This Reminds Me

Archive for the ‘Family’ Category

Rachel has been our next gen early adopter of all shiny objects with buttons.  Here’s a four-minute jaunt through her technology graveyard.  Of course, she’s the one I took to the office at age 12 to help with a volunteer project -  mailing T-shirts.  At lunch she asked me, “Mom, have you ever heard of a typewriter?  It’s kind of like a printer but it’s just text.”

Lately, I’ve been reading about “nomophobia,” or the acute fear of being out of cell phone contact.  At first I thought, “That’s just one more twitch of the psyche for people without enough real problems.”   But Hannah’s question made me think, and I see that I, too, have succumbed to nomophobia. My AT&T iPhone is either in my purse, in my hand, on my desk or charging on the kitchen counter.  I’d be lost now without it – literally, and figuratively.

Last month, I represented AT&T at the Ft. Lauderdale  She Streams vlogging conference.  I shot this picture with my iPhone.  From a cab window!  In years past, I would have taken a camera with me.  Photobucket has a lovely app for direct upload.  You don’t lose your pixel quality like you do emailing and then uploading shots from a p.c.

My phone is my entertainment (Words with Friends).   Before I get to work in the morning, I’ve scanned my office and personal email using the WI-fi on the bus.  If I’m lost, I either use its GPS, or call Keith to direct me from his.  I use a credit card at Sam’s for the rebate, but don’t like the big bill at the end of the month.  Before I leave the store, I’ve logged into my bank account and sent a payment to cover the charged amount.  One of my older girls has an unexpected expenditure – I can move money to her account.  I don’t carry my bible to church any more – I use the app.  I text my “MyCokeRewards” now.  Heck, I text with my older girls all day.  Keith gave me directions within a building once using Facetime – I could show him where I was.  We’ve stopped printing Groupons, etc. – we use our phones.  The trip to Ft. Lauderdale was the first time I used an electronic boarding pass – swiped my phone, got on the plane.

I am not a fantasy book lover.  Hardly ever read the stuff.  But I did read Stephen King’s “Dark Tower” series, and there was a recurrent phase that totally resonated with me:  “The world has moved on.”

Our world really has moved on.  I have noticed that those most folks contemptuous/suspicious/irritated  of or by wireless smart phone (smart phone + has an operating system, uses a data plan) usually live in a very well-defined niche.   That’s not saying a niche is “good” or “bad” – simply that “it is.”   When we lived in Houston, I was more “niche-y” than anyone I know now.  If you’re in a niche, you know that one place to stop and get directions.   Email is something you might check daily – or not.  You carry paper pictures tucked in crevices of a wallet still sporting a check book.  You don’t shop much – if ever – online because you go to the same stores which likely feature paper coupons.   Your friends may be in the same type of niche, which works well.   The rub, of course, is that tricky next generation, and the one after that, and the one after that.  Because the next generation never goes backward on connection methods, and they don’t wait.  The world keeps moving on.

Because the world keeps moving on, I’d watch for nomophobia to become more and more prevalent – in fact, I think it’ll be the norm.

You could call your doctor about it, of course.

Just don’t try to use a pay phone to do it.

As I have blogged before – our biggest blessing – our game changer – upon moving to San Antonio in 2000 has been the schools.  We had a great church, neighbors, etc. in Houston, but the schools had deteriorated into cesspools.  All four of our girls have benefited from a terrific public education in San Antonio thanks to the dedicated teachers and staff of NEISD.

Tonight Keith and I enjoyed Lois’ “Summa Reception.”  I’d never heard of one until this year.  This is so cool.   High school seniors with 100+ grade point averages each choose one teacher who has most influenced them.  (Lois’ GPA is 108, and she is ranked 24th of 598.  Yes, I’m bragging.  Are you surprised?)

