What Do You Do When You Can't Find a Topic You Want to Write About?

When I decided to once again participate in Blaugust, I started making a list of topics that I could write about during the month.  Those ideas were meant to be a backup for the times I couldn't find a topic for my daily writing.  I have only used one of the topics since we started and that was because I felt the time was right for that topic.  However, today I am finding myself topicless...and I'm just not feeling the topics on my backup list.  So what do I do now?

It's strange that I don't have a topic for today.  I usually don't have any problem picking something.  During the day, I stumble on an idea that percolates in my brain until I'm ready to sit down and write the day's post.  Not Today!!!  I'm wondering if I'm just discouraged, because I'm not getting much traffic on my blog or maybe I'm just not into writing today.

I know that I don't necessarily fit what most of the Blaugust participants are writing about.  My intention is to focus on topics of aging and technology most of the time.  My goal is to write every day in August, and it's a challenge that I enjoy!  So I'll just count today as one of those days we all encounter when we hit the wall or just aren't in the mood.  I'll be kind to myself and just try again tomorrow, but I'm open to any suggestions my fellow bloggers might have for these type of days.  What do you do when you can't find a topic you want to write about?

Have you found your tech joy today?

#Blaugust2019

13 Minutes to the Moon

You are probably aware that we recently celebrated the 50th Anniversary of man landing on the moon since there was a lot of news coverage about this historic event.  I have always been interested in space exploration.  I think growing up in Florida in the late 50s and early 60s is where my interest began.  I can remember seeing the rockets they were testing in the sky.  It made a big impression on me.

I believe that we all take space travel for granted now.  The trips to the moon followed by the Shuttle missions, the International Space Station, and the privatization of space travel such as SpaceX have made these feats common place.  These launches used to be major national events that were covered by all of the news organizations.  Now we don't even realize when rockets are sent into space.

I wholeheartedly recommend that you listen to the podcast 13 Minutes to the Moon by the BBC.  It's a fascinating analysis of the final minutes before landing.  It clearly articulates how precarious this mission was and interviews people who were involved.  By examining the last 13 minutes, the planning involved to get to that point, and the decision-making that occurred each step of the way, the listener is transported to that time when space technology was still in its infancy. It's amazing to realize how far we have come since that time.

Have you found your tech joy today?

#Blaugust2019

Grocery Lists

This...

    OR...

This?

My husband and I were at our local Target store tonight picking up some basic grocery items. We use an app on our phones for a shared list and add items as we think of them. It’s also helpful in making our trips more efficient, because we can each view the list and go separate ways to pick up needed groceries. We have been making our shopping lists like this for many years. Imagine our surprise when we saw another couple of similar ages discussing the items on the paper list one of them was holding!  After passing them in the aisle, we turned to each other to comment on this oddity and laughed that we both noticed.

It should not surprise YOU that I started wondering about how people make shopping lists, if age is a factor, and what apps people like best.  I am guessing that the use of paper for grocery lists is much more prevalent the older you are. However, I do wonder if those with smartphones are more likely to have made the switch from paper to their phones. If they use their phones, are they using apps designed for making lists or are they just keeping a list on their notepad?

I have used a couple of different apps but currently use “Out of Milk”.  It works well for keeping multiple lists for Target, Trader Joe’s, Costco, Lowe’s, etc. I know that my son and his family use Alexa to keep their grocery list. My grandkids have had some fun adding items to the list, but there is a failsafe check system that catches unwanted or unnecessary items.  I also use Wunderlist to keep track of meals I’ve bought or prepared. Then I can plan out my meals for the week very easily.

I’d be interested in hearing what your experience with shopping lists has been and if you have any recommendations for apps that you especially like. I’d also love to hear if you’ve noticed differences in paper versus smartphone lists with the people shopping when you are. Is there an age difference, or was this just an oddity?  Let me know!

Have you found your tech joy today?

