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  1. I was discussing the fact that the schools no longer teach cursive writing. I think that is so terrible! My daughter thinks I am just being old fashioned and that it is no longer necessary to know how to do it. I feel it is a sign of being educated, and that the skill should not be forgotten, just like other things like knowing how to use a sewing machine, play a musical instrument, or speaking another language. I suppose I am showing my age, but I cannot imagine only being able to print. That used to be what only grade school children did.

  2. yeah, smart phones are a pain. then again, i've never been a phone person – even in the 70s. we are a different generation. old school…. kids who grow up with these things take it in stride, but we like to keep things simple like the good ole days 🙂

  3. My bank charges me if I don't have any transactions during the month. LOL Thank goodness I now have my SS check deposited into my account each month so they no longer charge me a 'no use' fee. I mean, you can't even NOT use your account and yet still be charged. Thieves I tell ya… thieves.

    We went for years without Smartphones, but this past year it became a necessity for my husband to have one for running his business. We cancelled the land line and each got a Smartphone, something I really didn't want but have grown to like. The texting and ability to send photos has worked great for keeping us in closer touch with our grown children…. it is their world now and we have become the 'old generation', so adopting their communication method of choice makes sense for us.

  4. I never wanted to get a "smart" phone. Was happy with my little Nokia. But my husband bought me an iPhone 3-1/2 years ago and it was a very good thing he did for many reasons. Plus, now with my boys both off at college, we keep in touch by messaging. My brother was also able to get my mom a phone on his plan, which means I can now message and call her for free. She's never had a computer so I've never ever been able to even email her all these 22 years that I've lived overseas. And, I have to admit, I do love Instagram. But yet, all the reasons you mentioned for not having one, I also completely understand. It's become such an addiction for so many people. When I'm out, I do not have internet. And I get so tired of seeing people who can't seem to tear themselves away from their phones. It's against the law, yet so many people are texting or watching shows on their phones while they are driving. I've seen cops in this country doing it, too. If I walk into a shop, and the sales person is on their phone and doesn't look up, I'm out of there. Very unprofessional. No one is paying attention to what they are actually supposed to be doing. When I'm out, my phone basically becomes my camera. And I'm good with that. I don't want to be connected 24/7.

  5. I have a cheap cell phone from Net 10..I pay $15 a month for 200 minutes and a month of service..I never use 200 minutes in a month so it just keeps building up…I guess I am too smart to pay for a smart phone that I would rarely use…

  6. To Jkaye, who posted a comment above. My husband and I were on a trip,had no paper map..and guess what, it was impossible to find a map at a gas station,in the next state away from home..Guess they all think we have the information on the dash board of our car. and by the way,we own a new car with all the new stuff on it..but not a map. to tell us how to get to where we wanted to go.

  7. I agree with you on most of this Brenda. We do have cell phones, the dumb kind. For emergencies, I suggest you get the cheapest Trac Fone you can find and stick 200 minutes on there. Keep it charged or keep a charger in the car and you should be adequately connected at times when it is urgent. I hate to admit it but I have found that the kids and grandkids will text more than they call. I refuse to do FB, it sounds like a giant gossip fest and we all know how toxic and hurtful gossip can be. Who cares what so and so fixed for supper? It just seems so narcissistic, all these folks yakking about what they did today and what they ate today and posting pictures of themselves. We live without cable by choice, I drive a car with 230,000 miles on it (altho we do have a nice truck), we still have a landline for internet (and also when the weather is bad, our landline works long after the cell phones have gone dead), and I love to navigate by map so we won't be getting GPS anytime soon!! Just wondering, do we all sound like aging curmudgeons?? I hope not, and I do believe our concerns are legit, but I can easily imagine the eye rolling kids and grandkids if they were reading this!! As for customer service, none of us should give up on this point and I do admire the story of your reader who needed to use the BR at the bank!!

  8. I don't use my phone for anything other than texting / calling family but I make sure to take it with me whenever I go out…bottom line there are not pay phones any more and if you are in an emergency it helps to have a cell phone. Last year I'd done a post a post about being stranded with the car broken down in sub-zero weather ( the mouse that ate my car ; though I didn't know what was wrong with the car at the moment ) but if I didn't have the cell phone on me to call various family, and later on the AAA, what would I have done?

