technical skills, which I just proved by having to locate my blogsite so I could keep blogging on the same platform. And just a few minutes ago by having to set up a group text and then add someone. And a couple hours ago by having to access information online and the suggestion of downloading a QR code!  

After all this, I ranted to Mike about having to stretch the limits of my technical skills, and ended by asking, "And do I really even want to?" Well, the answer to that question is a resounding NO, but then I think of the future and realize that it's not even a reasonable option to just ignore technology. It wouldn't be long before I couldn't even access anything online, let alone interact online.

It wouldn't be all bad to be off some things online. I could probably get rid of a few of my time-waster games, except for Words with Friends. Sudoku, and recently VitaMahjong (because, according to the ads, I would lose IQ points if I didn't play at least 30 minutes a day). Facebook has gotten so bogged down with ads and stuff I just scroll by that it takes forever to find my friends amongst the garbage, although I may have figured some of that out. And besides, I add content that I want people to see, both in my business and in my personal blog. 

 

I rely on several sites to pay bills and conduct financial business. The problem is that each site requires a password, that is never secure enough according to the site, some with mandatory upper and lower case letters, numbers and special characters. And now they are sending a verification code as an added layer of security. Enter the password book, and heaven forbid I ever lose it! 

Shopping for groceries is becoming more technical, if you want to take advantage of the promotions. In Arizona we shopped at a grocery store that had online weekly ads, complete with online coupons. I finally got fairly proficient at "clipping" the coupons and was finally able to get the discounted price at least half the time! Unfortunately, Mike and I have both mastered Amazon and seem to place way too many orders. The only glitch that we seem to have had is getting our address changed from the Arizona address to the Nebraska address. But I am happy to report that we got that done without a hitch this year. Maybe there's hope!

One thing that has baffled me is that QR code thing. I am amazed and embarrassed at the number of pictures I have of QR codes amongst my photos. Apparently you don't actually take a picture of it but just wait for it to scan? I'm still trying to master that technology.

Recently I decided I needed a fitness tracker in the form of a wristwatch. It tracks my steps just fine, records my blood pressure, maybe a bit lower than my blood pressure monitor, but it is certainly encouraging to see those low numbers! It measures my blood oxygen and heart rate, which is irrelevant to me for the most part. But....if you want the actual time and date (which is basic watch information) you have to pair the watch to your phone. So I took the plunge and got started, doing fine until it asked for my phone's login and password. My best guess thus far is that I probably need to find the box my phone came in and see if that information is in the box. I had no idea this was going to involve so much technology!

Some days I tempted to just pitch the phone all together, but since we disconnected our landline, this would leave me incommunicado. And I have become accustomed to a few of the advantages of cell phones. Yesterday I crocheted a project from a YouTube video. I have a Pinterest account that I filled with recipes, crochet patterns, and all sorts of ideas on various topics, with many more ideas that I haven't even searched out yet. Email, which was revolutionary a few years ago and has become less common these days, still manages to give me 100+ emails each day, about 5 which might be something besides trash. But I depend on those few emails each day to keep abreast of news and information that I find interesting. I tune in to several podcasts on a regular basis such as church when we miss attending, music of several genres, and healthy living podcasts that I always get a lot of good, and easily ignored, tips for healthy living.

And my laptop..........! It seems to reinvent itself each time it takes it upon itself to update. What used to work one way now works a different way. A document that I used to have in a certain place is now located elsewhere, but where? My computer no longer seems to read my digital camera, probably because the camera is outdated. 

I remember when Mike's grandmother realized the digital age had passed her up quite a few years ago. She lost her ability to do things on her own. I specifically remember the day she asked me to find her a Sears catalog so she could shop for some new curtains. Turns out Sears no longer publishes a physical catalog; it is all online. She didn't have a computer or a Wi-Fi connection or any knowledge of how to maneuver through a website, so she never got her new curtains. We tried to help her but, even with our help, she just couldn't wrap her mind around it. 

So this is why I am trying to convince myself to soldier on through technology. It's not going to go away, and I hopefully have a few more years to live, and I want to stay connected in this world. Yes, I want to do the simple things like crochet and learn new ways of cooking and grow a garden and raise plants, but I find myself using technology to learn and find new and better ideas for doing the things I enjoy. 

So, on that note, I will charge my fitness tracker and once again attempt to pair it to my phone. I will charge my Kindle so I can read (because physical books have such small print). And I will try to quit resisting change and grow into a new age along with the rest of the world.