#Blaugust2019

Video Games As Scapegoats

This will be a short post, but I am tired of politicians using video games as a scapegoat for not dealing with the crisis of domestic terrorism.  I don't want to get too political, but blaming video games for violence after tragedies such as occurred in Texas and Ohio is just wrong.  If you have done any research, you will find reputable studies and reports that will tell you the same thing.

There are multiple sources that show that video games do not cause violence.  The American Psychological Association issued a policy statement from their media psychology division where they found that "scant evidence has emerged that makes any causal or correlational connection between playing violent video games and actually committing violent activities."  In fact, Dr. Chris Ferguson, a Stetson University psychology professor who led the committee issuing the policy statement said, "The data on bananas causing suicide is about as conclusive.  Literally.  The numbers work out about the same."  In addition, the Supreme Court heard a case about a California law that banned selling violent video games to children.  They found that there was no research to support the idea that video games were to blame for violence.

My sons, now adults, have played video games most of their lives.  I've seen for myself the impact these games have on them so I am not surprised by the evidence that negates this "causal connection".  Anyone familiar with video gaming knows how prevalent it is in Japan and South Korea.  Those countries have some of the lowest rates of violent crime.  It is just ridiculous to blame video gaming for the acts of domestic terrorism we are experiencing in our country.

I see on Twitter that #VideogamesAreNotToBlame is trending nationally.  I'm happy to see the pushback against making video games scapegoats.  They are not the problem!  If you haven't read the tweets, you may want to do so.  They're interesting and compelling reading.

#VideogamesAreNotToBlame

Have you found your tech joy today?

#Blaugust2019

Why So Surprised that a Grandma is Listening to Your Podcast?

I was listening to one of my favorite podcasts, Triforce, a while ago when I heard them discussing their extreme surprise that someone's grandmother was listening to their podcast.  While it's true that the talent are all in their mid to late 30s and the content can be over the top at times, I was dismayed that they had such an antiquated view of grandmothers.  They implied that grandparents are doddering, old women.  This certainly hit a nerve with me!

I am a 66 year old grandmother, but I am very active.  Our kids say that their parents have a much more active social life than they do because we are always going somewhere, doing things with friends of all ages, and interested in a variety of things.  I do remember when I was young and thought that people in their 60s were really old.  We definitely are older, but I think that aging has changed in our current society.  More of us are active, vital, contributing adults later in life!  Using technology is certainly one of the things that has changed our lives for the better, and many of us embrace its use and what it offers us.

As I started musing about Podcasts and demographics, I had to do a little research to see what the stats were about Podcasts.  According to Podcastinsights.com, there are over 750,000 podcasts!  That's a lot of content being created.  Edison Research tells us that "51% of Americans 12+ have ever listened to a podcast, with 32% having listened in the past month, and 22% in the past week...Although all key demographics grew, much of the increase in podcasting has come from Americans age 12-24."  

Credit: Infinite Dial 2018

As the graph shows, listening to podcasts occurs during many parts of the day.  Most listen at home like I do, but a large percentage listen in their cars or at work.  My husband listens while exercising.  Podcasts can fit into lives in many different ways so people of all ages should be able to find a way to enjoy them.

Podcast listeners subscribe to an average of 6 shows and 19% of us speed them up (Podcastinsights.com).  I subscribe to 27 different podcasts.  I listen to all of them with Smart Speed which shortens silences.  Some of them I listen to at 1 1/2 speed.  My son listens to a lot of podcasts at double speed but I haven't been able to get used to that!

I think that podcast creators need to recognize that seniors are an untapped demographic.  I am hoping that more and more will discover how much fun listening to podcasts can be.  I think they're definitely missing out by not exploring this form of media and content.  So, Content Creators, grandmas like me won't be pidgeonholed into antiquated stereotypes of gray haired grannies knitting in our rocking chairs.  We're out here ready to learn new things, stay current, and be entertained!

Have you found your tech joy today?

#Blaugust2019

Do You Twitch?

