Thursday, February 28, 2013

50 things we don't do?

50 Things We Don't Do Anymore Due to Technology


Courtesy of: Mozy


The list, above, is interesting and (in part) a good indicator of how much has changed in a very short time. But, for those of us not living in the U.S., it is an example of how different life is outside the U.S. I completely agree with numbers 1, 4, 6, 9 and 10. I don't call theaters for movie times, directory assistance or the phone company to set my watch. I also don't carry a Sony Walkman. But we frequently visit a travel agent's office and occasionally use public telephones, print photos and hang classifieds in windows. In fact, in the jungle and the mountains, we do those things every day! In fact, the majority of the rest of the list are things we do here on a regular basis. Here's my list of the things we still do, with a few comments regarding some of the others:

2. Visit travel agents - Yes! (Especially when booking travel for teams.)
3. Record on VHS - Not since it broke. But we don't have DVR.
5. Use public phones - Yes -- especially to call the U.S. when I'm away from home.
7. Print photos - yes
8. Put a classified in a store window - yes (especially outside of Lima)
11. Handwritten letters - yes. (Many here do not use e-mail.)
13. Change for pay phones - no, instead we take change for taxis or the bus!
15. Pay bills at the post office - Sort of ... we pay them at the grocery store.
16. Use an address book - Yes! It is a staple of Peruvian business culture. BTW - they all have Blackberry phones, too!
17. Check a map - everyday!
18. Collect Calls - Yes - here we do it with cell phones when we out of minutes.
19. Go to the Bank - Yes!!!
21. Own an encyclopaedia - No, but I still like thumbing through the real thing.
22. Renew car registration at DMV - Yes.
24. Yellow pages - no, but I feel guilty throwing it away.
25. Use a real dictionary - almost daily.
26. Remember phone numbers - often, I can't even remember my own.
27. Watch videos - yes, all the time.
28. Have pen pads, write letters - yes.
32. Buy CD's - yes
33. Pay by check - yes. I use them to pay for stuff in the States.
34. Make a photo album - no, but we always plan to.
35. Watch TV shows when they're shown - yes.
36. Warm drinks on the stove - yes.
38. Try on shoes at the mall - yes! There's no Amazon.com down here.
39. Hand wash - yes. For many of my friends, it's the only way.
43. Buy flowers from a florist - yes and they're much cheaper and better than in the states!
44. Use a dictionary to find out how to spell something - Yes, everyday!
45. Personal diary - Yes! It is invaluable for a successful devotional life
46. Send Post Cards - yes!
47. Buy Newspapers - Every Sunday.
48. Hang laundry out to dry - yes, it is the norm here.
49. Keep printed bills - yes. Many still do not recognize digital statements as a legal receipt.
50. Visit yard sales - I wish! We miss that part of American life.

1 comment:

Bill said...

#25 Use a real dictionary: Lena asked if we really use one "almost daily," as I wrote. Therefore, I must confess that this is hyperbole. The real answer is frequently or a couple times a week. The reason is obvious: Spanish! -- Bill