The Curse of the Smartphone

I’m so happy to see increasing calls for people to put down their smartphones. It’s about time. I think driving became much more dangerous once people started texting while driving. I hate seeing parents out pushing their little ones in strollers or grocery carts and completely ignoring them because they’ve found someone more interesting on their phones. Then there are the people who can no longer hold a face-to-face conversation with another person without repeatedly checking their phones. Ugh!

I do think cell phones are great for security. I bought my first cell phone about 20 years ago, and I still have a dumbphone. The beauty of it is that I can put it in my pocket on mute and hardly know that it’s there, but if my car doesn’t start, I can give my husband a call without leaving the vehicle. Occasionally, I’ll send one of my kids a text to let them know my ETA, but otherwise I rarely text and don’t really understand what on earth is so important that people need to be calling or texting each other all the time, especially while they’re shopping, at the doctor’s office, etc.

I have to wonder if my dislike of smartphones is just a sign of my impending old age. Are there any young people out there who think like I do? I doubt it.

One Hundred Years Ago Today…

…the great Ella Fitzgerald was born. She overcame adversity (including the deaths of both parents when she was young) after discovering her talent and putting it to use. Today many people are remembering her and celebrating her life (here and here, for instance). I think I will just share some of her talent here and maybe others will also become fans of hers:

 

A Lovely TV Series to Enjoy

Although I haven’t watched live television in many years, I do enjoy a good series on DVD, and am blessed with an awesome public library that offers many shows in their entirety.

Recently I stumbled onto a lovely British television series that my husband and I really like. “As Time Goes By” features a couple who were once young and madly in love, but separated by a war and then a lost letter. Years later, after she has been married and widowed, and he’s been married and divorced, they run into each other again.

The humor is often subtle, and the relationships among the characters quite realistic. Unlike many American comedies, the humor doesn’t hit you over the head. You have to pay attention. I also appreciate that each episode doesn’t end up neatly tied with a bow.

If you’re looking for something light and fun to watch, give it a try!