OT but really quite true for people in the over 60 group !!!

Topics Last Day Last Week Tree View    Getting Started Formatting Troubleshooting Program Credits    New Messages Keyword Search Contact Moderators Edit Profile Administration
Model T Ford Forum: Forum 2013: OT but really quite true for people in the over 60 group !!!
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Ross Benedict - Calgary, Alberta on Monday, May 27, 2013 - 10:37 am:

When I bought my smart phone, I thought about the 30-year business I ran with 1800 employees, all without a cell phone that plays music, takes videos, pictures and communicates with Facebook and Twitter. I signed up under duress for Twitter and Facebook, so my seven kids, their spouses, my 13 grand kids and 2 great grand kids could communicate with me in the modern way. I figured I could handle something as simple as Twitter with only 140 characters of space.

My phone was beeping every three minutes with the details of everything except the bowel movements of the entire next generation. I am not ready to live like this. I keep my cell phone in the garage in my golf bag.

The kids bought me a GPS for my last birthday because they say I get lost every now and then going over to the grocery store or library. I keep that in a box under my tool bench with the Blue tooth [it's red] phone I am supposed to use when I drive. I wore it once and was standing in line at Barnes and Noble talking to my wife and everyone in the nearest 50 yards was glaring at me. I had to take my hearing aid out to use it, and I got a little loud.

I mean the GPS looked pretty smart on my dash board, but the lady inside that gadget was the most annoying, rudest person I had run into in a long time. Every 10 minutes, she would sarcastically say, "Re-calc-u-lating." You would think that she could be nicer. It was like she could barely tolerate me. She would let go with a deep sigh and then tell me to make a U-turn at the next light. Then if I made a right turn instead. Well, it was not a good relationship...

When I get really lost now, I call my wife and tell her the name of the cross streets and while she is starting to develop the same tone as Gypsy, the GPS lady, at least she loves me.

To be perfectly frank, I am still trying to learn how to use the cordless phones in our house. We have had them for 4 years, but I still haven't figured out how I lose three phones all at once and have to run around digging under chair cushions, checking bathrooms, and the dirty laundry baskets when the phone rings.
The world is just getting too complex for me. They even mess me up every time I go to the grocery store. You would think they could settle on something themselves but this sudden "Paper or Plastic?" every time I check out just knocks me for a loop. I bought some of those cloth reusable bags to avoid looking confused, but I never remember to take them with me.

Now I toss it back to them. When they ask me, "Paper or plastic?" I just say, "Doesn't matter to me. I am bi-sacksual." Then it's their turn to stare at me with a blank look. I was recently asked if I tweet. I answered, No, but I do fart a lot."

P.S. I know some of you are not over 60. BUT, you will be one day!!

.....I figured your sense of humor could handle it.....We senior citizens don't need any more gadgets. The Model T's are about all we can handle.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By A. Gustaf Bryngelson on Monday, May 27, 2013 - 11:39 am:

A few years ago, my wife bought me an ipod shuffle, it held 250 songs, but I only know 12 so I had her load them 20 times. I have used it often, but not to listen to music, it makes a great money clip, and you do not have to recharge it to use it for a money clip.
We were the first to subscribe to a cell phone in our area, it was a great tool 25 years ago, and saved us an employee. I recently displayed it at a gun show to show the evolution of our constitutional rights, and would explain that it was one of the fist cell phones, but had a new battery, that would last for 12 hours per charge, the teen age girls would look shocked, then I would add that only if you did not talk on it, if you used it, the battery lasted about 30 minutes. I can not remember exactly, but I think it cost 33 cents a minute to talk on the cell phone then, that was in the good old days (by the way, you need to move the decimal to the right one place to compare the cost to current prices)
Best
Gus


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By keith g barrier on Monday, May 27, 2013 - 01:55 pm:

My kids say I need to send them text messages, If I'm gonna do that, I'll just write a letter and mail it. I can hardly see the phone let alone type on it! KB


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Steve Jelf, Parkerfield KS on Monday, May 27, 2013 - 02:00 pm:

I've never sent a text. When I found out I was being charged for the religious spam somebody was sending me, I had it blocked. If anybody wants to talk to me they can just call me on the phone.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By John Semprez-Templeton, CA on Monday, May 27, 2013 - 02:13 pm:

Ross you haven't loaded the BM App yet? I'm 65 and remember pay phones and Thomas maps. Ah for the good old times! I just wish my Droid had the time machine App.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Bob McDonald-Federal Way, Wa. on Monday, May 27, 2013 - 03:15 pm:

Gustaf
I still have my first cell phone. Bat. is dead and don't have the charger any more, so just gathering dust on the shelf.

Bob


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Norman T. Kling on Monday, May 27, 2013 - 03:16 pm:

Have you noticed that the older cars are more complicated to drive? Retard the spark and adjust the mixture then crank and choke. Turn the ignition and crank again. Then advance the spark and adjust the mixture again. Then push the low pedal as you push the lever forward. After you get moving push up the throttle and let the clutch out, then pull down the throttle. When you get to the stop sign, put out your arm and signal stop. Then when you make a turn put out your arm again to indicate the direction.

