Monday, February 4, 2013

Technologically Challenged

 
I remember when I was a kid and we had those kind of old fashioned phones. Yes, I actually used the rotary phone for many years until we got the newer press-the-buttons type.

Me... I'm not technically challenged. I don't know a lot when it comes to technology, but show me something one or twice and I'll figure the rest out. My family, however, is a whole other story. My mom catches on after I show her how to do something once or twice, but my dad is just so technologically challenged that I sometimes wonder if he was born in the stone age.

So a few months ago, he stepped on his cell phone and broke the screen. I don't know how he managed to live with his phone without being able to see anything on it. Yesterday, we went to the cell phone place to get him a new phone (and an upgrade for me). He picked out the most old fashioned phone in the whole place, asked the guy behind the counter very dumb questions (like if he still gets voicemail if he says no to the text message option), and finally he purchased the phone.

As we were walking out of the cell phone store, he asked me to call him so he could see how it works. I dialed his number and waited. His phone rang, he flipped open the screen and put it to his ear. But the phone continued ringing. "Hello?" he said into the phone and gave me an annoyed look. It still rang in his ear. "This phone doesn't work."

"You need to answer the phone, Dad," I told him.

It was funny. I hated to laugh at his lack of technological know-how, but it was still funny to see him get frustrated over not knowing how to answer the new cell phone.

Do you know anyone who is tech challenged?

6 comments:

  1. It's just harder for some people to grasp new technology. I was born in that transitory period between old world and microwaves. I learned all the latest tech because my job demanded it.

    A lot of people older than me have a hard time with new tech. It's alien to them.

    I imagine your dad is about my age though so maybe he's more stubborn. :)

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    1. Hi Maria! My dad is in his early 50's (He'll be 51 in a few weeks) but I don't know if being technologically challenged is an age thing. My mom's boyfriend is 54 and knows pretty much everything about computers, cell phones, and ect, while my ex-husband who is in his thirties couldn't figure our how to turn on a computer.Still, it was funny watching my dad try to answer the phone. :-)

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  2. Yes, my dad sounds like your dad!

    If he reads something on our pc screen, he'll ask how to move the screen dowb to read more. He has no idea how to use a pc or laptop. He doesnt know how to buy things online, use the Internet, or use a mouse lol! the most he can do is use facebook on his mobile phone.

    But he's happy with that. No emails or printed letters, handwritten and put in the post every time lol. He's 48!

    Dee

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    Replies
    1. Hello Dee! My mom used to do that. She would always ask how to go down on the computer so she could finish reading some article. :-)

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  3. Me, I shake my phone all the time, my dh justs laughs at me and says shaking it doesn't help.

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  4. Hello Z! But shaking does help! A good shake fixes all my tech problems. (throwing the tech stuff against the wall doesn't work though).


    :-)

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