Uff da – Technology…

So, several months ago, RC and I purchased two flat screen TVs – one for his TV room and one for our living room.  Two because it is almost impossible for me to watch TV with RC who successfully watches 2 or 3 programs simultaneously by clicking back and forth with the remote.  This drives me crazy!

And, yes, I know some of you are horrified that we put a TV in our living room; but, we have a very small house that does not include a family room.  If we are ever to entertain friends for a Super Bowl or Oscar night party or the like, we need to have a TV in a room big enough to provide seating for more than two people…thus, the living room.  Not to mention the fact, I previously watched anything I was interested in on a small TV in our bedroom while sitting propped up by pillows on our bed – not a good posture for my back; now, I can watch in the comfort of an easy chair.

Anyhow, that is just backstory for how and why we acquired two new TVs – probably TMI for you.

When we purchased the new flat screens we added a Blu Ray player.  Though I love watching movies, it’s not often we rent DVDs – in fact, very rarely; and wow, other than Red Box you don’t see video stores anymore, do you?  We thought it might come in handy though, to be able to entertain our grandsons when they are over, by slipping a DVD into the Blu Ray player.

Turns out, now, several months later, we have never used the Blu Ray player.  I turn to DirectTV for my movies and, as I indicated in a previous post, I am content to watch some movies multiple times.

Well, though I am a library user for borrowing books, it just occurred to me the other day the library also has a DVD section with scores of selections available for 7-day rental.  I’ve never taken advantage of this opportunity.  In my mid-winter doldrums (see previous post) I find great escape in watching a movie.  ZOWIE, I suddently have discovered a cheap resource for obtaining and watching a variety of films!

So, to get to the point – yesterday, I went to the library and checked out three DVDs (Nebraska, 42 and How Do You Know – in case you’re interested).  I brought them home and sat down to discover how to use this Blu Ray thingamachig  that has been sitting idle.

Library selections
Library selections

This is where the “uff da” comes in – after 45 minutes of both RC and I attempting to figure out how to make this thing work, we were unsuccessful and gave up.

Said demon device & its instruction manual
Said demon device & its instruction manual

What dolts we are!!  We even have the instruction manual, but that didn’t seem to help us.

I find it rather embarrassing or maybe discouraging because it appears we are now the old folks that can’t keep up with how to use new-fangled equipment, but we are going to have to find someone to assist us in learning how to use the technology we purchased.  It will definitely be someone from a younger generation – likely, our 9-year-old grandson!

I hate admitting defeat and I hate being classified as a silly or dumb old lady!

I have never had much interest in science or technology and how or why things work.  I just want them to work when I want them to work!

My other current struggle with technology is getting this blog site set up in what I consider a pleasing, readable, easy to maneuver format.  I visit other blog sites and am impressed with how professional some of them appear.  I have a long way to go!

Some of you reading this may be affected by one of my current challenges – sending email notifications of new posts to those of you kind enough to sign up for such messages.  I managed to send you an email just one time for a previous post;  I’ll be darned (damned, really) if I can figure out what I did to accomplish that notification.  I haven’t been able to duplicate it.

Again, what a dolt!!

I can’t promise I’ll ever figure all of this technology junk out, but I’ll keep trying.  For the Blu Ray player, I just want to be able to watch a movie when I want to!  For this blog, I really just want to do the writing and have everything else just work and look good!

Am I alone in feeling frustration with this fast-changing world of technology we live in, or do you also encounter some challenges?

Misery loves company!

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8 thoughts on “Uff da – Technology…

  1. Maggie,
    I just LOVED this! First off, RC and SL have very similar TV watching habits…..And we currently have just one TV in our small family room. But now that you have made the plunge I really think it is time for me to have my own TV watching spot. In addition, I could also identify with the blu-ray story. We are living in our camper in Arizona and this year, we could not get the TV to work. All of a sudden the remote no longer connected with the thingamagig that controlled our 16″ camper TV. So, we ordered a cable plan for the camper. Not so simple either. It took the tech guy 2 hours to get that to work, and Steve had to help him with things that he didn’t know about, regarding TVs in campers! It never ends, does it?

    1. Hey, Nancy, thanks for the comments. I do think you deserve your own TV watching space! Do enjoy your time in AZ. I am envious, though we do have a trip to S.Diego for 10 days in February which I am looking forward to.

    2. Truth en JeroenHet lijkt erop dat de dader gevonden is. Alleen…wat nu als ze een stevige seks partij hebben gehad, Marianne op de fiets vertrok en enkele minuten laten door een anders is omgebracht?Kortom, ben nog benieuwd hoe hij veroordeeld kan worden. Er vanuit gaande dat hij het gedaan heeft natuurlijk.Er zstaan wat mij betreft nog te veel vragen open.

  2. Hi Maggie.
    I enjoy your blog posts and you write very well. Keep it up. I mostly can identify with them also. Your winter blues did hit home….not so much this year as the weather hasn’t been so severe. I like to visit the conservatory now and then and really breathe in the beauty. I also like to go to Patrick’s Bakery in Bachman’s on Lyndale and sit among the flowers and plants while having coffee or lunch. I go the MOA to walk with my sisters and enjoy a Nordstrom lemon cookie afterward…sometimes we have lunch or shop. One sister is now in FL, but I still have one sister here and we are good buddies. And trips to Mystic now and then are fun. As for the blue ray thing…I borrowed House of Cards from someone and discovered it was for blue ray. I crabbed until Tom said that we did have a blue ray player which he bought a couple of years ago. So now it sits on top of the DVD player (in our bedroom) and I can switch back and forth. I am not a technical person and am happy that I can just figure out my ipad and phone. Since I retired, I haven’t even opened up our computer.

    1. Thanks, Mary for your comments. I like your ideas for beating the winter blues – especially the Bachman’s coffee or lunch idea. I know what you mean about the computer – I mostly only use the laptop when I am writing a blog post; otherwise, it is my tablet or phone all the time. I at least, know how to work them!

  3. Definitely can relate to the TV issues – especially wanting to be able to watch something I enjoy. In MN this has been remedied with two TVs and the capability to record shows. Then we watch when we want and speed thru commercials. However, out here we have one TV and four (yes, four) boxes attached as part of the “system” (which came with the house with no manuals – not they would help). This gives us internet and cable TV. We are both struggling to figure it all out. So much so, we are not comfortable to even write up directions for the folks who stay here when we are not here. We need three remotes to accomplish anything – worse, if TV viewing, we use the volume on one remote and a different remote for volume if we watch Netflix (internet). Way too much info. Let’s just say I’ve had to muster up a lot of patience. Praying I have it mastered by NCAA tournament time.

    1. As I said, Cheryl, misery loves company. I’m sorry for you, but glad we are not the only ones struggling with technology. Thanks for commenting.

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