This weekend was the first YogCon (Yogscast Convention) in Bristol, UK which I was very excited to see.  I'm a big fan of Yogscast, follow several of their streamers, listen to Triforce-a podcast of 3 of their streamers, and always watch Jingle Jam, their December charity event: so I made sure to go on Twitch to watch today's content.  It was a lot of fun, and I enjoyed it a lot.  I also was watching the crowd and their reactions and started wondering if many people my age watched Twitch programming.

I have watched Twitch for a long time.  In addition to watching Yogscast, I also watch GTA Role Playing on Twitch a lot.  My son is the one who has hooked me on these forms of programming.  I know that I enjoy it because of the personalities of the people online.  I think others would enjoy it if they knew about it and understood it.  This line of thought started me thinking about Twitch demographics so I had to look into it.  I suspected that Twitch demographics run on the young age group side.

According to Much Needed.com, Twitch is the "31st most popular website online".  It also says that 55% of Twitch users are between 18 and 34 years old.  The remainder are 13 (the youngest age you can have a Twitch account) to 17 and above 34-pointing out that gamers are aging and make up part of the remaining statistical group.  While it doesn't say what the remaining breakdown is, I'm guessing that those of us 55 and over make up a very small percentage of viewers since we didn't grow up playing video games.

I doubt that there are very many of us in the 55 and older age bracket who have even heard about Twitch.  That's really sad, because I find a lot of enjoyment out of watching streamers on Twitch.  That's probably a surprise to younger readers who don't expect this viewpoint.  However, there are a lot of us who like streaming and the technology that supports it.  If you're in this older age group, I would highly recommend that you try it out.  You may be pleasantly surprised!

Have you found your tech joy today?

#Blaugust2019

How Long Will We Be Remembered?

I was listening to one of my favorite podcasts, Hello Internet, and they were talking about how long people are remembered.  It was a fascinating discussion of how long it takes for famous people to no longer be remembered by at least 100 people.  This was an intriguing discussion, because I am feeling an obligation to capture memories from my childhood so that future generations in my family know what life was like during those times.  This started me thinking about how technology has impacted the memories of people today.

As I mentioned, one of the goals I have is to capture memories for my children and grandchildren.  With the changes in technology, there are several different projects that are part of this goal.  One is to digitize all of the photographs from our parents and us.  Another is to delve into our ancestry.  I'm also in the process of changing VHS to digital format and writing about my memories of childhood.  These are major undertakings but could have a lasting impact on my family's history.

My parents had a few photographs of their family but not many.  In fact, I don't have a picture of my maternal grandmother.  Now we take pictures and videos with our phones every day.  Just think how this will change the memories of our children and grandchildren!  I feel lucky to have an audio recording of my grandfather.  Now I am searching for the best ways to save it digitally so I can share it with my siblings and children.

I use Ancestry to keep track of our family trees.  If you have used this, it's like a rabbit hole with an overwhelming amount of information. Add to this the new DNA reporting from Ancestry and 23andMe: we have so much data and information at our fingertips.  It HAS to change how people are remembered although it MAY devalue this information and these memories because they are so readily accessed.

The question is really: will all of this media and technology impact the lasting memories of generations?  I would think that it will for those people who are interested in learning about their family trees.  I also think that technology is allowing us to get closer to having memories of what people were really like.  Instead of a still photograph, we can now hear their voices, see how they moved, and better understand their personalities.  I find these changes fascinating and believe that memories will be improved and longer lasting if care is taken to preserve them.  It's a task I have chosen to take on for my family.  While it's overwhelming at times, I find a lot of joy in it.  Do you have someone in your family who is taking on the role of historian?

Have you found your tech joy today?

#Blaugust2019

Blaugust Is Back!!!

I can't believe it, but August is here!!!  We all know what that means...Blaugust (Blogging in August) is back!  Once again, I will be sharing my observations and ruminations about technology and media with an eye on how age is perceived in these areas.  This seems like a timely topic since age is certainly taking the stage in our world right now-especially in the field of politics.  While I'll try to avoid making any of these posts political, I may comment on articles/media that address the topic of age in politics.  It may be interesting to see what position is taken in this area.  If nothing of interest jumps out at me in the political arena, I will be commenting on other areas about age in relation to technology and media that catch my eye.

