(Peri)Menopause In The City #3

Am I losing the tech battle?

Let me tell you a secret.

Sometimes, I can’t figure out how to use the TV.

I can turn it on, but it’s hard for me to remember which app the shows I like are on.

“Is it on Apple? Or Hulu,” I ask Walter.

“I don’t know anything about any of these apps,” he tells me.

I use the voice command -

Me: Watch Silo.

Results: “Here are the results for the silos on YouTube - and listed below are videos about the various farming silos and their uses.”

Awesome.

Me. Trying to find my favorite show on TV. (Except really, it’s the Duran Duran concert.)

I’m left plucking away through all the different apps, trying to find what we want to watch.

Sometimes, we can’t remember the name of the show, and we’re like, what was the one where they’re time-travelling witches? It takes us longer to find the show than it actually takes to watch it, and by the time we find it and begin watching, one of us falls asleep.

What is happening?

Remember cable? At least with cable, you could search the entire menu for possibilities. Now, there are too many things to remember. I thought I was so cool when I cut the cord. I’m starting to question that.

There are issues with the computer, too, but I’m trying to stay calm about it—nothing to see here.

Last week, I did something on notes that required a screenshot. I had to Google ‘how to take a screenshot…’

Then, I couldn’t figure out where the screenshot was saved on my computer.

What should have taken about 5 minutes took over an hour, and I was so exhausted afterward that I had to take a nap.

It’s frustrating.

And embarrassing.

I also just found out I am addicted to my phone, but I didn’t realize how bad it was until last week when I was trying not to be on my phone because of election crazy-town. I’d put the phone down and the next thing I knew, it was in my hand again, fingers scrolling through Facebook on autopilot.

No - No - you’re not doing this today! And now I am talking to myself. Great! I am both the devil and the angel on my shoulder.

Don’t even get me started on the phone itself. Everything’s always changing. Now they have changed the photos app and I can’t figure out where my favorite photos are.

My husband was looking for a photo of our vacation to show a friend the other day, but neither of us could find the favorites folder.

They probably thought we were lying about taking the vacation.

My recent predicament is disturbing and scary. I never thought this day would come.

I’m at this weird place where I’m acting more like my parents than my kids. In fact, I sometimes have to call my kids for tech support, which is humiliating.

Our conversations go something like this:

Me: Hey! How do you find a screenshot on your computer?

Kid: I don’t understand.

Me: I took a screenshot, but I can’t find it.

Kid: I think they have free classes on how to use computers at the public library.

Me: I don’t like you very much right now.

Can anyone else relate?

Or am I the only one?

I need camaraderie.

I feel like I’m drowning in a sea of apps and photos, and it makes me feel old. This might sound crazy, but except for this one issue, I don’t feel old—not really. It feels like I’m losing my edge in this arena.

I need to know - is this it? Is it the beginning of the end?

Am I starting to lose the tech battle? Have I already lost it?

Surely not, right? Tell me that’s not right.

I do know one thing. I will not be relegated to the free classes for seniors at the public library. Not yet, anyway.

I’ll be over here trying to find my vacation photos.

How are you faring in the tech game? Please tell me I’m not alone.

LYLAS
S

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In case you missed the others in this series:

(This one wasn’t numbered with the series because I was just figuring it all out!)