    1. I know. I worry about that. I just don't go out much though. I might sign up again for the AARP Consumer Cellular. I will look into it at least.

  9. I agree! No social media! that is what I say.. though I do have Facebook and only go look when I see that a family member has posted pictures. I think the idea of twitter, instagram and whatever else is out there (snapchat.. whatever the heck that is!)…just keeps a person glued to the phone constantly. We didn't like our landline either so got rid of it.. too many solicitors calling. We each have a cheap track phone, at about $10 a month. You buy the minutes. I do like it for a trip and/or an emergency out on the road.. and I text with my son as it's cheaper than phone calls! We've even thought about cancelling our internet and just using the library! It's a very good possibility. Paying $50 a month for internet seems such a waste w hen on a tight budget. I do like following my fave blogs though. I too hate that everyone excpects a person to have a "smart" phone. Ours are not smart I tell them. I called the bank as just wanted to make a deposit by mailing it in, as it's 25 miles away.. and they don't do that anymore. Used to be able to. She said, use your smart phone to take a picture of your check and you can deposit it that way.. well I told her, I don't have a smart phone and I can't get "apps" on my phone. So I guess I am sh$##!!! out of luck. My husband gets so mad when he's calling places for customer service, that he ends up yelling and/or hanging up before he even gets to a person.. and then usually it's someone who can hardly speak English. It's all very sickening. The old ways where best: a phone to call with, real people to talk to at customer service, and letters sent by regular mail. That's all we needed.

    1. Just not joining any more social media sites. I don't know what half of them are. I just cancelled Instagram. Never used it.

  10. My pharmacy emails me, see if you can set that up. I can't live without my cell phone; my kids don't answer telephone calls, only texts. I've come to like it, quick messages and done with it. But then I like to be alone and quiet. Love the quote by Jim Elliot, he was a missionary in Ecuador in the 50s, martyred by an brutal tribe. Fabulous story of redemption as his wife and daughter later were able to live with the tribe and make peace with them. I love your new "talking about life" format.

    Mary

  11. Regarding an extra tax on tampons — actually, the legislative push now is to not add tax to tampons, but to remove any and all taxes from tampons and other feminine hygiene products, the reason being that these items are a necessity that women have to buy, so women are paying a tax men don't have to pay. A few states already have removed sales taxes from these products.

    We were late to getting cell phones, but when we did we got rid of the landline phone. We don't regret this decision. The cell phones are much more convenient for us to keep up with each other. Today, my husband is out in the woods, and if he gets lost or hurt, it will be easier to track him down because of his cell phone. Or, he can call or text me if he goes to a different area than originally planned. We do texting to stay in touch with our kids and other family members, and send photos that way too. We aren't on Facebook, even though everyone else in the family is, and they all tell me to get on Facebook. I tried it for a week or two years ago and thought it was a headache to try to keep up with and I cancelled out my account. Something else I hate is getting in someone's car who has the GPS voice on, blabbing the whole time about where we should turn. That is annoying. I can see the importance of the navigation system, but that voice is so irritating. But, we use maps, which a lot of people can't stand. So, I guess you should do what you like. We try not to ride with anyone else when we go places so we can travel without that GPS voice, and I read the maps and tell my husband where to go. Sometimes we don't find what we are looking for, and sometimes we find something even better than we were looking for!

  12. you have to wonder what is happening in this world…..I recently went to a Chase bank to deposit a check and needed to use the bathroom so I went into the lobby. After I made my deposit I asked for directions to the bathroom to which I was told "we don't have a public bathroom". I then moved to another employee and was told the same thing…..(the bathroom was for Chase employees only and I couldn't use it.) I asked to speak to a manager and reminded the young lady that we have held several accounts at Chase Bank for over 25 years- we are part of their "private client" exclusiveness they like to tout, but no even though we keep lots of money in their bank I can't use the bathroom. The young lady left after I practically blew up at her….the manager came out and showed me to the bathroom. Don't these places think of customer service?