If you see something that you think may interest me, be sure to send me a note here so I can check it out.  If you have a question or comment, I'd love to hear about it.  So here we go, everyone!  Check back each day for the latest and...

Have you found your tech joy today?

#Blaugust2019

A Robot to Clean My House.

I just read an article in CNN Tech News about a robot being developed by MIT that can distinguish between different items. They propose that robots could pick up items around the house, match shoes, and put them away in closets. This is the dream of anyone who has to deal with the daily clutter in their home. I’m all for it!

I’ve been intrigued by Roombas for a long time. I would love to have one. Unfortunately, I live in a split level home with carpet so it wouldn’t work well for me. However, this is one use of technology that I wholeheartedly support. I hate cleaning and would love to have a robot to do it for me.

When I was a kid, The Jetsons was a very popular TV show. I watched it every week. I was enthralled by the technology invisioned on the show.  They had a robot named Rosie who took care of all the chores in their house. I thought that would be wonderful. I also am a fan of J. D. Robb who writes about Eve Dallas, a homicide detective in the near future. House droids are common in their lives. Now it sounds like technology is advancing in a way that a house robot might be a part of the future. Sign me up!

We Did It!

It’s the last day of August which means it’s also the last day of BlaugustReborn.  My goal was to write every single day this month, and I did it! It felt good to get back to writing. I had missed it. It was also fun to think about the technology around me and how it brings joy into our lives. I enjoyed seeing posts of others who participated in this event. My sincere gratitude to everyone involved who made this such a wonderful experience.

So what now? Writing every single day will be impossible to maintain. However, I love writing so I want to keep this blog going. I’m hoping to post once a week moving forward. I know that I will continue to see the differences in the ways generations embrace and/or reject technology. I’m sure I’ll have an opinion about that. To my fellow bloggers, thanks for sharing your talents on this journey! As always, continue your joy of technology. I know I will!

Have you found your tech joy today?

#BlaugustReborn

#EduZero

I wrote in an earlier post about school and technology so you may have already read my thoughts on the subject.  It was probably clear that, as a former educator, I feel strongly that students need technology integrated into their learning. I recently read a blog post that went even further. This post was encouraging all of us to educate the heart of the student.

I believe this! We have to care for our students and help them find their passion. All of us have a responsibility to make sure they are encouraged and supported as they explore their world in an effort to discover what they’re good at and what they enjoy.  This is especially true when working with teens. It’s such a difficult time for them. We have to pay attention to their mental health as well as their physical health.

Travis Jordan, the author of the blog, puts it this way:

• “So I kindly ask you to join me in launching a new challenge for the entire nation...#EduZero.  This doesn’t require you to pour ice cold water over your head or jump out of a moving car to dance. This simply asks you to make it your mission to reach as many children as you can. You don’t have to be an educator. You just have to have a beating heart. The objective is simple. This year in our nations schools we vow to make sure that ZERO passions go undiscovered. ZERO  stories of our students go unheard. ZERO  gifts go unwrapped. ZERO  students sitting alone. ZERO SUICIDES. I truly believe the more that we lift up, the less that will get knocked down by themselves or the violent acts of others.”

If you’d like to read more of the #EduZero post, you can find it here:

https://tjordan.org/2018/08/15/eduzero/

Technology will certainly be a part of the answer-from using it as a tool to ensuring healthy use of social media. It can be a lot of fun when used wisely. Please join us in this effort.

Have you found your tech joy today?

#BlaugustReborn
#EduZero

Games on iPad

Even though I’m older, I like playing games. I used to play Viva Piñata, Dance Dance Revolution, and Rock Band on XBox.  I loved playing Virtual Reality on my son’s Vive. Unfortunately, I have found that I don’t enjoy the frantic feeling I get when playing a lot of games.  (However, I can watch others play and really enjoy it.) I also don’t have a lot of time to devote to playing games. That’s why games on my iPad are more my speed.