However, the mechanical parts of the old cars are much easier to understand and you can get to the engine by simply raising or removing the hood.

The modern car is much easier to start and drive, but what is that under the hood? I know my car has 6 spark plugs, but I have only found 3 of them. All I do on the modern car is check the fluid levels and drive it.

Everything has changed!
Norm


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Charlie B actually in Toms River N.J. on Monday, May 27, 2013 - 03:35 pm:

I agree with you on the smart phone business. I carry a cel phone that's almost just a phone. You have to see the looks on the salespeople when I renew or trade-in. Got tired of taking pics of the insides of my pockets. The GPS however is another story. I use it constantly and wouldn't be without one.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Michael Pawelek Brookshire, Texas on Monday, May 27, 2013 - 05:29 pm:

I am 59 years old and have never texted, tweeted or for that matter used a ATM machine for cash. This is what us old folks need... the rotary dial cell phone! :-)

rotary cell


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Jim Weir on Monday, May 27, 2013 - 05:39 pm:

About 8 years ago my son got Abagail and I two mobile phones. I had used it a couple of times but hadn't received a call yet. I was in the garage/shop, hooking up a Reznor type heater and fussin around in the receptacle box with a screwdriver.

The phone was in my pocket. The phone went off, and it was on ring AND vibrate. Never have found the screwdriver.

Sincerely

Jim Weir


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By A. Gustaf Bryngelson on Monday, May 27, 2013 - 07:09 pm:

Hey Bob,
I still have my first cell phone too. Notice the modern battery in it, I still have the charger out in the shop, but the battery is kaput, they did not last more than a few months, even with fully discharging them between charges.



Hey Michael,
Where can I get one of those phones? We all keep an older rotary phone for when the power goes off, as they work with the power from the telephone line with out an outside power source. A neighbour commented that his daughters could not figure out how to work his rotary when they last had it hooked up.
The last time I sent a text message, it cast me 10 new pence per word, that was when it was cheaper to telegraph than it was to telephone.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Richard Wolf on Monday, May 27, 2013 - 07:09 pm:

I've had a cell phone for 16 or 17 yrs and it has rang not many times over the yrs but I've used it many times making calls since I retired in 2000, but have never thought I really needed it other than a few times which were emergencies. The older I get the more I feel as though I should carry it. I have a land line which I use most of the time, because I can hear better on than the cell phone.
Like Steve, I've never sent a text, wouldn't know how if I had too. I got charged for some one time and ATT refunded me.
I never could understand what the hell these kids are talking about all the time, walking down the street, riding a bicycle or driving that is so important they can't wait till they get to where they are going.
Damn, I'm sounding like an old fart. LOL


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By john kuehn on Monday, May 27, 2013 - 07:12 pm:

Anybody still have their bag phone? Maybe the phone and bag also?


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Dave DeYoung on Monday, May 27, 2013 - 08:46 pm:

I still have my first brick phone sitting on a shelf. Tough as nails. I get the same looks when I mention the "simple" word to the salesperson. Then I explain to them my car of choice is the Model T. All I need it to do is make and receive calls. The rest is to impersonal for me. Plus, fat fingers and texting aint pretty.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By JohnH on Monday, May 27, 2013 - 09:01 pm:

Still using my Motorola 3300 brick here. It turns 20 this year. It makes and receives calls - all that a telephone needs to do - not transmit impersonal text messages.
I also use a Motorola transportable; the kind with handle and lead acid battery but it usually stays at home.
Things like GPS, air bags, automatic transmission, power steering, central locking, and fuel injection have no place (and never have) in any car that I've owned.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Ricks - Surf City on Monday, May 27, 2013 - 09:09 pm:

I have an antique kerosene lamp on my desk. It works as good as it ever did, but I don't use it.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By A. Gustaf Bryngelson on Monday, May 27, 2013 - 09:20 pm:

We have kerosene lamps all over the house, they are great for when the power goes off. A few years ago, we had a wide spread outage, and being close to Christmas time, I got out a generator and plugged the Christmas lights around the house into it, inside we played cards by lamp light.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Paul Mikeska, Denver CO on Tuesday, May 28, 2013 - 01:15 am:

I am the last house on the last pole of my local power feed. A couple of years ago I woke up to find that the power was out, it was 6 degrees above zero, and was snowing. I drove to the closest Loews only to find that their power was out as well. Then drove to the next Loews from my house and found that they had power. I bought a 5000 watt generator and hot footed it back home. By the time I made it back to my house the power was back on and has never gone out since. That was 8 years ago. The generator has never been used but is ready if and when I need it. I keep all of the T's full of gas over winter so that I can fill the generator if necessary. I have kerosene lamps, several Coleman Lanterns and a Coleman cook stove handy in the house if needed. So far I look like a nerd survivalist but what the heck I live in Denver and will be warm and able to cook hot meals for many days if we have a weather event.


Posting is currently disabled in this topic. Contact your discussion moderator for more information.
Topics Last Day Last Week Tree View    Getting Started Formatting Troubleshooting Program Credits    New Messages Keyword Search Contact Moderators Edit Profile Administration