Photo courtesy of K. Farwell
All of the sudden I feel driven to write. I have been involved in caring for my father these past two weeks, and multiple thoughts are racing through my mind trying to erupt. I find now that I am home I am perceiving things differently. Things I once took for granted seem unnecessary to me or at least somewhat strange and irritating. I just saw an interview of a person who is working on developing a robot programmed to think/become/be like a loved one so that death is “conquered.” I found it a bit creepy. The robotic voice would never remind me of a loved one—-and I will never believe a soul can be programmed into anything. God creates souls, and I believe we will be worse than those who tried to build the tower of Babylon if we try to infuse a soul into an inanimate object by programming it to respond “like a human.” I also believe it is ludicrous to think a programmed robot can overcome death. That, too, is in God’s hands.
Now, on a more personal level, since I have been gone so long I have distanced myself from technology—-and, when I tried to connect my new I-Phone to my Wi-Fi, I typed in a password when it asked for a password. Come to find out, AT&T requires a 10 digit number for that password and will accept nothing else no matter how many times you change your “password.” Not knowing that, I entered my “link all your AT&T” stuff password, and it, of course, was the wrong one. Now I am denied access and the only choice I am being given is “dismiss.” I spent about an hour on an AT&T call to internet tech support, and I followed their final best advice at the end of that conversation and turned off my I-Phone and “re-booted” it. Of course it didn’t work, so I guess I’m off to the nearest AT&T store to see what they can do. During my call to AT&T, I was told my address wasn’t in their system, and I had to remind them they sent my bills to my address—-this is just an example of the wonderful dialogue I got to enjoy during my wasted hour on the phone. I will take a bill with me to the AT&T store.
Oh, and the new I-Phone I have? It was a “forced-buy.” The old one stopped working—-literally went dead—- during the week I took care of my father in the hospital. I needed the phone to keep everyone informed about his progress. The contract still had six months to go. AT&T sold me my first one for $1.50. The lowest “new one” I could buy at the AT&T store was around $500. I’ve worked in addictions for over forty-four years, and I know pushers give or sell the first addictive drug sample to the first time buyer for next to nothing and, once they are hooked, then the price goes up and up. I now consider AT&T to be the “pusher in the sky”—-they control my phone and my internet.
Well, I’ve vented. I feel better. Now I can go visit the AT&T store to see if someone there can fix my I-Phone so it will allow me to have another chance at entering a password—–without letting my anger erupt there. I will be just another tech addict visiting my local dealer. May God bless and keep us all.
Living One Day at a Time 
Well said! I had a similar experience recently at the AT&T store. Some iPhone users believe that planned obsolescence is a key piece of Apple’s strategic plan. Check out this blog that speaks to the conspiracy theory. Hope to see you soon!
http://economix.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/10/31/planned-obsolescence-as-myth-or-reality/?_php=true&_type=blogs&_r=0
Good blog—-thanks for the link!
On a more positive note, the young man at the AT&T store was quite nice and helpful; at least he got the Internet Tech people to call me at home. “October” called me at home and helped me get the new phone connected to my Wi-Fi; She was very polite, quick, and helpful.
Hi from Iceland! I’m glad you’re back with all of us out in the sky but sorry to hear about your dad. I got help beyond the call of duty from AT&T (I think at the Galleria) from here in Iceland because they were the only ones I could find a telephone number for on the web. Who would have known? Hang in there.
Thank you for your kind and supportive words.
We have been thinking and praying about you and your father. I know he has really been sick. Yes, technology can be a pain rather than a help. Last month I went to Best Buy to replace an outdated computer. I found that everything I could buy had Windows 8 on it and charged extra for Microsoft Office. Then I realized my “outdated” computer was a whole lot better than the new stuff out there, so I paid $90 to Velosity to clean it out and I am better off. And voice mail? As they say, don’t get me started…
I have a brand new computer in my office that sits unused because I cannot adapt to Windows 8. I still use this laptop because it has a system that is functional. I was told my old desk top computer was beyond repair; so I had to jump on the “progress wagon” and purchase one with Windows 8 with the end result that I and my progressive computer stalled.