It’s interesting that I prefer my iPad over my iPhone for some games.  I think if it’s a game that’s visually appealing that takes some dexterity to tap to play, I like my iPad more.  I’ve played quite a few farm games or city building games. Right now I play Township by Playrix. It’s held my interest for awhile. I like that I’m part of a league where we compete as a group. I’ll play until I get bored and move on to something else.  My favorite game right now is Diggy’s Adventures by Pixel Federation. I have been playing it every day for months. What I love about it is that, even though it’s a tap-to-play game, there are challenges that you have to figure out as you go. It breaks it up and makes it more interesting. There are also special events that are a fun and give you lots of rewards. It’s probably my favorite game!

I’d be interested to hear if you have any games you recommend for iPad. What gives you lots of joy as you play?

Have you found your tech joy today?

#BlaugustReborn

Find a Young Person to Help You

We all bring our biases into situations. After all, we are a product of our experiences. Most of us realize that there are obviously stereotypes about older adults and their lack of technology skills. For younger generations, I can understand if they don’t question that stereotype if they have had limited experience with technologically-savvy older adults. Technology is such an integral part of young people’s identity that it usually comes naturally to them. So much of this obviously depends on their exposure to technology, but most of our schools have done a lot to ensure that students are skilled in technology.  Whenever I hear a young person assuming that older adults do not use or understand technology in their everyday lives, I try to understand where their viewpoint comes from even though I find it insulting.  As a result, I’m usually willing to overlook their bias; instead I will probably take the opportunity to educate them.

However, it irritates me when older people automatically assume that all of us need help with everyday technology. Last night I was at the Minnesota State Fair and attended a Beach Boys Concert with the Righteous Brothers as the opening act. Granted, there were a lot of gray-haired people in the audience, but I bumped up against a comment by Bill Medley from the Righteous Brothers. He asked the audience to find the flashlight on their phones, but then he made the comment that we should ask a young person to help us. I know he was being funny, but REALLY?? Please don’t reinforce the stereotype that we can’t handle technology. It’s great for anyone, no matter their age, to ask for help when they need it, but let’s not define assistance by age.  We should start presenting the expectation that ALL of us are technologically skilled. This will go a long way to change viewpoints of all age levels and to help people, who are hesitant to try new things, venture out into this new realm of growth. 

It was really beautiful to see all the phones lit up during the concert so it was a fantastic idea. This was a great example of the way technology can bring you joy, but let’s leave age out of it. I hope we can all promote the use of technology for everyone. We all need more joy in our lives.

Have you found your tech joy today?

#BlaugustReborn

iPhone Apps: Keeping Your Mind Sharp

As an older user of technology, I often see ads for iPhone apps that are marketed as brain games. One of the games that I often see is Lumosity.  I’ve tried it, and it was okay. Unfortunately, there were 2 drawbacks for me: it was boring after awhile and you had to pay if you wanted the full game to give you more variety. I have found that I need something different to keep my brain sharp.

I take a different approach. I need vocabulary to make my mind stretch.  So I start every day with 4 word games.  All of these are free to play.

1. 7 Little Words: I play the daily game and the bonus game. These are both free. In this game, you’re given clues for 7 words. You then have to put pieces together to make these words. It is very challenging at times. I often think I don’t know the answers at all but I keep working at it...and it suddenly falls into place. This really challenges my brain.
2. Monkey Wrench: This also has a daily and bonus game each day. It’s probably my favorite word game. It’s similar to the previous game, but there are a lot more words to find. It’s hard to explain this game so check it out for yourself.
3. Red Herring: This is a game of categories. I play this game on the easiest level which gives you the categories. The harder ones do not! I’ve found that I need those headers in order to do this, but it’s still fun.
4. Word Search Pro: The last game I do on my iPhone every day is this word search game. I’ve tried several, but this is my favorite.

