Thursday 26 September 2013

Was Life Ever Simple?

    My apologies to any reader/follower who has commented on my blog but received no reply. I do not mean to be rude. But I am finding it more and more difficult to do so. You used to merely click and reply. Now I cannot always follow the instructions as to what is required. Is it me or is life getting harder for us 'old uns'?
    What was my introduction to technology? Listening to the 'wireless' after the war I reckon. Vick Oliver, Ted Ray, Al Read and the like. All for sixpence, the price of exchange for a recharged accumulator at the post office. Television in the 1950's, black and white picture 9-12 inches. (Next door, there was noway my mother could have afforded a 'tele'.) Listening to vinyl records (78.s 33's, 45's on a record player. (Again I never owned one of my own.) Then cassettes crept in but I'm not sure when. Mind you juke boxes seem to have been around forever.
    There were no computers around when I was at school. Nor too many computers when I was teaching. Many teachers only half knew what they were doing when they crept in, how long ago was it? Now the technology is everywhere; unavoidable, dominating, frightening. I understand only a tiny fraction of it all. (My four year old grandson is a wonder on these games thingymesgigs they all seem to have.) I find modern life tantalisingly difficult. Again, is it just me, everyone else seems so clever!
    I do not own a mobile phone. I thought for years they were a 'walking aid' without which movement was difficult, nay impossible. I have recently bought a car fitted with a 'Bluetooth system'. What the hell am I supposed to do with it? I see my grandchildren with iPods or is it iPads. I am typing this post on my recently acquired Apple Mac computer. Very very difficult which is why we are going for lessons!
I wrote an ebook concerning my life (A Childhood Revisited available on Kindle/Amazon.) Some people think that proves I am computer literate. Not true at all, I have good friends who help me out. (M
y wife will finish off this post by putting in the 'Labels' etc.)
    My son in law Jeff is a world rated photographer. If you have a moment look him up, his wedding photographs in particular are wonderful. (Jeff Ascough.com) My daughter Sarah is a major part of the business. What shocked me was what a seriously important, time consuming  part of the business Facebook plays. The time involved is phenomenal. I know virtually nothing concerning Facebook but I do realise it is a force to be reckoned with. ( Since I have been incapacitated I have seen much of 'Jeremy Kyle' on the television. What a sad human being I have become!) It is a programme concerning people with problems. It is sinisterly amazing how many times Facebook is mentioned. Facebook has much to answer for.
I have a Twitter account, which someone set me up but I can't really get the hang of it. They tell me blogging is in decline. Evidently Twittering is increasing at blogging's expense. (I reckon Twittering is for people who can write one sentence, often badly but no more!) There are some amazing blogs around. My puny efforts are basic in the extreme. I feel I am hanging on by my fingernails. But then I look back and marvel as to how many 'names', famous in their day are no longer with us. So its onward ever onward whilst ever someone wishes to read my geriatric ramblings. Now I'm going for a lie down!

12 comments:

Nota Bene said...

I suspect life is only complicated to the generation before the young ones...and eventually they too will become the generation before the young ones....

Grumpy Old Ken said...

High
Now it will be interesting if this gets through. Yours was one I couldn't puzzle out.
Ken

Helen Devries said...

I was looking for something which could get wifi internet and make 'phone calls for my husband whose hands are semi paralysed.
Can any of these hi tech sales bods get me what I want?
No!

They chunter on about ice cream sandwichs, bluetooth and whatnot when all I want to know is - is the thing they are trying to flog me going to do what I want.

Bernard said...

"I have recently bought a car fitted with a 'Bluetooth system'. What the hell am I supposed to do with it?"
Well Ken, if you can manage to lift the 849 page manual in 16 different languages - and successfully locate the section with 498 symbols/icons, you may if you lucky find a few words in 'Google-translated' Chinenglish, which tries to explain how to turn it on! After that you will need to search for instructions on how to turn it off!
The 'player' in my car performs two functions. Gives me Radio 4 when I turn it on and plays a CD when I poke one in the slot.
I like to keep things simple. :)
Cheers.....Bernard

Troy said...

It's funny - I had just checked back on another blog where I had left a comment and had had no reply. I was thinking whether it was worth the effort commenting on blogs where without response/dialogue. Then I clicked on your blog (saved in favourites) and it was as if you had read my mind.
Things are complicated - they seemed to be getting more intuitive but more recently that trend has reversed. My new mobile phone is perfect example - my 12 year old needs to help me use it!
On a different topic, I guess last night's football 4-4 draw was a game a little out of the ordinary? (See how my comment draws you into a dialogue?)

Bitchy said...

I reply just to let you know that what you write inspires me or makes me think in one way or another. I never expect an answer but I thank for them.
I think writing itself is a dying form as not many people do this any more. I have never recieved a thank you letter for any gifts I send. I always wrote them to show the people who sent them that I received them and apperate them. They now have this other lanague known as texting. lol, EWG ttyl, js...all letters that should have meaning... I am hopeing there is a class that will teach me what all this means but find all those classes are in another lanuage also. I am by no means old (YET) but I also feel like some times I just do not get it.

Grumpy Old Ken said...

Nota

You don't half sound wise at the side of me at times!

Helen
I know exactly what you mean. But at least you are trying!

Bernard. Brilliant! But you've far more idea than me!T

Grumpy Old Ken said...

Troy
You are streets ahead of me. Under Labour we are all going to get free new brain under the National Health!
Re the football, isn't life strange, here we go again! I feel quite optimistic!!!

Bitchy

Keep going! Im just going now to look at your blog. See, its worth commenting!

rhymeswithplague said...

Keep writing, Ken! I have been blogging for just over six years now. I hope you are wrong that blogging is declining and Twitter is on the upswing, but I suppose it is true.

Human Growth Hormone Houston said...

I like it when individuals come together and share ideas. Great blog, keep it up!

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