It may be overwhelming at times, but the technology bus
is still careening down the freeway. And with more information, from medical
records to local news; plus an increasing number of services, from online
banking to Fred Meyer coupons, migrating to the Internet, there is a national
effort to get everyone connected to the Internet whether through a phone company,
cable company or a local provider such as Qnect.
But getting on this bus can be both expensive and
confusing as demonstrated by a recent situation I encountered.
My wife’s parents are active and living in their own home,
but they feel, like many, that for their own safety they need a cellphone in
case of emergencies away from home. But their Tracfone no longer works. I quickly saw this as
an opportunity to show them the advantages of a smartphone that can tell time,
check the weather, watch videos and practically walk the dog, compared to their
Tracfone which is, well, so one dimensional and boring.
So we went to a Verizon store to check out prepaid
devices. But after finding that the cheapest prepaid plan was four times more
expensive than their Tracfone; and more importantly, realizing they didn’t want
a smartphone that could run their lives, it was clear the “dumb” Tracfone was
the most sensible option for them.
But this experience raises the question, do we all have
to have a smartphone? Do we all have to be connected to the Internet? Does everyone have to get on the bus? Maybe
the “dumb” phone, the television set and paper and pencil is all many folks
really do need.
Unfortunately, it will become increasingly likely that
you will need something that is best found on the Internet. And for those
occasional times, you can always call the Center for assistance. We have helped
many already and can help you find the information or access the services you
need.
So if you don’t want to get on the bus of ever changing
technology, we will ride it for you and make sure it stops when you need it.
There is nothing like a wildfire to get you thinking
about emergency preparedness. At the Center you will find the Red Cross resource
guide Prepare that has valuable information
about how to prepare for emergencies. It is particularly important for
individuals who have mobility or health issues to plan ahead because disasters can
strike at any time. You can also find the resource guide online at www.redcross.org/cascades.
For
all of our faithful Saturday Breakfast friends, there will not be a Saturday
Breakfast in August. The Center volunteers have been so busy this summer, we decided
to give them a break. But there will be a September breakfast on September 20th
sponsored on behalf of the AARP Smart Driver Program. The Smart Driver course
is offered every month on the third Monday and Tuesday from 9:00 – 12:00.
The
five vowels have returned from there foray into the unknown, but before their
return two consonants left searching for them. See if you can determine which
consonants are missing and where you can probably find them.
Truman
will be playing his *ountry Gol* at the *enter on Tues*ay August 19th starting
at 7:00 PM. The *oors open at 6:00 an* the musi* keeps rolling from 7:00 until
9:00. *onations are appre*iate* an* everyone is wel*ome. An* this Sun*ay, it is
time for the Jammers’ monthly gig at the *enter from 2:00 to 5:00. It’s free
and there will be pie and i*e *ream for sale.
The
name of the play-by-play announcer known as the “Voice of the New York Yankees”
was Mel Allen. (And the winner of a free Saturday Breakfast is Tiiu Vahtel.)
During
the lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer, sometimes it’s nice to just sit back and
read a good “hard boiled” mystery. But before Lee Child’s Jack Reacher, there
was Raymond Chandler who at the age of 51 wrote his first novel The Big Sleep which was published in
1939 and adapted to the big screen in 1946 starring Humphrey Bogart and Lauren
Bacall. For this week’s “Remember When” question, who was the tough, wise
cracking and hard drinking private detective in the Big Sleep as well as Chandler’s other mystery novels? E-mail your
answer to mcseniorcenter@gmail.com, call 541-296-4788 or drop it off with two
cocktail glasses filled with ½ lime juice and ½ gin.
Well,
it’s been another week trying to be part of the solution and not the problem. Until
we meet again, there comes a time when keeping score no longer matters.
No comments:
Post a Comment