My Friends Call Me Old-Fashioned, and Maybe They’re Right.

Or is this self-perception?

Sometimes, we come across a prompt that’s tailor-made for us. Other times, we find the boost needs a tweak. My suggestions come without forethought. When I tried imagining my friends talking about whether I’m old-fashioned, I had a sobering thought.

What friends, which cohorts? How about we start here?

I’m a person who’s attached to my family, which comprises most of my relationships. My best friend of many years died this past year and has yet to be replaced. If that’s even possible, she was one of a kind. But no handbook ever said that we can’t be friends with our adult children, and with the generational gap in play, I don’t doubt my kids roll their eyes behind my back.

I’m talking about technology and my failure to thrive in a world of electronics.

I don’t have an Apple watch. My Alexa sits in her box on a shelf in my condo, and I still have a home phone. I don’t use Waze and I spend more money at the grocery store than necessary because I don’t have the app for price comparison readily handy to show the cashier.

Why I’m so resistant to technology is a question I can’t answer, but one thing I know is that I don’t thrive with change. I’ve noticed that along with technological progress comes a need to accept less human contact. It’s not something I can get used to.

Gone are the days when you can easily speak to someone in customer service. So long to booking appointments with a receptionist or corresponding with others face-to-face. Thank goodness we aren’t yet robots who converse strictly through text and email, but it’s not far off if we’re not careful. 99% of my friends are those I’ve met online and haven’t yet ever spoken with in person or even seen their faces.

Call me old-fashioned, but I’d prefer fewer relationships with technology and more focus on the good old days when people valued human interaction. However, I forget that without computers, I’d have less ability to instantaneously share my writing across cities, countries, and even continents. I’d still be sitting at a desk writing poetry and short stories that would likely never see the light of day.

You’d think the secret is for me to change my mindset, and with it, I’d find the answers to improve my technological abilities, but I’m not sure it’s that simple.

I have an iPad that I rarely use. I still lack computer skills even though I’ve taken courses to learn the ropes and don’t retain information about certain things that require electronic use. However, there are many areas in life in which I excel.

Just not this one.

So, am I old-fashioned or technologically impaired?

I’d best ask Alexa, but in my condo, she’s nowhere around.

If you’re looking for this month’s prompts, including today’s, The Challenged’s got you covered.

Here are the participants and supporters of the pub’s challenges. Please show their stories some love. (Please let me know if you want your name removed from or added to the list. Either is easy to do, per your request. All you need to do is ask in the comments or a note.)

Adrienne Beaumont, NancyO, Randy Pulley, The Sturg, Harry Hogg, Susie Winfield, Vidya Sury, Collecting Smiles, Trisha Faye, Bernie Pullen, Michelle Jimerson Morris, Paula Shablo, Brandon Ellrich, Ravyne Hawke, Pat Romito LaPointe, Karen Hoffman, Vincent Pisano, Michael Rhodes, Bruce Coulter, Rachella Angel Page, Pluto Wolnosci 🟣, Lisa Guard, Dixie Dodd, Adrian CDTPPW, Leigh-Anne Dennison, barry robinson, Jerry Dwyer, Jennifer Dunne, Lynn L. Alexander, Keeley Schroder, Julia A. Keirns, Ruby Noir 😈, Emma Vincent, Frances A. Chiu, John Welford, Deborah Joyce Goodwin (Red:The-Lady In Blue), Misty Rae, Jessica Morgan, Tooth Truth Roopa Vikesh, Patricia Timmermans, Maria Rattray, John Hua Technology ☕️, John Hansen, Zaq Cass, Eva MacInnes