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orchidnick

My son, the 'Old People' type of person.

orchidnick
10 years ago

I'm about to go on a trip to spend a long weekend with my 45 year old son. I'm 73 yet I feel like the raging teenager and he is the 'Old Man'. He is a practicing pediatrician whose office is electronic as is the hospital where he admits. He has no computer in his home!!

I'm the old fogey but I'm not looking forward to spending 4 days without a computer other than my smartphone. He doesn't even have that, seeing no need for it. His family of 4 uses ONE TV in their home His fun time is spent panning for gold, cutting firewood hunting, fishing and other outdoor activity.

My daughter in LA, a physician with 4 kids, also has only one TV in her home. They on the other hand have numerous lap tops, pads, playstations and super smart phones. Is this a backlash against the overwhelming digitization and electronization we are seeing? I was there 15 years ago and then said 'what the hell may as well join them' and have gotten used to this stuff'.

Let's see how a long weekend without a computer will turn out. I know my smart phone will save me but it's not the same, too small.

Nick

Comments (4)

  • arthurm
    10 years ago

    I am probably the last reader of conversations though Bob had a try at sparking some interest a year or so ago. Now it is only the last resort of hopeful spam people.
    Not too worry, though it is sad that conversations has probably been killed off by face-book. Sigh!
    Anyway, did you enjoy the back to nature weekend?

  • orchidnick
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    It was OK. The smart phone is a portable computer and it kept me in touch with the world. I think he will have to come around. My son in law is an orthopedic surgeon, is hospital is completely electronic. He can watch a basketball game read a patient's chart order an X ray and look at the X ray all without skipping a minute from his game. My son with his old flip phone cannot do any of this. Oh well, his problem.

    I used to enjoy this part of the forum also the exchange section, both died. There are other forums with active exchange sections, none have a conversation section like this one.

    Nick

  • westoh Z6
    10 years ago

    Nick,

    I'm an Information Systems Manager in my other life. Constantly dealing with new/old technology in that position and have been for 25+ years.

    That said, at home I have a decent 'puter (mainly for the wife) and I 'have' to carry a smartphone 24/7. The people I care about have my home e-mail, but know to call if they want to speak to me in a timely manner. My time spent dealing with technology at home (well, other than wife issues) is pretty minimal by plan as I like to get away from it all once I walk out of the salt mines. Probably will get a windows tablet at some point, but not until I need to replace the current computer, or the wife starts pushing for one.

    No Facebook, Twitter, etc... for me, heck I've always been pretty anti-social. I live adventurously through my wife for those things :-)

    After my work life I may get a little more connected, but I like the simplicity and anonymity at home currently.

    All that long windedness to say, I think I know form where your son is coming, pretty hectic to deal with in both professional and private lives, you need a break somewhere IMO. One thing different between me and your son/daughter: we have 4 TV's and only 2 people, hey what can I say we like the tube!!!

    Bob

  • orchidnick
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    I can relate to the 'anti social' bit. I refuse to go on facebook, no twitter etc. I don't leave messages on people's phones. If they don't answer, I'll call back later. I won't interrupt a phone call because another call is coming in. 'I'm on the phone, call me back later!' is the unspoken message. I seldom check my own messages, if you want me to know somethiing make the effort to call me back.

    I have been forced to 'text' by 2 family members and am beginning to like it. One person simply doesn't answer her phone but will respond instantly to a text. The other individual responds to a simply 'Yes or NO' question with a torrent of 10,000 words. Texting puts a sock in her moth and forces simpler answers.

    I still remember the days when a beeper was the advanced technology and then along came the first cell phone. Cost: $2,000 size and weight of a brick. Oh well life goes on, beside death and taxes, change is the only other thing one can count on.

    Nick