I spent a good deal of yesterday afternoon restoring my phone after getting the iOS7 update. Apparently, something went wrong when I updated it, and the phone typed very slow. Rick suggested restoring it and reinstalling the system, which took a while, but worked. And now that it's working right, I'm still adjusting. It's different, but I'm willing to see how well this works. I do like the "look" of it better, but getting to know the functions are another story. I'm sure it will probably work out fine.
You know me - I'm willing to give change a chance. It is, after all, the path to progress. There are some times, however, when I wondered whether our steps forward were actually taking us in the direction we want to go. Not many, mind you. Only a few. In fact, I can only think of 3 times when I thought the steps forward were a bad idea:
1. Smartphones are getting bigger. I thought the point of a cell phone was compact convenience of use. As it is, my iPhone 4S will barely fit in the pockets of most of my pants, and there's no way the more updated models would. Screens are getting bigger, and it seems that would make it more awkward to carry and handle. Pretty soon, they'll be as big as tablets, and then how's that going to work for those of us that don't like belt clips? I don't know about this one. I know I'll eventually have to upgrade, but I certainly hope they slim down the size before that day comes. Otherwise, I'm holding on to what I have until it dies.
2. Houses don't have laundry rooms any more. Sometime in the late 80's and early 90's, house designers decided that hallways and laundry rooms were a waste of space. They elected to make the "living areas" (dens, kitchens, bedrooms, bathrooms, etc) larger, shorten halls, and have a "utility closet" instead of a laundry room or mud room. On the hallway issue, I agree - that's a complete waste of space. But the utility closet is something I think was a bad idea, and it's from experience in not one but 2 houses. Both in my parents house (built in 1989) and ours (built in 2007), that "utility closet" creates what I refer to as a "barricade of doors." What I mean is that the closets are usually shoved in spaces like entry ways or back pantries, around other doors and cabinets. If you're doing laundry and you need to go in one of those cabinets or rooms, you literally get trapped in a maze of open doors and can't move unless you close a door. It's definitely an accessibility problem. And while I understand the "out of sight, out of mind" problem with laundry rooms and washers in garages and basements (the concept that you're more likely to forget you're doing laundry if the washing/drying area is isolated), at least you don't have the problem of the washer or dryer doing the jig and making a racket on a large load of laundry while you're trying to watch your favorite TV show and drowning out the TV. I don't get it. Why could they fit a laundry room in my parents old house, or our old house, which was 1200 square feet, but in houses that are nearly twice that size - nope, just can't work that out.
3. "Basic" cars that are as tripped out at the Starship Enterprise - and cost about as much too. It's literally impossible to get a car for under $20,000 any more unless you buy a clunker that will be in the shop and still cost you as much as a car payment every month. That's just ridiculous. I can understand needing built in GPS, satellite radio, and all the bells and whistles if you drive a lot, but if you're like me and your daily commute doesn't even take you out of the county, then it's not worth it. Why on earth do basic cars need all of THAT, and why is it not possible to get something for under 20K that's less than 5 years old? Go ahead, tell me I don't get it. You're darn right about that. It's not worth dropping that kind of money on something I'm in for around 30-35 minutes a day. And yet, I must if I want it to be dependable to get me the 2 miles up and down the Interstate that I need every day, because we have absolutely no public transit where I live.
Maybe I don't get it, as I said. I don't know. These are just a few things that I feel that "progress" have made more complicated than they need to be.
That's all today. I hope you have a good week.
Bye!
You know me - I'm willing to give change a chance. It is, after all, the path to progress. There are some times, however, when I wondered whether our steps forward were actually taking us in the direction we want to go. Not many, mind you. Only a few. In fact, I can only think of 3 times when I thought the steps forward were a bad idea:
1. Smartphones are getting bigger. I thought the point of a cell phone was compact convenience of use. As it is, my iPhone 4S will barely fit in the pockets of most of my pants, and there's no way the more updated models would. Screens are getting bigger, and it seems that would make it more awkward to carry and handle. Pretty soon, they'll be as big as tablets, and then how's that going to work for those of us that don't like belt clips? I don't know about this one. I know I'll eventually have to upgrade, but I certainly hope they slim down the size before that day comes. Otherwise, I'm holding on to what I have until it dies.
2. Houses don't have laundry rooms any more. Sometime in the late 80's and early 90's, house designers decided that hallways and laundry rooms were a waste of space. They elected to make the "living areas" (dens, kitchens, bedrooms, bathrooms, etc) larger, shorten halls, and have a "utility closet" instead of a laundry room or mud room. On the hallway issue, I agree - that's a complete waste of space. But the utility closet is something I think was a bad idea, and it's from experience in not one but 2 houses. Both in my parents house (built in 1989) and ours (built in 2007), that "utility closet" creates what I refer to as a "barricade of doors." What I mean is that the closets are usually shoved in spaces like entry ways or back pantries, around other doors and cabinets. If you're doing laundry and you need to go in one of those cabinets or rooms, you literally get trapped in a maze of open doors and can't move unless you close a door. It's definitely an accessibility problem. And while I understand the "out of sight, out of mind" problem with laundry rooms and washers in garages and basements (the concept that you're more likely to forget you're doing laundry if the washing/drying area is isolated), at least you don't have the problem of the washer or dryer doing the jig and making a racket on a large load of laundry while you're trying to watch your favorite TV show and drowning out the TV. I don't get it. Why could they fit a laundry room in my parents old house, or our old house, which was 1200 square feet, but in houses that are nearly twice that size - nope, just can't work that out.
3. "Basic" cars that are as tripped out at the Starship Enterprise - and cost about as much too. It's literally impossible to get a car for under $20,000 any more unless you buy a clunker that will be in the shop and still cost you as much as a car payment every month. That's just ridiculous. I can understand needing built in GPS, satellite radio, and all the bells and whistles if you drive a lot, but if you're like me and your daily commute doesn't even take you out of the county, then it's not worth it. Why on earth do basic cars need all of THAT, and why is it not possible to get something for under 20K that's less than 5 years old? Go ahead, tell me I don't get it. You're darn right about that. It's not worth dropping that kind of money on something I'm in for around 30-35 minutes a day. And yet, I must if I want it to be dependable to get me the 2 miles up and down the Interstate that I need every day, because we have absolutely no public transit where I live.
Maybe I don't get it, as I said. I don't know. These are just a few things that I feel that "progress" have made more complicated than they need to be.
That's all today. I hope you have a good week.
Bye!
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