Friends

13 September 2018

FRUSTRATION REIGNED



Years ago, my house was more like a set of offices, plus kitchen, bedroom and lounge. Honestly! Joe had his office and I had mine, plus mine also served as a work room in the days when craft work and writing went alongside my Women’s Institute duties. You can see that both of us needed a phone, plus one for leisure times when work was finished. The third phone stayed in the lounge and then moved to the bedroom when we got tired. How complicated some people can be!!

Anyway:

When household phones play up beyond repair there is nothing to do but replace them. Let me say here and now that the chore of setting them up was MINE. Joe would have nothing to do with it. Years ago, we thought a three-phone set was best for the two of us, because of our commitments it made sense to have phones near at all times. That was our excuse and we stuck to it - for many years. Now, though, they are no longer necessary. Surely, I thought, one phone is enough for one person. What really made me change was the fact that after a short time talking to someone on the phone everything went faint and even though my callers raised their voices it didn’t help. It’s almost like someone is saying ‘come on, it’s time to shut-up’.

Now that I am the sole phone user it seemed a waste of space to have three phones all of which contained information and phone numbers that had to be repeated when updating every phone. Too much hard graft for little me, so I treated myself to a one phone package from Amazon.

It came the next day, a service that really can’t be beaten.

I couldn’t wait to test it out.

I emptied the box, laid the various bits and pieces on the table and began to assemble my new phone. Only….

First I couldn’t read the small print on the instruction sheet
Next I couldn’t understand what bits I did read
Next I nearly threw the lot in the bin.
My temper emerged and I almost threw the damn thing across the room.

I had worked out that the base of the phone had to be charged but 16 hours seemed to bit long for a charging job. However, it had to be done. Holding the charger in one hand and the phone base in the other, I searched for a place to plug one to the other, without success.

When Joe was here I was the technician, carpet fitter, decorator of sorts, secretary, housekeeper and cook, in other words I could turn my hand to most things. But not this time. I searched and searched and searched some more for a place to plug charger to phone base until I reached a stage of screaming and slamming and cursing. Even Charlie the cat kept out of my way.

When feeling calmer I put all the parts back in their box, picked up the phone and sent a plea by text to next door neighbours who agreed to come in the following day and sort things out. It was lucky I hadn’t chucked the new phone in the bin!

Oh to be back in capability state, which state I entered once the ‘girls’ came round the next day. Without hesitation one of the girls plugged the thing into the charger, into a hole so tiny I couldn’t see it. Thanks to her it is now charged up and running. Oh how I wish I could go back a few years and be as clever as them.

I don’t like it though. The ring tone is like something repeatedly hitting a tin can, and trying to read the names is like deciphering a foreign code. I am used to reading proper print but what was entered in the phone was in fancy letters reminiscent of some fancy print on Christmas cards.

Back to the mobile, then. That's one piece of equipment I can use blindfolded. What to do with the other phone is a matter for future thought! Meanwhile, if folks ring the land line I just have to tell them I can't stay long. 

18 comments:

  1. I bought a new land phone recently and it was so bad I returned it. It was very faint and the ring on it was like a children's nursery rhyme! I'm impressed you can use your mobile phone so well, I'm still not that confident with mine and just use it for the basics.

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    1. Joe, I think some mobiles are easier than others. I'm lucky in having a few gadgets on which I can shop, talk, phone etc. I was told the other day that I should give it all up now I am old! What B.... S.... that is.

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  2. Valerie, your post comes at a time when I am going through the same thing myself. I have a landline phone (which most people no longer have) and my cordless phone is starting to die. The battery is so old that if I use it to call someone, in just a matter of 5-10 mins, the phone starts to BEEP to let me know it's dying. I've actually been cut off from the person I was talking with because I waited too long and the battery just up and DIED.

    I've debated on whether to purchase another one when I move to different apartment in a few weeks because I mainly use my cell phone now. However, I still have DSL Internet service through Verizon, so I need to keep my landline port open because my Internet service goes through it. Either that or switch COMCAST, which is cable internet.

    And I hear you about reading the small print on directions. OMG, I can BARELY read the print because it's sooooooooo small. I too get aggravated and throw things across the room when I finally lose it. I have quite a temper when I get frustrated - HA!

    Have a GREAT weekend, my friend. Enjoy your new phone!

    X to you and Charlie

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    1. Calm down, Ron. First, have you tried charging the batteries in your mobile? They are, after all, regular batteries AA or AAA that can be bought in most shops. All I do is replace the old with the new. See, I can do most things....lolol.

      It is nice to know I am not the only one who gets into chucking stuff when mad. I have just bought a magnifying glass from Amazon to overcome the small print problem. I thought it better to do that rather than keep hitting the wall, or worse!

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  3. When I got my new iPhone last year I couldn't figure it out either. I was so mad. I called up Apple help and ranted and raved, but finally got it sorted. Right now I'm having trouble getting photos off of it.
    We still have a land line because cell phones don't work well in our area, too many trees.

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    1. Hi Janet, I'm having trouble getting my photos off the iPhone, even the operators don't seem to know why. It's only a year old, so I would have thought everything would be in good working order.



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  4. Another one of those things, which remind us, we are no longer up-to-date.

    Good grief, we know that. We really don't need to be reminded of it. -grumble-grumble-grumble-

    And one needs a magnifying glass, worn around the neck, to read most anything these days. Are they saving paper (trees), by printing in so tiny a way, on necessary instructions, etc. -grumble-grumble-grumble-

    Courage!

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    1. So sorry to have reminded you! I promise I won't do it again.

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  5. I feel your pain, and as soon as you get proficient with the new set up someone will come along and improve it....Arggggh!

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  6. Technology is wonderful until the gremlins strike. I don't understand why everything gets smaller and more difficult to understand and there's nobody there to help you.

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    1. Yes, Dave, when gremlins strike they go at it with a vengeance. Most phones are getting smaller but have you seen the size of the new Iphones? They're getting bigger. Talking about phones, wait until you read what happened to me today.

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  7. How frustrating Valerie, I find anything new that comes into this house the same way. We got rid of our land line years ago but every time it rained or there was a thunderstorm, it crackled so loud it was impossible to have a conversation. That and it sometimes cut out completely. The phone company could never fix the problem and we called them out more times than I can remember. Why were we paying for a service that was so awful? We got rid of it and now are very happy with our cell phones.

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    1. It must have been a nightmare for you, Denise. You did the right thing by getting rid. I am in the process of writing about my latest hiccup with a phone.

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  8. Sorry to hear about the frustration, Val. We ditched our land line years ago and don't miss it. Best of luck.

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    1. I am tempted to do the same, Matt. Taking the plunge scares me a bit but it would stop me thinking about it as being a stand=by in case the mobile failed!

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  9. I remember when landlines were so easy, just plug into the wall. Now, they are like mini computers that need to be set up. I bought our last one at a yard sale, brand new. I think they had given up. A few days later I finally got it set up; triumph until the next one comes along!

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    1. Exactly, kden. I also remember those times - not now though. As you say they are like mini computers. I can do without the hassle of trying to set another one up.

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