    1. Apparently they don't care about customer service any longer. What happened to "the customer is always right?"

  13. I can definitely relate to this post. I have a smart phone which my daughter got me, as I am on her cell phone plan. I have no home phone. I hate the phone, and it took me a long time to learn how to use it. I would like to go back to a simple phone that only sends and receives calls. I am also weaning myself off Face book, I logged out back in September and finally got back on a couple of weeks ago since my granddaughter was in labor at the hospital and the family was having a private group chat. It was nice to be kept in the loop on her progress and to see instant photos of the newborn great grandchild. While in the site, I checked to see what I had missed on my thread and found that there was nothing of real importance. So I logged back off. I have not cancelled my account yet, as my daughter is freaking out about me doing so.

    1. I think getting unconnected will be on our decluttering/purging schedule in January. I've already been getting rid of unwanted emails from companies, etc.

  14. I too took the road less traveled and became the 5th woman in NC to hold an unlimited building contractors license in 1989.. I wouldn't change a minute or give up a single memory. I look like a froofroo girl but building was in my blood and my heritage. Both my granddads were builders and while I'm sure my parents would have preferred a doctor- lawyer- or scientist, I am a Builder.

  15. I don't have a cell phone of any kind, let alone a "smart" phone. Waste of money and time, in my book. If people can't call me on my land line or email me, then screw them, that's my feeling. If a business can't have a prescription ready for me when I AM READY TO PICK IT UP, I will take my business to the pharmacy right across the street, or do it by mail. There are always other options. I refuse to be locked into a world where nobody speaks to anyone any more, where you cannot talk to an actual person (or if you do get a person, an actual American who can speak decent English that you can understand) for help, and where you expected to "conform" rather than belonging to the technology prison camp. I have this computer, that is as far "techy" as I wish to be!

    1. You're right. It can be a technology prison camp. I choose to be outside of the cell enjoying nature.

  16. Brenda, my biggest pet peeve is when I am in a public washroom and the woman next to me is talking on her cell phone, I mean really, what the hell is happening? When that happens I finish my business and then wash my hands and keep it under the dryer so she can't hear a damn thing until I decide to stop. If you must have a cell phone, get the $10 special from AARP, that way you have one in case you break down on the road or you need one for an emergency. I rarely turn my phone on but I do use it for coupons and things if I remember to bring it with me! You are correct, we survived quite well without a cell phone and if someone wanted to get in touch with you they either left you a message or came knocking on your door. Loved your post!

    1. That is just freaky. Why would someone want to talk on the phone while using the public toilet? Weird people. These people must be terrified of being "alone."

  17. I think you have a lot of company–unfortunately, they are all our age group. Maybe the younger ones will wise up as they get older. I never had a smart phone–I just have my "dumb" phone I use for emergencies, like if I run out of gas or get a flat tire. (My phone cost $9.99.) Why would anyone want to be "on call" all the time?!?!?

    1. Well, let the younger ones have at it. I rarely even use my home phone. Apparently lots of people love to be "on call and connected" 24/7. I'm not one of them. They're missing so much of life.

  18. My DH and I often say "One of these days, I suppose we should get a smart phone" Then we would say, "At least get a track phone" and lately we say "we didn't need one before, we don't need one now" Well that still stands, and we use our land line to talk to our sons maybe once a week, I talk to my brother, and DH talks to his sisters, all out of town, now and then. I take pictures with a "camera". I guess we are still good…hope the land lines will be around as long as we are (grin) I have no idea what some of the people did before mobile phones, because now they seem to be glued to their hands 24-7. Nope…not for me..guess we don't fit in either, but don't really care…

    1. I wanted to like to use my phone camera, but I just didn't. I prefer an actual camera in my hand. The only thing I worry about is being out by myself and having car trouble. But I'll figure that out. Not being chained to nearly $50 a month for something I don't seem to ever use was stupid.

  19. I don't know. Geez, why? Well, I bet a man came up with that one. He who will never need a woman's sanitary product.

  20. I have another good one for you. I just heard on the news that in some state, I don't remember which one, they want to start charging an extra tax on women's sanitary products. OMG what is this world coming to?

