Lately, I’ve been having all sorts of problems with
Bluetooth devices and wireless technology in general, but my rant today
concerns my new cell phone. I tend to renew my cell phone contract with
whatever phone is available free with the new contract. I’m not too picky, so long as the
phone is reliable. I have owned one Blackberry phone, because it was one of the
last phones anyone made with a
keyboard. That said, it was hands down the worst
phone I have ever owned. I think I got that Blackberry about two months before they
got out of the cell phone business altogether, and that was a horrible phone in
all respects. Since then, I have been using a Samsung, and generally I’ve been
happy with the Android platform. I do not and never will like touch screens (especially in
cars!). When I renewed my phone contract recently, I opted for a new Samsung A5.
It seemed about the same as my old S4, with a better camera, and it has been, in
most respects, a satisfactory phone. There are two problems. First, this phone
uses a different USB connector from the ubiquitous micro USB plug. Along with the new phone, and its USB “C” charging cable, came a little adapter
to attach to a standard micro USB cable. I probably have three or four of the
old cables, but I need this little adapter to use them with the new phone. The
other day, the adapter fell off the cable and disappeared. It is about the size
of a garbanzo bean, so I think it’s gone for good. To my surprise, it is not so
easy to find this little adapter, and the cables with the proper end are
expensive. Apple is notorious for changing their hardware, and the adapter to make
old the old IPods cables work with the new “lightning” connectors is thirty
bucks. Don’t get me started about Apple. The other problem with the Samsung A5
is that there are varied sizes for different model years. I did not know
this. When I tried to buy a shock proof case for my new phone, there were none available locally, so I purchased one online which was advertised
to fit the Samsung A5. When it arrived, a month later from China (hey, it
was a deal), it did not fit. Nothing in the ad suggested that there were
different A5s for different years. I live in a rural community, and where possible,
I try to shop locally, because I think it makes sense to support the local economy.
Sometimes, online shopping is the only solution. While convenient, it can be
annoying when products are not properly advertised.
Last Saturday night, I attended the Burk’s Falls Santa
Claus Parade, and because Hunters Bay Radio had a float in the parade, I took a high definition video of the entire event on my phone. The upside of technology is that I was able
to immediately post it to the HBR Facebook page, as well as on my own page. A lot of people thanked me for posting
the video. So far, in only a few days, that video has been viewed over 3000 times.
Nothing says Christmas like giant semis, fire trucks, and tractors, honking their horns and blaring their sirens, rolling down
the main street, adorned with Christmas lights. I particularly liked the float with an inflatable Santa peeking out the door of
an outhouse. Final note: I heard on the news the other night that Death Doulas
are the new big thing - people who will help you and your family through the
end-of-life transition. For years, I’ve been saying that we westerners need to
become better at dealing with death. I have inadvertently been thrown into a "Death Doula" role three or four times, and the experience was transformative. If this
rock star thing doesn’t happen soon, I might become a certified Death Doula. I could advertise myself as "The Grim
Doula" ... Catchy title eh?
- Written by Jamie Oppenheimer c 2017 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
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