Your favorite device

An example of this is answering machines. At first, it seemed nothing short of a miracle to know that a machine would capture your missed calls and allow you to screen calls, too. Fast forward; every darn time you call a doctor's office, your cable company, or customer service, it is now nothing short of a miracle if a live person answers your call. Even worse, the automated "answering machine" want to play guessing games with you. "For A. press one. For B, press two. If you're calling for blah blah blah, stand on your head. If you're calling for yada yada, roll over and sit up!"

More time gets wasted on these automated calls!
I hear you. I have had offices call me, I immediately call back and STILL get bounced around thru their menu system. And every company is using covid as an excuse for not answering their phones.
 
I hear you. I have had offices call me, I immediately call back and STILL get bounced around thru their menu system. And every company is using covid as an excuse for not answering their phones.
Covid, or the holidays, or it's raining, etc.
 
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I think that the device that I like the most is probably my tablets. I read a LOT and they are treasures for a reader. I love that I can read in the dark. When I go to sleep the light is out so my wife doesn't wake me up in the wee hours of the morning poking me in the ribs and telling me to turn the *&#! light out.

With that said, I probably spend 8 to 10 hours a day on my laptop. Since I got sick last year it has been a lifesaver to me and kept me from feeling so trapped. I have had a hard time getting going again to full strength but even now I still spend hours writing and posting though I have trimmed my places down a bunch.

When I was weakest I probably had either a laptop in my lap or a kindle fire in my hands about 20 hours a day. I seldom sleep more than 4 hours anymore and a lot of days it is more like a couple of 2-hour naps. I can't imagine having to actually pay attention to a TV that many hours a day. It may be on but I am usually paying more attention to my laptop.

Before the modern electronic systems, my most prized and used possessions were my books. Thousands and thousands of them covering almost all subjects and different sorts of fiction. I am torn now about my books. There are so many of them and I do all of my reading on three kindles a 7", 8", and a10". I have thought about opening a book store with them.
 
Home-built PC - I build all my own machines and do builds for others.

Probably easier to say how much time I DON'T spend on it........... :)
I do the same (last built a Ryzen system last year) for my gaming rig but prefer using my MacBook Air M1 for most other things.
 
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An example of this is answering machines. At first, it seemed nothing short of a miracle to know that a machine would capture your missed calls and allow you to screen calls, too. Fast forward; every darn time you call a doctor's office, your cable company, or customer service, it is now nothing short of a miracle if a live person answers your call. Even worse, the automated "answering machine" want to play guessing games with you. "For A. press one. For B, press two. If you're calling for blah blah blah, stand on your head. If you're calling for yada yada, roll over and sit up!"

More time gets wasted on these automated calls!
Hel-lo. We value your custom and love you! Share and enjoy! If you would like to purchase our great new app for £999.99 press 1. If you are interested in buying a subscription to our weekly sales pitch press 2. If you want to pay your bill press 3. If you want to hear our daily singalong press 4. If your internet connection has been cut off for no obvious reason and you want to talk to someone hold the line....
Have you heard about our new gold plated slippers? They are good and you want them....
*tape loop of one bar of terrible music*
We value your loyalty. Obey us.
*same music*
And so on.
 
I hear you. I have had offices call me, I immediately call back and STILL get bounced around thru their menu system. And every company is using covid as an excuse for not answering their phones.
They give you excuses? I miss those. I just stuck in an endless loop with no apology. Nobody is there. I'm fairly sure everyone at 3-mobile's offices died in a freak accident a few years ago and nobody has noticed.
 
What is also worse is that they can't even play decent music while they keep you chained to the phone on hold! An awful loop of synthesized crap that then becomes an earworm. :mad:
 
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In my old age, I just leave them a message that tells them, "If you want to ever get paid again, contact me at your leisure. Take your time your money will just sit in my bank drawing me interest. " It seems to get them on a stick more often than not.

I have everything that I ever wanted and don't expect to need a spotless credit rating now. As you get older your rating falls no matter what. I guess that they figure that when you die your inheritors are not going to pay them off.

In the past, good credit was very important. Now honestly it doesn't seem to matter much. I know several people that have walked off on their debts, some more than once now, and they still have credit cars and get car loans ??? How do they do this? They offer you 3% interest on your money in savings and then charge you 20% interest to loan you money. There is very little if any difference now between a loan shark and a bank loan.

I saved my money and am my own bank now. I borrow from my savings and then pay it back with 10% interest. I do the same for my kids. Being old seems to make it a lot easier to save money. Our biggest expense these days is from eating out or take out. We have 4 vehicles and only owe on one of them. My wife has always wanted a new car and I generally consider that a waste when you can buy one that is a year old for THOUSANDS less.

Last year I decided that I wanted to see her enjoy the new car instead of making her wait until I was gone to buy one. I told her to knock herself out and go buy a new car. She had a ball shopping and got a great deal on what she wanted. She is a vicious negotiator and had three or four dealerships negotiating with her for the sale. I loved it. I taught her well.
 
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