  21. Great post. Also I love the quotes. I am happily married, however, my advice to daughters is – be independent – personally AND financially. Being independent does not mean not being inter-dependent…no man (woman) is an island. However, when a woman is financially independent she will never be stuck should she find herself in an untenable situation. She will be able to leave without having to fret as to how she will cope.

    1. I learned that lesson the good old-fashioned hard way. But I learned it nevertheless. And that's what matters. I totally agree.

  22. SPECTACULAR post! I couldn't agree more!
    Try going to buy appliances and say you want them in white.
    Try paying off your car and not trading it in, but keeping it.
    Try rearing three children with only one TV set in the home (they all had to agree on what to watch and often compromise) and no cable. (All three are successful professionals with families of their own)

    1. Yeah, I too am a "white appliance person." Everybody and their brother wants the stainless steel. Ever been in a morgue? That's what you will see. Everything stainless steel, or so it was when I was a journalist. So every time I see them, I think of that morgue. White appliances for me all the way. My vehicle is 10 years old and has 43,000 miles on it. I'm keeping it till either I drop or it does.

    2. I love white appliances, too. We're buying a microwave for above the stove and we looked at Sears Outlet. They only had SS or black. Yuck on both. I've got you beat on the car: mine's almost 16 years old! It has 150,000 miles. Like you, keeping it until it dies. My husband's car is 9 years old and has almost 200,000 miles on it because he drives far to and from work every day. Again, keeping it until it dies. Both are cars are in good shape and run just fine. Why would we want to get a new car and have car payments unless we absolutely had to? I know people who have to have newer vehicles all the time and it just makes me shake my head.

    3. I do have a smart phone and I love it for a variety of reasons. However, I'm not one of those who is on it all the time, especially in public. The other day while in the vet's waiting room, I chatted with three other people who were there with their pets. None of us were on our phones – very refreshing. I also have other limits with my phone – for instance, it is tucked away in my purse when I am shopping. I rarely receive any phone calls and the only calls I make are to make appointments (I *hate* talking on the phone), so I'm not one of those you will see in a store walking and talking on her phone. In fact, today I was grocery shopping and the woman who was walking in front of me answered her phone as it rang. She actually stopped in her tracks, totally blocking the aisle because a store clerk was beside her, stocking shelves. I said, "excuse me!" loudly so she would move, and she didn't! I looked behind me and grocery cart traffic was backing up! So rude of this woman. I said, "excuse me!" one more time, even louder. She finally started walking, but didn't apologize or anything. So darn rude. Even worse (to me) are the people with Bluetooth who are walking around stores talking…it looks like they're talking to themselves (they look so silly!) and the entire store can hear them.

      Funny thing is, my 26-year old son feels the same way about technology as you do, if you can believe that. He hates that our society is so hooked on our phones and that we don't talk to each other. He says I'm lucky that I grew up in the 70's. A couple of years ago he was without his phone for a month and he said it was the most peaceful month he'd ever had.

      I love Instagram, but have a hate-love relationship with FB. I know I should take a break from it every once in awhile. I've been thinking about instituting a "Facebook Free Friday" for myself or something similar.

  23. brava! I cheered all the way through this post.
    what gets me is that 'THEY' are all ALWAYS talking about jobs. no jobs. no jobs.
    well… the world is being taken over by machines. robots. mechanization. each one replacing a job.
    customer service is non existent. a thing of the past. where a human actually smiled and wanted to help you.
    I am a dinosaur that has a land line. I've heard that eventually and probably soon… they will no longer be available. ah. well.
    all in the name of progress of course.

    1. I agree. Where are the jobs? Well, they've been given to robotic voices that make me cringe every time I hear them. Make America great again, I keep reading all over town. Then give the jobs back to the people.

  24. I love that song so much. I agree, technology ends up being a prison. I have a cell phone, a little one that fits in my palm, no texting, using mostly when my husband is on the main phone. Our main telephone service is not clear so it is handy for clarity.

    1. I tried the popular thing, to succumb to the smart phone, and hated it. Hated it! Back in the day, how one earth did we manage to live without these things? We managed, didn't we? Guess I was always a bit of a rebel.

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