Wednesday, January 16, 2013

There have been several articles in the paper lately on teens, even preteens, and technology and how parents can handle it, even control it.  I guess this is a result of Christmas presents of iPhones, smartphones and video technology.  Limiting the use of such devices has become a hot topic of parenting today.  And things have become drastic, between the kids and the adults.  Parents in California were acutally drugged with sleeping medication by their daughters after the parents forbid texting after 10 pm.  Desperate measures but digital addiction has been identified as a real problem.    

Our parents didn't have this worry, we didn't even have a TV until almost everyone on the block did.  Even our grandparents, who lived next door, had one before us.  It stood downstairs, in the dining room, and we sat around the dining room table and watched Jackie Gleason, one of Poppy's favorites.  Poppy even adopted one of his famous phrases "what's that slop you're eating?  when he saw the plates in front of us that Grandma had filled for us.

My best friends Barbara and Charlene had TV's before us, and I watched The Big Top circus show at Barbara's house every Saturday and I Love Lucy at Charlene's house.  When we finally did get a TV there was no concern of watching it too much.  Mostly, because there was only 2 channels and a limited amount of viewing you could do.  Ernie Kovacs was on in the morning, with a little witch puppet that we loved.  There were puppets then on tv, Kukla Fran and Ollie, Sherri's little lamb, every kid show had at least one puppet.  I don't think kids even know what puppet are today.  Anyway, as more shows came on, tv became an issue.  Not so much as how many hours were spent in front of it, as to how close you were sitting to it, with fears of sterilization, ruined eyesight, and worse in the future. 

Technology has surely come a long ways in my lifetime, but I can't say anything is any better.  Today the channels number into the thousands, on every subject and cablevision now costs us more than electric and heat total for the year.  Any there is never anything on that you want to watch.  I don't own a cell phone, and probably never will.  I would like to get rid of our one phone on the kitchen wall, for that matter.  With the Bird's Nest closed for winter most of my calls are about my credit, do I want my chimney cleaned and what do I think of single sex marriage.  Technology my foot. 

Sunday, January 6, 2013

Timmy and I have been engaged for over 25 years.  We met 26 years ago and have lived together for the past 25 years.  In Sunday's NY Times they had an article on how people, unmarried, living together refer to each other.  There are the usual ones:  boyfriend, way too silly for someone who is 70.  Then there is special friend or friend, that is just stupid.  Partner is too cold, lover is too sexy, and significant other has been outdated for years, although you still do see it in obituaries.  Anyway, the Times had some suggestions.  Fusband, for future husband (not likely) or fake husband (I like that).  One woman called him "mi hombre" which is kind of nice.  My man.  And the census bureau penned a title, Person of Opposite Sex Sharing Living Quarters, or POSSLQ pronounced "Possiecue". Statisitically, there are a lot of us.

All this came to bare two weeks ago when I was admitted to the hospital.  The first question was easy, Are you married?  "No," I replied quickly.  Later, I was asked "Do you live alone?"  Apparently, a routine question upon dismissing a patient, meaning is there anyone there to help you.  This one slowed me down.  How do I refer to Timmy?  Then, I gave my usual comment, "No I live with Mr. Haley."  The nurse just put the information into the computer.  Thank God she didn't say Who is Mr. Haley?  I guess now I can say my "Possiecue", sounds kind of like a type of dog.  But Mr. Haley kind of sounds like a dog too.