Tech

I seem to resist making my life easier. Back in the Seventies, I stubbornly refused to get a microwave. I eventually " gave in" and purchased one around 1978, about 8 years after they became mainstream. Why? I guess part of the answer is ignorance - not understanding the science and technology behind it. Part of the answer is laziness; I thought the new development would be "difficult" to use. What would I do without that time saving device? In retrospect this all seems silly, but I keep resisting many new tech items. I just got an IPad and my first smart phone in the last six months. They are ridiculously convenient, but I had convinced myself that I didn't need them. Well, I don't NEED them, but I sure realize that they make a lot more sense than a stationary computer and a land line with an answering machine. (We still have a land line, however.)I know quite a few people who do not have cell phones. I have a close friend who not only does not have a cell phone, she doesn't have any kind of computer! She is a retired teacher, and she feels she has lived this long without those "nuisances", and insists that she will avoid " buying into the idea " that she needs them now. I love her dearly, but I'm glad that I live in a first world country. Nevertheless, I don't feel I must get the newest phone or tablet or big screen TV available, but I do think it's important to be part of the 21st Century.(One trend truly annoys me though - continually texting when you are with other people.)I admit that video games are daunting to me, but the graphics and developments are outstanding; I relate better to pinball( and a long time ago "Blazing Dragons").My son can play instruments, but he creates electronic music, now. He couldn't have done that very well 15 years ago. When I was growing up, we only had a black and white tv. I don't think my dad bought a color tv until I was a teenager - yes they were readily available.What we were missing! It's like today; why wouldn't you want cable and Hi Def? Yet I still don't have 3D.... Also, I love books. I love the smell and feel of them, and I am a frequent reader, so, of course, I resisted getting a Kindle.My Kindle is soooooo convenient, I don't lug a bunch of books around ; they are all stored nicely in one little device, thank you very much.I still can read a hard cover book if I choose. Why does anything have to be either/or? It can be both....Check off another way of making my life easier. Could I survive without all this tech ? Yes, of course. After all,I grew up before this stuff was created.I never had the use of a computer as a student; heck, I didn't even have a simple calculator. But new tech WILL be created, and I certainly plan to take advantage of these advancements, but I will probably continue to come late to the party so to speak. Science and technology are growing exponentially, and although I may never be in the fast lane with it all, I don't want to be stuck on the side of the road.Old dogs can learn new tricks if they try. I'm a senior citizen; I'm not dead.I have heard that people over 30 are technology immigrants , and people under 30 are technology natives, and many people over 55 are tech illiterate. It is difficult to learn a new language ( e.g., techeese- I made that word up), but it's not impossible. My son and daughter have grown up with computers, etc., as an integral part of their lives; I haven't. I don't want to be a pioneer in the wilderness or a hermit. "No man is an island." And on that note, let's hope the post-apocalyptic stories remain science fiction.(BTW,stream- of - consciousness thought - have you read the book "The Road" - fabulous and the movie is equally so.) I thank technology for my blog, my emails with attachments, FB, my digital photography.... Etc.which reminds me.... In 1962, we were in the family car, a 1959 Plymouth without AC, driving across Death Valley....improvements are good...just saying....