Day 14: My Love/Hate Relationship with Technology

One of my favorite "Modern Family" episodes is the one when it's Phil's birthday and all he wants is to get in line early for the release of the new Apple iPad. He tries to explain the importance of getting the iPad on the very first day, and what it means to be an early adopter. After sitcom shenanigans, Phil gets the iPad. His wife doesn't understand.

In this scenario, I'm his wife.

And I love this episode because it's true: early adopters are passionate about technology.

I, however, do not fall into this category.

And while staying up-to-date on technology and what's going on in the world is part of my job as a marketer, it's not something by which I live.

Two examples:

ONE: back in September, we were in the middle of a HUGE project at work. We were a week out from the deadline, and it was the last big push to get ourselves over the finish line. We had been working nights and weekends, and this upcoming weekend was no different. 

That Friday morning, my laptop died. It just...died. So, they ended up giving me a new computer.

Hey, who doesn't want a new computer, right?

Um...ME.

Because it was like starting from scratch on my life. On my old computer, all of my passwords were saved in my favorite websites. Now, I had to relearn (and eventually, reset) them all. My mail looked weird. The new operating system was different. My mouse pad was set to scroll up and not down. It made weird noises for alerts. It was like someone took away my best friend, shoved a total stranger in front of me and said: "Now THIS is your new best friend. And she knows nothing about you. Good luck!"

(Also, they were never able to recover anything from my old computer. Seriously, you'd think one of these days I would learn to back my shit up somewhere)

TWO: I have needed a new phone for at least a year. For a variety of reasons (time being a big one), it was put off. Yesterday, however, I bit the bullet and went to the Sprint store. 

I was both looking forward to – and dreading – getting a new phone. I wanted it to be a month after I had my phone, after the "getting to know you" phase, but while we were still smitten with each other.

But I live in the real world, and I know that when you walk out of a store with a phone that is 2 numbers past the last phone you had, there's going to need to be an adjustment.

So that was my life yesterday. 
And today. 
And most likely tomorrow.

Technological growing pains.

Looking for my photos.
Screaming when my phone wouldn't connect to my computer (still won't!)
Organizing my screens and creating folders for my apps.
Trying to remember passwords.
Setting up bluetooth in my car.
Downloading my kindle books.
Wondering why half my contacts didn't sync.
Hearing weird alerts.

This is why I'm not an early adopter. Because I'd have to go through this stress more often. 

I like for things to be out a while, so companies can work out all the kinks. 

And it's why I love working with millennials, because they can fix anything.