A New Vista, Connectivity and a Productive Day

It's amazing what a boost to morale a new phone can provide.  My old phone was on it's last leg, but had served me very well for two years.  It was at the stage that calls were constantly being dropped and it would freeze up.  I cannot express strongly enough how frustrating it is to be talking to someone and suddenly being cut off.  Friends are understanding of course, but to call a business like an insurance company, you have to get through the voice prompt system to even reach a living breathing human.  Can you imaging how maddening it is to get to the point of a representative actually saying hello only to have the call disconnect at that very moment forcing you to begin the process again from scratch?  And forget getting the same person twice!  I had been putting off upgrading because, given my circumstances, I just couldn't afford to do so.  However, I got an email from Verizon with some online deals they had going and found a phone that I thought would be awesome.  Of course I've been salivating over the Galaxy Note for at least a year, but even with an upgrade discount it was still going to be $200, which just didn't make any kind of financial sense.  When I looked into the LG G Vista that was one of their special offers I found that it had everything I was looking for and more, and it was absolutely free which certainly fit into my current state of affairs.  So I decided to pull the trigger and do it.  I've had the phone now for several days and absolutely love it.  The only bug seems to be that it has some difficulty connecting automatically, and even manually, with WiFi.  Having discussed the issue with tech support they suggested I swap it out for a new one, which I did yesterday.  The trouble seemed to have been corrected, but today it started again having the same issue.  Rather than continually trodding in to the Verizon store every few days I decided to check out available apps that could address the issue and found one that seems to work quite nicely.  Now that connectivity has been conquered, everything else seems great.  It's always fun to play with new toys, changing backgrounds and configuring it to the specifications that suit best.  I'm sure the novelty will wear off soon, but I'm still in the stage of having to check email and Facebook every few minutes just so I can experience the awe and wonder of the 5.7 inch hi-def screen in all it's glory.  It's so funny to think that I hold in my hand a device that has more computing power than the original space shuttle had!  Hell, this thing stores and does more than most of the computers I've had over the years, and certainly a much better camera!

Connectivity is a funny thing.  The ultimate purpose is to link us to the world and all its charms right from the palm of our hands.  We are lost without it.  We don't know how to get places or what restaurants have the highest recommendations.  We would forget appointments and not be able to figure out the proper percentage to leave as a tip.  We might miss a breaking news story while we are out somewhere living our lives.  It's certainly a double edged sword.  What was created to connect us also has the power to isolate as well.  Have you ever looked at the next table while out at dinner somewhere and you see four people sitting there, not talking, not enjoying each other's company, but rather each of them is glued to that piece of technology tethered to them like some kind of life force that would drain them of all energy if they stopped, even for a moment, to put them down and relish the quality time with friends and family?  I'm as guilty as anyone, so please don't misunderstand my musings here as some form of judgement on others.  I'm prone to panic attacks if I were to forget my phone at home and be out in the community helpless and stranded.  I have visions of breaking down on the freeway or getting horribly lost without my savior at my side at all times.  What did we ever do before?  I guess I'm admitting my age when I say that I remember pay phones being everywhere.  In school we figured out how to "tap out" a phone number so we didn't have to pay for the call.  If we broke down we actually knocked on someone's door and asked to use their phone, and they usually invited us in without question or hesitation.  Being from a small town in Ohio comes with the added benefit, or down side as the case may be, of everyone knowing each other.  All you had to do was say you were "so and so's son" or "what's his name's cousin".  That always brought an instant flash of recognition and usually immediate assistance.  Sometimes it seems like those days are gone forever, but I'm sure they still exist somewhere, probably in that same town I'm from at least to some extent.  Growing up like that could be a God send, but it could also make for high Peyton Place drama as well.  But I digress!  I'd like to think that I strike a balance of being connected in the digital realm, yet treat others like a good neighbor when I can and spend real quality time with friends and family that don't involve texting each other from across the room, or table!

So today I was awakened by my Vista's alarm and reminded by my calendar app that I had an appointment at the car dealership to get an oil change and the power windows fixed.  So much for not being connected huh?  My wonderful neighbor offered to follow me there and then go off for some fun, food and adventure while my car was being serviced.  We had a marvelous lunch at Longhorn and walked around the mall for a while in search of some Seahawks attire for her.  We had such a great time watching the game last night and she loves them I think almost as much as I do.  I had let her wear my Russell Wilson jersey which, of course, was a tent on her, so she decided she needed her own.  She ended up with fleece lounge pants covered in Seahawks logos and a matching t-shirt to go with them.  We'll be all set for this coming Sunday night's game against the Cowboys.  It should be a real hoot since she gets so excited and yells at the players as if they could actually hear and respond to her.  I just love it, we laugh and carry on like sorority sisters.  Wandering around the mall also provided me with some much needed exercise which about killed me.  My level of fitness isn't even on the charts at all and my stamina is minimal at best, but it's one of the things I need to really work on along with everything else I have on my plate.  I admit now, hours after the fact, that I do feel better having actually gotten some physical activity into the mix, but I'm not going to admit that to many people just yet.  I'll never be up for a marathon and, at the stage I'm at now, it's doubtful I could finish a 1K!  Like all the other steps I'm taking in the process of healing and recovery, it will come with time I'm sure.  Once I arrived back home in a fully serviced car, which was washed inside and out and gleaming to the point of almost nonrecognition, I followed up with the short term disability people to check on the status of things.  As much as I was hoping for some really good news, I can't say I was surprised to find the status still pending and under review.  They are hoping to have some resolution by next Friday, another two weeks.  I'm taking deep cleansing breaths and trying hard not to let that frustration rob me of the positive and productive day it turned out to be.  I'm still working on letting go and letting God, but I still have a way to go with that one!  Ah well, I have a clean and totally functional car and a new Vista to keep me thinking positively.  Under the circumstances, who could ask for anything more?