I like challenging my brain to keep it sharp. This is such a great way to use technology to start my day!

Have you found your tech joy today?

#BlaugustReborn

What Will It Take?

Today gamers came together in Florida to share their love for a video game at a tournament. It was a time to compete, have fun, and marvel at the talents of those participating whether you were in house or watching on Twitch. Unfortunately, it became the site of a tragic mass shooting. What will it take for us to do what is needed to stop this from happening in our country?

The time for “thoughts and prayers” has come and gone. Much more needs to be done. I believe very strongly that we have to do something to change the gun laws. I also believe that we need to do more to help those with mental health issues. For me, these efforts must go hand-in-hand as we work to resolve the issues. Whatever you believe to be the issue, there is something you can do.

I believe we can bring about change with our vote. I ask everyone to research their candidates on these issues and vote for those who are committed to make the changes needed to end these tragedies. You can also help by reaching out to friends and family to encourage them to vote this year. 

I normally ask that everyone look for some joy every day in technology. Today there is no joy-only sadness. This post is dedicated to those who were killed and injured at the tournament today. 

#BlaugustReborn

Movie Experiences

Today was a movie day for me, and I was struck by the contrast between watching a movie in the theater and in my own home.  I love movies as a medium. I’m able to immerse myself in a different life or story. It’s one of my favorite forms of entertainment.

Going to the theater is a fun experience. I thoroughly enjoy the stadium, reserved seating available now.  With a large screen and surround sound, it can be a total sensory experience.  I especially like having my line of sight filled with the screen for action or beautifully filmed movies. There are also times when I want a surround sound experience. Star Wars and Jurassic Park movies are must-hears that I always want to go to a theater to see.  Today we saw Mission Impossible: Fallout. It was the perfect film to see in the theater because of the incredible stunts.  However, there are downsides to the theater experience.  My brother didn’t go to the theater for years because he hated listening to people crunching popcorn and crinkling candy wrappers. I don’t blame him. It can be annoying. I hate when people talk during the film. Reactions are fine, but conversations are very distracting. Despite these issues, I still go to the movie theater often.

We also rented a movie from Redbox to watch at home tonight. We chose Red Sparrow. It was a very interesting movie, but I’m glad I watched it at home. For one thing, it was a long movie. I like being able to pause if I need something to drink or to go to the bathroom. It was also an intense movie with torture that I preferred watching on the smaller screen. It didn’t need awesome sound for the story.

I don’t know about you but watching movies at either place is lots of fun! I wonder what I should watch next.

Have you found your tech joy today?

#BlaugustReborn

Cortex Podcast

One podcast that I thoroughly enjoy is Cortex. I’ve always enjoyed CGP Grey on Hello Internet (it’s very popular with cohost Brady Haran), and his YouTube videos are intelligent, informative, and entertaining.  My son knew this and recommended Cortex to me. I was hooked.

On Cortex, Grey is joined by Myke Hurley. Both are exceptional hosts!  What I love about this podcast is how they talk about how they work. It’s fascinating. They discuss everything from the tools they use to how they set up these tools. A common topic is what’s on the screen of their iPads or iPhones. They discuss work space and ideal locations for optimal output. The benefits and downfalls of work apps for organization and calendars are explored.  They also talk about division of labor and delegating to team members.  I know I’m an organizational, effective work space aficionado, but I would highly recommend this podcast for anyone interested in different work styles.

There are currently 72 episodes. I suggest starting at the very beginning so you can appreciate how they have evolved in developing their work. This is one podcast that always makes me smile. I hope you’ll give it a try. I’m sure you’ll enjoy listening to Myke and Grey as they navigate the complex world of work.

Have you found your tech joy today?

#BlaugustReborn

Are You Able To Play ROBLOX With Us Today?

This was the BEST text! I got it today from my granddaughter.  She and my grandson were hanging out with me on Tuesday for awhile. They’re both young elementary age, and we always have lots of fun together. They had been telling me about a new game they’ve been playing on their iPads. ROBLOX: have you played it or heard of it? My granddaughter said that she and her brother are friends but they want more friends to play with. While they were at my house, they asked me if I would play and be their friend. How could I pass up an offer like that? Of course, I downloaded the app, and they taught me how to play that day.

