Buy it, Use it, Break it, Fix it
Technology surrounds us. Phones always in our reach, live videos, speakers we can talk to, videos that project into thin air and thermostats that know when we’re not home. As great as these perks are, Einstein said it best when he stated technology will create a generation of idiots – I say this as I stare at my other laptop, iPad and iPhone sitting on my coffee table so what does that say about me?
This week my brother was telling me about how much chaos his Bluetooth speakers in his house were causing. He hopes the system will play music inside, outside and on different levels of the house, but not necessarily at the same time. I remember my parents having one CD player that could hold six CDs and we thought that was a big deal.
With technology has come the ability to stream – who has time for live TV with commercials? I can barely sit through the 6 second YouTube advertisements. Chris Rock has a Stand Up Comedy Special on Netflix. He shared what he’s gone through with his divorce after being married for 16 years. He mentioned that in those 16 years he communicated with his wife more than his parents had after 40 years of marriage. His father would go to work and would not speak with his mother until he arrived home that evening – in today’s world, if the other person did not respond for a whole day, they would be getting a “k” text or a passive aggressive gif.
I would be lying if I said I didn’t enjoy watching movies for free, video chatting with friends, playing my music with zero cords and teaching an iPad class to seniors.
In Are You Afraid of Affection, I watched a couple feel each other up. Today, I couldn’t feel my feet.
Thursday is my favourite day of the week for three reasons: it’s Thirsty Thursday, it is the day I post on this blog and it’s the day I teach an iPad class to the residents.
When we first began the program, I had a session plan for each week. You know, how to search the web, how to send emails, how to download games and how to online date (I truly do have a resident who is online dating), but it was after the 5th time of teaching the residents how to take a photo that I realized planning for the program was not necessary. I also just realized the amount of unattractive photos they all have of me now.
One afternoon I was teaching everyone how to send photos to his/her loved ones via email. I thought it would be a quick lesson, but I thought wrong. It was clear that I was going to be there for a while, so I sat down on the floor and asked the participants to place his/her iPad on the coffee table. Without thinking I sat on the back of my legs…
After an hour of clicking the same buttons, we had successfully sent three photos to family members. Three. I decided that was a success and ended the program. I went to stand up and it seemed my feet had fallen asleep during the lesson (just like one of the residents). Before I could react, my knees buckled and I was going back down.
Never fear, the 92 year old resident who was sitting on her four wheeled WALKER, reached out to catch me. I was able to grab the coffee table instead so thankfully I did not crush the little lady.
She may not remember what I had just taught her on the iPad, but she sure remembers that day.
