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| (Picture courtesy of http://tech.co) |
Gadgets, don’t we love ‘em? But how
many of us realise when buying the phone, the ipad, and the camera, just how
much charging up we have to do. The other day I did a count:
Three house phones
Two mobile phones
Two computers
Three cameras
Two iPads
One Kindle
One DVD player
One electric shaver
Battery charger
That’s an awful lot of charging to
do at the end of the day
Everything else, apart from one
item, is either plug in-electricity or battery:
Four radios
Cool air fan
Washing Machine
Dishwasher
Can opener
Cooker
Microwave
Radio alarm
Two printers
Broadband unit
Remote disc drive
Four clocks
Two fridges
One freezer
Electric iron
Vacuum cleaner
Hairdryer
Gas fire
Which goes to show our heavy
reliance on services.
Would I have it any other way? No
sir! Gone are the days of being a slave to the home. Gone is the nightmare of laundry,
copper boilers and those dreadful wringers, outdoor drying if the weather was
good or indoor drying by the fire, damp air causing chest complaints, and
ceaseless ironing. No more bathing in cold rooms, or daily shopping for fresh
food, walking to school or work, shovelling coal, scrubbing or polishing
floors, pumice stones, Cardinal polish and chimney sweeps.
Some say ‘those were the days’ ... I
beg to differ. Those were most definitely NOT the days one would wish to live
through again.
But what WAS good about the old days
was that people were friendlier. Neighbours were allies instead of enemies,
nobody turned down a request for a cup of sugar or half a loaf. Just try asking
neighbours for the loan of a pinch of salt nowadays. There were fewer
neighbourbood arguments, more helping hands. If there was a crisis, neighbours
moved in to help, unlike present times when neighbours often don’t even know
your name.
It did me good to reminisce, it made
me grateful for what I have ... and all brought on because I have to charge a
few gadgets.
See NOTE FOR THE DAY at the top of the sidebar
Goodness...you are more of a gadget freak that I am, and I'm in the gadget biz. I bow to your superior collection of whats-its and doo-dads!
ReplyDeleteGood morning, Herman. I bet if you looked round you'd find a few more whats-its and doo-dahs to add to your list...grins.
ReplyDeleteYou're so right with you observations.
ReplyDeleteI'm not quite so charger dependent as yourself (No ipads, only one camera)but the number we have to transport when changing location means we cannot fly with just hand luggage and take them with us. I've just added to our current compliment of plug-ins with a charger for the new cordless hedge trimmer - not that this needs to fly with us.
Oh wow--that made me think. And yes, there's a whole lotta things that have to be plugged in Cameras!! ....LOL..came to my brain first thing, mostly cuz I detest cell phones, of which there are three.....*sigh* Oh and you're right about the interpersonal skills of human beings that have diminished in the more recent years. Maybe THEIR batteries need a good charging, eh?
ReplyDeletesmiles...there are days i lament the use of the cell phone and the thought that comes with it that people should be able to reach me at any time...just saying but i def love my connection to people around the world...smiles...
ReplyDeleteIt's true...we DO have a lot of gadgets. But I have to tell you, I just LOVED when I was able to hang clothes to dry on the line outside. Nothing like that smell of sunshine on the sheets!
ReplyDeleteHi Elliot ... *grinning* are you sure you couldn't find a use for the hedge trimmer when you go away?
ReplyDeleteGood idea, Mel. I wonder where the plug is to recharge the neighbours...lol.
ReplyDeleteSaturdays at our house is crazy - all the grandchildren's iPads need charging at once!
ReplyDeleteI agree with you about 'the good old days' Valerie. :)
Brian, I feel we can't do without modern technology no matter what we think about it. Actually, I like it, it's fun and at my age I need all the fun I can get.... grins.
ReplyDeletePat, I have just bought a rotary drier.... that says it all...lol.
ReplyDeleteWe must get a huge Rotary Dryer attached to a generator so we can create electricity to do all this charging.Our very own wind farm.Best of all times then!
ReplyDeleteI have a mass of cords piled up around my chair, that is testament to all of our gadgets. I agree I don't want to go back.
ReplyDeleteWow, Pearl. Do you have your own generator... grins.
ReplyDeleteLoL Joe. I await the changes with interest!!
ReplyDeleteA mass, BC? Hope you don't electrify the chair!
ReplyDeleteGreat post Valerie. Every time we get away I am the keeper of the chargers and always do a double check to see that they have been packed. We are well and truly spoiled by today's gadgetry. And I love them ;)
ReplyDeleteSometimes even I have to be charged in the morning. It's called my a.m. cup of coffee.
ReplyDeleteIt's really nice not having to beat clothes on rocks before washing them in the stream.
Except that's where you had your best neighborly chats; sitting amongst the rocks.
In my day we drew pictures of one another instead of using a camera.
Great post ...
ReplyDeleteyes, we are slaves to technology..
no going back !!
An extremely thoughtful post, Valerie! We certainly have an easier life though you've had it a little harder than me. I remember my nana using a wringer washing machine and boiling up copper kettles. You don't look like you could possibly be of that era. We no doubt have become an impersonal society.
ReplyDeleteGotta love the gadgets, Val, but I do wish things were a little more simpler like they were back in the day as you mentioned. But hey if it was not for one of those gadgets I would not have met you. =)
ReplyDeleteTake care of yourself.