I am a Freak

It seems I have a gadget of just about everything one could need in life to make one’s life easier right? Oh so wrong.
I world (our homes, I mean) have more clutter than ever. The gadgets that are supposed to make our lives easier are being replaced at such a pace now, because we need bigger or smaller, better, faster than the next guy. And we need it yesterday. There are simply too many things, and quite honestly it is the source of more tension and stress than most of us are willing to admit.

Let’s face it, do you use all of the tools, the software on your PC provides? If you use 1/100th you are in the smallest of minorities. The same goes for many of our carry around gadgets. Very few things work long any more, also support for products is usually flimsy to start with and the life of that support is for only a handful of years if one is lucky. And the details of what is supported is so small your vision has to be that of Superman’s to read the fine print.

Whatever happened to cars that lasted for 10-15 OR MORE years? Or TV’s that were 20+ years old ( I actually have one, a 20” RCA and it works great) there are a bombardment of things we are told we need, when in fact we really need little more than we did 20 years ago. Is a phone necessary to carry with you 24/7 ? I’d argue for most all of us, No.

We did quite well when land lines were the phone of the day, and we had plenty of stress then too, however just one less when we drive. We concentrated more on the problem at hand back then, the other drivers, not calling Sally or Jerry and sending email, and browsing the web or throwing DVD’s in our cars player for all to see,, I mean what the hell is going on? Are we trying to kill ourselves?

Ok, Ok, I am as guilty as anyone of using these so called tools, and have more junk than I care to admit to. Just think about it, the next time you go to buy that killer app, or that must have new phone. Do you really NEED it or do you just want new? And with new, comes a new learning curve and time spent to do so. More time than you likely have, you and I both.

So, I the hippocrite simply am saying, look around at your pile. When was your last Ebay sale?? DUMP IT ALL!!! Move to the islands!!

Tags: gadgets

Comment

You need to be a member of Reviews, News, and How To Geeks to add comments!

Join this Ning Network

Comment by Andy on April 13, 2009 at 10:27am: doesn't help my typing though. that last sentence should have read "at less than half the price"

Bye for now

Comment by Andy on April 13, 2009 at 10:25am: Good post. I have to point out that in the uk it is illegal to use a phone while driving and they are even trying to make it illegal to use a bluetooth heasdset as well.
As for gadgets, I am a geek!! I have gadgets everywhere lol. I have a box of old pc components, mobos, hard drives etc that I occasionally raid to make up a working pc to mess about with, I can't help myself. Later this year I will be taking my foundation amateur radio exam...Cue more gadgets!!
I think gadget obssesiveness is in all of us, even the non tech ppl out there. My mum has just bought her 1st computer, a laptop, she gets internet at the end of this week!! However, I usually wait for stuff to become old, I stay a generation or two behind the crowd. The reason? cost. I can get a 2 year old component that I can overclock and it works just as fine as a current generation component as lees than half the price.
Anyway, off to work now to earn some money to buy more gadgets with :-)

Comment by Yolospat on April 7, 2009 at 8:18am: This is why I'm broke all the time. I'm a major gadget freak. I'm actually worrying about the funds for the new iPhone even tho it hasn't been announced yet.

Comment by twister7boy on April 6, 2009 at 11:32pm: well because i wipe my pc clean and keep doing fresh installs. i use all my tools. i only reload the ones i need the most. as far as gadgets for my pc goes. well i use all of them too. my only problem is i have them all over my bed for easy reach when i need them. but yes it does cause a lot of stress fumbling around finding everything when i put them away. and the cars thing is so right too. i loved my 70 olds 98 ls. wiped out by a old cadi. my dream died as i walked back to it and found it totaled in the parking garage. 16 grand restoring it to new. i have yet to find a car that lasts me 3 years without major work getting done too it. funny my addictions of computers now also holds me back. my vacation canceled. spent the money on more computer stuff. oh ooohhh noooo. wow not that stinks. but always looking for the deals. man i need to reorganize this stuff again. the worst part. peace. gregg

Comment by SeaTark on April 6, 2009 at 10:21pm: I wish I could afford to buy things.

Comment by Sol McNally Aka : Dmitri Girl on April 6, 2009 at 8:34pm: I am a lot like you Bren. Although my fiance has to update the tvs and a lot of other stuff. Although he is not so much into the phone update. I have a 1994 oldsmobile bravada car. So yeah the car has been around 15 years. Bashed that one out of your brains. And as for my parents car it is 9 years old and still running with over 250k. Granted their car looks like a pos. But it runs.

As for my computer its about 3 years old. I have not updated any of its insides since It was bought. I have a keyboard that costs me maybe $5 at a thrift store and a mouse that I got online for around the same price. I am a thrifty shopper and generally buy only things I need. Other then Shoes. That is my weakness. But its not an upgrade thing like technology for others.

Comment by SassySweetBren on April 6, 2009 at 8:07pm: I know and I was trying to help you feel bad. he hee

Did it work? :)

Comment by Cookenstein on April 6, 2009 at 8:02pm: I was kinda just complainin bout me. :)

Comment by SassySweetBren on April 6, 2009 at 7:57pm: What pile? Looking around and all I see is a six year old computer that I just upgraded the memory on, a car in my driveway that I bought new in Oct of 2000, one television in the den and one in the computer room. Oh, I do have a remote for each one.

One telephone in my entire home because I refuse to have one in my bedroom. Hey, I can be reached during the day, not at night.

My home is 50 years old but I have only had it for over 20 years. Put a mark by my name as the crazy lady down the street who has never cared to keep up with the Jones.....too much work and stress.

However, I do know people who need to have the latest and greatest. My heart goes out to them.

Here is the way I see things. We do not own things. They own us. Why? Because we have to take care of what we own.