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I Didn't Interview God, No Matter What My iPhone Says

5/3/2014

 
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I’ve been Blackberry-less for two years now.

My thumbs still miss the keyboard that contained real buttons. As much as I have loved my HTC EVO 3D, and now my iPhone, friends have learned they cannot expect texts from me that make sense since I cut the Blackberry cord.

One day, I sent a text to a friend to discuss the details of our plans for the evening. I can’t remember exactly what I intended to say, but I’m certain I never meant to use the word “ninjas,” but somehow autocorrect thought that’s what I was trying to say. Every once in a while, I’ll include #ninjas at the end of a text or tweet to that friend. It’s gets a good laugh.

A couple of weeks ago, I interviewed Jeff Idelson, president of the baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown. I recorded the face-to-face interview on my iPhone and afterward attempted to name the file, “HOF.” Imagine my surprise when I pulled up the file later and saw it named, “God.” I guess the letters H-O-F are close enough to G-O-D on the QWERTY keyboard for autocorrect to make the change, but it sort of freaked me out. I haven’t learned how to edit the names of audio files yet on my iPhone, so my biggest fear is that I’ll die and someone will find my phone and see that I think I interviewed God.  

I’m not the only one who has problems with this technology. I picked up a friend at the airport the other day and she sent me a text that said, “We’ve landed it’s a biotech and do everything.” My response? “No idea what that means. Are you cursing at me? :)”

Eventually, I will learn to adjust. Or maybe not. But holding on to old technology isn’t really an option for me. Oh, I guess a person could do it if he or she so chooses. Who among us doesn’t know at least one person who is using a cell phone from the Mesozoic Era? But staying in touch with family and friends is so much easier with technology that isn’t ancient.

I have family in St. Louis, Kansas City, Florida, and in various towns in Arkansas. And I have friends spread out across the country. I love seeing photos on Facebook of their family get-togethers, or of their kids playing soccer or attending school events while I’m sitting in a waiting room hundreds of miles away. And I love shooting them a responsive text, even if it is a bit garbled.

As I get older, I may not be able to use technology to its fullest, but that’s not even really a goal anymore. For me it’s about using it to maintain connections.

Tama link
5/3/2014 03:56:45 am

Hahahaha! Love this post, Lee! My children lament with nearly every text I send. However as texting is their preferred method of communication, I persist. 😊

Lee Warren link
5/3/2014 04:00:06 am

Have any funny texting anecdotes to share? C'mon, tell on yourself!

shawn
5/3/2014 05:39:30 am

I thought you were talking about me, but then realized you said Mesozoic era. My phone is from the Paleozoic era. lol.

Lee Warren
5/3/2014 06:34:48 am

Wondering if the Paleozoic Era came before the Mesozoic Era? Either way, I saw someone using a phone like yours when I was waking my pet dinosaur.

Susan Mires
5/3/2014 07:37:40 am

This is great! Lately I've been putting periods in the middle of sentences on my phone.

Lee Warren link
5/5/2014 01:07:46 am

That happens to me, too. Hate when that happens. :)

Tamara Clymer link
5/3/2014 05:40:52 pm

Oh, this is SO me! I ended up turning auto-correct off on my phone. I just couldn't take it anymore. Of course that means now I send out texts with all kinds of typos. Not sure which is worse. ;)

Lee Warren link
5/5/2014 01:09:37 am

I turned off auto-correct for a while, too, but like you, I end up sending out texts with typos. Think I'd rather send out a garbled mess than typos -- that way I can blame the technology. :)


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