Today, for the first time, they texted me to see if I could play ROBLOX with them. YES!!!  They already had a master plan. After I agreed to play, they first FaceTimed me. As my granddaughter then explained, we would start up the game and be able to see each other on FaceTime and talk while we played. How clever of them! It greatly enhanced our enjoyment as we discussed what game to play next and interacted during gameplay. At one point, we were in a gym in ROBLOX Fitness and doing different activities. As one of them would find something, they’d tell us where it was and we’d join them. We even had a snack together at a table in the Cafe.  I think their favorite is Epic Mini Games. I’m really not very good at that one but they are! We also had a blast playing Natural Disaster Survival. It was interesting to play as they discussed strategy.

I loved the use of technology to play together today. We had so much fun and laughed a lot. I can’t wait for the next time we can play ROBLOX again!

Have you found your tech joy today?

#BlaugustReborn

Late Night Musings

It’s getting late, and I haven’t written today’s post. I was watching a documentary on HBO about Robin Williams and lost track of time. It was excellent, well worth my time, and I highly recommend it. There was a wealth of video and audio that was used to tell his story interspersed with interviews with friends and family. I’d been wanting to see it; I'm glad I did. However, now I’m scrambling for a topic.

Usually I have a topic for my daily post that’s been rolling around in my brain. Unfortunately, that didn’t happen today! As a result, this will be much shorter than usual. In thinking about my interaction with technology today, it was just the normal stuff. I did have a frustrating moment with phones today. My husband’s car is in the shop today. He left his cell phone number for them to reach him. The mechanic and my husband were texting about some of the issues so we know he had the correct number. However, when it was time critical to get the go-ahead on ordering a part for tomorrow, the mechanic called our home number and left a message. Why not use the number he was given and that he had used earlier?

Our adult children are always telling us we should get rid of our landline. This is something that probably divides generations. We both have cell phones but prefer to give our home number when filling out unimportant forms that require a number. That way most unwanted callers have the home number so we’re not bothered on our personal cells. We also have a lot of our records with businesses tied to that number. I know we need to make a change sometime soon.  It would certainly alleviate the issue we had today. I’m just not sure I want to give up the phone number we’ve had for over 30 years. We are, after all, creatures of habit!

Oh, well...we did get everything taken care of in time so that makes me happy.

Have you found your tech joy today?

#BlaugustReborn

How Do You News?

Today was a big news day! Don’t worry!  I’m not going to write about the content-we’ve all probably had our fill of it today. No, I want to discuss how we get our news in the digital age and if there’s a difference by age.

My phone was lit up today with news alerts! That’s how I often get breaking news. The other way I get news is through Facebook when our local channel streams news reports.  I am of the generation that likes news so this is usually the beginning for me. If I’m interested in the story, I might look for longer news articles online to get more details. I also checked Twitter to see what tweets were showing up. I wanted to see how the world was reacting. I also checked to see if FiveThirtyEight Politics had an emergency podcast. They did! It was interesting as it always is.   I’m probably unusual for my age group because digital news is my preferred method.

I definitely am like my age group because I also watched national news on TV.  I sometimes also check out CNN on TV. I still like TV news to get video and to hear experts and pundits to get a variety of views.  I don’t watch it every night as my parents used to do. I watch if there’s something in particular I’m interested in seeing.

There is another common way that younger generations look for news. Many like to check out Reddit (or The Reddit if you’re in the UK). I’ve tried it but it seems like such a rabbit hole. I get lost, and it takes too much effort to find what really interests me. So, I rarely check out Reddit.

I think it’s good to be informed no matter which method you choose. Let me know what your preferred news delivery method is. I’d also be interested in your opinion about preferences by age group.

Have you found your tech joy today?

#BlaugustReborn