GOALS ARE GOOD
These smart phones are, well, pretty smart. They’re so smart that often for me, and I suspect a lot folks, they’re down right aggravating. Goals are good. I’m all about setting goals and working to achieve them. My busy body smart phone is in the business of getting into my business. Its goals and my goals aren’t always the same.
I was one of the early users of cell phones. Back in the early eighties I had one in my truck. I thought it was pretty smart. The technology allowed for my truck to honk when the phone was ringing and I wasn’t inside it. I’d be on a job site and the horn would start going off like an alarm. Without fail by the time I’d sprint to the truck like a mad man, the phone would quit ringing… Before messaging…
For us old timers cell phones were first for business. I guess that’s why it’s more aggravating for those of us who lived through the evolution of cell phones.
images courtesy of bing.com
My smart Alec phone is so smart it has pre-determined the amount of steps it takes for me to remain healthy. Then, come Sunday, it gives me a summary and grades me like a coach on how my week was.
I’ve been busy lately. And when I get busy that means my smart phone is busy too. For more than a week in a row I was hitting my daily goal of steps, in my phone’s opinion, by around two o’clock in the afternoon. The smart phone goes on to let me know, as if I can’t see the sunlight, that I have plenty of day left to get more steps in. It’s the kind of annoying when someone seems to think there’s a need for them to spell their last name out for you… when it’s Smith…
That night, after being dropped off and after a long day of work and a lot more steps, the restaurant had a forty five minute wait. I was tired, aggravated, not just at my meddling phone, and starvin’. I say it like that when I’m tired and hungry too.
More steps… I miscalculated the distance to the next restaurant. If my smart phone was so smart it should have warned me to wear walking shoes, just in case. By the time I’d clicked off another thousand plus steps in my fancy go to dinner shoes my heels were bleeding.
By the time the mediocre and overpriced dinner was over we walked the rest of the way back… my smart phone wasn’t smart enough to know I was carrying my shoes…
As I was gladly putting my smart phone down for the night it told me I’d clocked almost 15,000 steps. Close to half those steps were up stairs… “But you’re not smart enough to know that,” I told my phone silently.
The next day my goal was to not achieve my daily step goal… but I did anyway.
Goals are good, worthy, but when it’s just physical, our spirit starves…
Sunday, December 2, 2018 @ 2:38 pm
You were an early adopter. 🙂 It took me a long time before I got my own cell phone.
I don’t like my Sunday summaries; I’d rather keep my head in the sand about how much time I’ve spent on my phone. Sigh.
Sunday, December 2, 2018 @ 7:13 pm
Gotta tell you, Floyd, the smarter my phone gets, the dumber I get. Pretty simple, huh? I hate the thing, and only use it in emergencies. I finally graduated from a flip to an Android (and only for emergency calls from Scotland and to snap a photo!), and recently, Mike got me a smarter phone, and now I really feel dumb. I hate it. And as for walking? I just walk. But like you, Mike has his phone count his steps, and they’re impressive (not the counting, but how many he walks). It sounds like you and your phone “got a good thing going.” Whatever it takes you moving is a very smart move!
Lynn
Sunday, December 2, 2018 @ 7:55 pm
Hey, Floyd–I wish I’d read this years ago, and then maybe I would have stayed with my flip phone that was–actually–a phone.
Why do I need all this junk? I have 80,000 apps I’ll never use. I want to make a call. That’s it. Well, I like the camera, too. And the GPS…I use that. But the whole device makes me anxious. It assumes too much. Now it’s got some woman in there who is always coming on and asking what she can do for me. What she can do for me is GO AWAY!
Bah!
Sunday, December 2, 2018 @ 10:14 pm
Wow a phone that counts steps. I recently purchased a smart phone. I use it to record my live messages for FaceBook. Other than that, I need to ask my daughter, or the girls at church how to do this or that including how to find my text messages. I bought a book, but It is too complicated. I need a cheat sheet with simple instructions. My other phone was cheap and I used it only for emergencies. It did not take photos or have apps, but I think I will like my new phone in time.
Monday, December 3, 2018 @ 2:27 am
Floyd, you are such a vivid storyteller. You had me chuckling (when your car horn honked) and grimacing (at your bloody heels). Love your writing, my friend.
Monday, December 3, 2018 @ 2:30 am
I have to admit, I LOVE my smart phone. No need to carry a camera, plane tickets, a Bible, a book, a notebook, a watch, a day planner, a calendar, a radio, a walkman, a copy of my meds, or a calculator. My phone includes all that! Plus, I can set an alarm, a timer, or a reminder. I don’t need to tote around a newspaper, a road map, or an encyclopedia. Everything is at my fingertips–including, and most importantly, immediate connections to my husband, children, grandchildren, siblings, and extended family. And don’t tell anyone but I turned off that annoying steps app. Thanks for sharing, Floyd!
Monday, December 3, 2018 @ 9:35 am
Like Pam, I like my phone. I don’t like its intrusion into my life but i also realize my job pretty much dictates being available…even on a bike ride. I limit the apps I put on. Most are the “I get back kind.” Gas, etc. But steps? Not a chance.
Friday, December 7, 2018 @ 1:17 pm
I had to chuckle when I read the part about someone with the last name of Smith feeling the need to spell their last name. You wouldn’t believe how many times we’ve been asked to spell our name when we tell them it is “Smith.” It frustrates me to no end, and it is all I can do to hold back sarcasm from my tone when I slowly and methodically say, “S-m-I-t-h.” Another great post, brother. God bless you and your family this Christmas season!
Saturday, December 8, 2018 @ 5:40 am
I love to comunicate, except on the phone. My smart phone is usually irritating to me because it is smarter then me. I do text some and have come to appreciate texting. Ace uses all of the features of his phone, I use very little. I set a goal in 2017 to master my phone….wrong goal for me so be i really only want to make phone calls and get on Facebook with it . Truthfully a flip phone is perfect for me but ace has hope so.what i will stop asking g him to show me how to do something for 100 time. Having it is a must with our ministry which means I will keep my smart phone and give myself a few more years to master it. Funny post.