Thursday, October 4, 2018

A Lesson Learned



by Fran McNabb

NOTE: Posts on the first Thursday of the month are usually written by Victoria Johnson. She has asked me to fill in for the October, November and December blogs. I am honored to help her out.

Technology is a wonderful thing. I keep telling myself that even when it drives me completely insane. I love my computer and am on it way too much. My old computer is trying to go out so I bought another one and have yet to conquer all the differences. Being "untechy" and not wanting to deal with getting my new computer ready to use, I look at it, close it, and go back to my old computer and decide I’ll deal with the new one later.

Phones can be just as frustrating. While on vacation in Fort Lauderdale, I woke up one morning to find my phone completely dead even though it had been plugged in all night. I panicked.  I was expected at my DIL’s house and had no way to contact her except from the hotel lobby phone, but once I got there I realized I didn’t know her cell phone number nor anyone else’s except my husband’s. He was on a boat in the Atlantic fishing and I knew he was skeptical about answering a number he didn’t know. Luckily the lady at the front desk let me use a phone and my husband answered and had my son text his wife.

Long story, short, it took three hours for my DIL and I to figure out it was my charger gone bad and not my phone. That was a relief, but in the process I learned a lesson. Today we take for granted the ease at which the computer, the internet, and cell phones make our lives so much better, but I think we rely on them way too much. I made a vow to write down all of my important contacts and their cell numbers in case something like this happened again. We no longer have telephone books for cell phone numbers nor do most of us memorize phone numbers. (Gosh, I still remember the 7-digit phone numbers of my childhood friends.) I feel much more connected knowing I can rely on a paper list of my important contacts. Do you have one?

Now that I have my phone working again, a list of emergency numbers stashed away in my purse, and a new computer I've almost conquered, I can sit back and enjoy this tech-21st Century and pretend I understand it and am part of it!

 
FRAN MCNABB grew up along the Gulf Coast and writes sweet romances sometimes set along the coast. Her newest book, A SOLDIER’S HONOR http://a.co/d/cJ6y5U8, is set on the Gulf Coast as well. She and her husband live on a bayou harbor and enjoy the activities and beauty of the water. 
Visit Fran at www.FranMcNabb.com

6 comments:

  1. I'm off today to man a booth at Cruisin' the Coast where thousands of Cruisers enjoy a week of antique cars. I won't be able to check this blog until tonight, but I hope some of you who read this will leave a message. Would love to know how you handle phone numbers today.

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  2. I remember this day well! I dont even know Toms phone number! I know my moms and my office's and that is it. I am making a list of numbers today!! Love ya!

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    1. Yes, I so appreciated you're putting up with me for half the day until we figured out the problem. I just remember how funny it was to find all of those addresses of buildings being torn down.

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  3. I absolutely have to have a paper list of things that are really important to me. I also keep an old-fashioned paper calendar. Glad you and your DIL were able to figure out your problem. If nothing else, our gadgets keep us humble.

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    1. Sandy, you are so right. Our gadgets do keep us humble. Seems all too often, I'm facing obstacles because I don't understand something with some gadget. Thanks for stopping by.

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  4. Hi Fran--
    Thank you for your wonderful post and great reminder. I rely too much on technology to keep important data for me. When my husband and I moved to Germany we were crippled for the few months until we got internet service!
    Victoria--

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