Friday, February 22, 2013

Five For Friday: The More Things Change…


This FFF comes inspired by a bit I heard on the radio last night. The question was, what would you miss most if you suddenly couldn’t have it—your cell phone, cable TV, or the internet?

1. Cell phones: Yes and no. I love the convenience of texting for quick answers and being able to keep track of my kids. I run a business, though, so I hate being constantly on call. Plus, I hate the extra bill from it—nearly as much as my off-season power bill with five of us on it. I could live without cell phones again.

2. Cable TV: Well, since I’m always working pretty much, I don’t get to watch TV very often. In fact, the only show I watch with any regularity is the new Hawaii Five-O, and that, I watch during the week in dribs and drabs on the On Demand channel. So, I could live without cable TV.

3. Internet: Another tough one. I love to play on the internet, and a lot of my work is done on the internet, both writing and job-related. That being said, the internet does suck up an inordinate amount of my “free” time. I’d miss it at first, but I could get used to being without it again.

4. MP3 Players: I could easily do without these. I had an Ipod for a time, but it gave out and I’ve been without it or any other MP3 for months now. It is kind of fun to have music when I get on the treadmill or take a walk, but when I’m on the treadmill, I watch something on Netflix or a DVD, and when I take a walk outside, I don’t really need the entertainment.

5. E-readers: Another thing I could take or leave. I like good old-fashioned paperback books. That being said, I know a lot of excellent authors who never would have made it out of the slushpile at the publishing houses, simply because of the whole “bad timing” thing. Today, they make a decent living on average selling their e-books on Amazon or B&N Nook or Smashwords. I plan on going the e-publishing route at first, mainly because my audience is used to seeing me in various online venues.

So what 21st century/late 20th century bit of tech could you do without? What one or ones have you come to rely on?

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