Waiting for me



Tines up



A few weeks back in my LetsBlogOff  Post Things that make me go hmmmm post I mentioned a moment while unloading my dishwasher that made me pause.  I know you all have been waiting with baited breath what that could have possibly have been. 



Tines down



While unloading my plates from the bottom rack of the dishwasher one seemed stuck.  This is one of the robotic chores so I wasn’t paying much attention.  I pulled and it became unstuck and I put the plate away.  Turning back to the dishwasher I thought I broke the tines that hold the plates in place because they were all flat.  Looking more closely I saw what looked like hinges so I started moving the section back and forth.  Hey look at that after 8 years of owning this dishwasher I learned that the sections can fold flat for large pots or bowls.  Wow did I feel stupid. 

Later in the day as I was logging on to the internet I automatically clicked no to the same message that has been popping up for the last 9 months.  No I do not want to learn more about Explorer 8 at this time but I will later.  Later…9 months…how much longer can I keep hitting the no button?

Those two incidents happening within a few hours apart made me realize I am not very good learning about new items that I purchase.  I learn just enough to let me do what I need to and then I stop.  Why do I do that?  I pay a lot of money for these items why don’t I learn the full potential of what they can do for me?

Part of the reason is because I really dislike that all tutorials and instructions are now online.  I like to thoroughly look through a manual and typically I jump back and forth between sections to understand a direction.  Online instructions make that more difficult.  Also I don’t have an iPad and lugging my laptop around can be a pain whereas a manual, depending on its size, is relatively easy to carry.   Time is another reason but it is an issue everyone has.

I am not sure quite how to solve this issue as I look around my home and office and realize all the items that I know just a smidgeon about but at least I learned something new about the dishwasher.

Chime in

Yesterday morning about 10 minutes into driving to work I thought I heard a chime coming from my car.  After a few minutes I thought it must have come from the radio because when I turned the sound down the chiming stopped.  Last night the same thing happened.  I listen to NPR and sometimes they replay the same report so I chalked it up to that.

This morning the chime sounded again so obviously it must be coming from my car but why.  I started checking my gauges and lights all normal and green.  My head is spinning with thoughts like should I still be driving it, how much is this going to cost me, will I have to rent a car while it is in the shop, etc etc.  Out of the corner of my eye I see a flash of green.  My odometer is flashing a message at me: low wash. 

My first reaction was one of relief…low wash I can handle that.   My second reaction was how bizarre.  My car is wired to chime at me to get my attention and then flash a message through my odometer.  I have heard of this happening in the new cars but mine is a 2002 Jeep Liberty, hardly new.  Personally I don’t think the odometer is the best choice for sending me a message.  I only look at it when I think about oil changes and if I am using my personal car for work to track mileage.   And let’s face it the message wasn’t all that important.

This brings me to the realization that there is a new basic.  I can no longer buy what I would consider a basic model TV, radio, car, or any appliance really.  When I went shopping for a new TV 10 years ago I wanted a basic model.  I don’t have kids so gaming is not important.  I don’t watch 2 channels at the same time.  What the salesperson considered basic and I considered basic were very different.  Now I look at my very large TV and think gosh I would love a flat screen TV if only because they take up so little room.  Then I think of the hours of research that I would do to try and make sure I bought the best model and that stop in my tracks.  No time and no need, my current TV works fine thank you.

A friend’s husband recently bought a new car that allows for better gas mileage.  The basic model included electric locks which “back in my day” used to be considered a grand luxury.  

Technology allows each generation to have it a little easier, quicker, and more comfortable.  I try to keep up, really, but today I was forced to admit that perhaps technology has surpassed me.