The students and teachers are honored at a reception and ceremony.  Tonight, 94 “summa seniors” at Ronald Reagan High School offered remarks about their “summa teachers.”  Several teachers were from elementary school days; several from middle school, including a band director (chosen twice) with whom we worship; two students chose their mothers who were also elementary school teachers.   A uniformed summa senior chose his ROTC instructor, a retired Army sergeant.  The Model UN sponsor whom Hannah admires so much -  chosen three times.  One summa senior quoted a long passage from Shakespeare to thank his English teacher.  Neat, neat, neat variety.

Lois chose Carolyn Trigilio, her calculus teacher of two years.   Lois, by the way, is secretary of the Calculus Club.  And took first place in the state competition for Latin Derivatives  last weekend, plus second in Latin Grammar.  But I digress.  Frequently.

Hard to hear, I know.  Here are Lois’ remarks about Ms. Trigilio:  “A recent study showed that students conform to a teacher’s expectations for them, and vice-versa.  If this is really the case, I cannot begin to guess what Ms. Trigilio expected of me.  I would often enter her classroom ready to learn with more energy than either of us knew what to do with.  Still, Ms. Trigilio was calm, oddly personable and a superb teacher.  Ms. Trigilio’s silent method and sly smirks proved not only efficient but also encouraging to her classes.  Thank you, Mrs. Trigilio for challenging and fostering me for two of the longest years of my life.”

During the reception, I overheard several teachers expressing their honor and delight at being chosen.  Wow.  What a motivator.    The teachers get a bucket of recognition from the parents and students, as well as the NEISD brass (the superintendent himself opened the evening.)  The students get the privilege of publicly recognizing the teachers.  The parents get to clap for their kids, plus personally thank the teacher – hard to gripe about property taxes with this kind of evening, right?   Win-win-win.  And what did it cost?  A few trays of sandwiches, two bowls of punch, 200 fold-over programs for the parents, and 150 multi-page booklets for the students and teachers.

I think that’s brilliant.

Like a certain high school senior I know.

The kind of “senior moment” I like to have!

In celebration of Pi Day – a cake!   The girls and I trooped off to Houston Sunday – Tuesday of this spring break week and were treated to a cake in our honor, selected by the kiddos of my brilliant niece Sarah  -  Laura and James.  Not sure when my name last topped a cake, but I’ll bet my mom baked it.

Red velvet, too – yum!

Sarah always makes us very welcome, which is fortunate – since we’re coming to her house regardless.  With all our bags.  And pillow pets.  And 12-packs of Diet Coke.  Which everyone will have to step around in the entry way, so sorry, really, Clark, we’ll be taking it with us when we leave here next month.

Couch Fulla Cousins:  James, 5; Rachel, 20; Julia, 12; Lois, 18; Hannah, 16; Laura, 8.  Strange to think this may be our last spring break with a full house, since Lois leaves for A&M in the fall.

We spent Monday the Houston Livestock Show.  I don’t like animals, but I love the fair atmosphere.  Plus we got a free koozie for checking in on Facebook, and I’m all about the $Free.99.

Julia’s first candy apple, inspired by cousins Laura and James.  Sarah and I swore we were going to devour fried Milky Way bars, but when we got to the concession stand, we were just too hot and tired to think about them.  Neither of us had sense enough to wear shorts instead of jeans.  We slurped multiple bottles of cool water instead of licking gooey caramel deliciousness from our fingers.  Next year, Sarah – next year.

Don’t let these babies get your goat, girls.

Cabrito on the hoof!  Hannah was smiling a lot more Monday than she has been today.  She had six (count ‘em – six!) wisdom teeth removed this morning, plus an oral cyst.  Glad we went to Houston earlier because we’ll sure be staying close to home the remainder of spring break.

Julia spent about 10 minutes in front of the bee exhibit, trying to locate the queen.  I joked, “She looks a lot like me!”  But alas – my humor was lost on her.  Sigh.

So Happy Pi Day – and Spring Break!  Hope you have a sweet to celebrate – maybe even a fried Milky Way.

The holidays are coming – be ready!