Can Mom work all the electronics in the house?
I am always exasperated with my own parents for not being able to work the TV at our house. They have the same Comcast cable with a slightly different remote and they act like they’re splitting atoms to turn our TV off and on. (Don’t even get me started with turning on our cordless phone.)
However, I will have to admit that this summer while staying at a vacation rental house I had to repeatedly call Rose to turn on the TV, work the Netflix and even adjust the volume on the TV.
In my defense, there were 8 remotes total in the house and only three had any real effect on anything. Plus the owner had the sound hooked up through giant speakers but I don’t think the speakers worked with the Netflix so you had to turn off the speaker and turn back on the TV sound. It was very confusing, and I often would just go the bedroom to watch because it only had one remote that I could comprehend.
Earlier this spring, the new comedy “Modern Family” had a whole story line about the dumb daughter being able to learn to use the family’s complicated remote before the smart mother, who is apparently just bad with electronics. The remote on the show was the size of a laptap computer.
So are moms not being able to work the remotes and electronics stereotypical or true? Is it a mom thing? Is this a getting older thing? Or is it just that our vacation house had a ridiculously complicated electronic set up?
Can you honestly work all the TV/cable/Netflix/video game/stereo systems that are set up at your house? Do you need the kids’ help? Can they always fix it?
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82 comments Add your comment
some guy
July 30th, 2010
12:45 am
is this a real question? are you a real person, or just a caricature of a clueless, super helicopter mom? i seriously find myself asking these questions after reading your writing. how do you get paid for this?
HB
July 30th, 2010
1:20 am
Wow. Seriously? I mean you frame this as a possible age issue, but only ask if Mom can work electronics. Sounds like you’re buying into the same old women can’t handle tech crap. I’m proud to say yes, I can work everything in my house and have set up a great system on my computer. I watch broadcast HDTV (dropped my cable) and hulu on my awesome resolution 27″ monitor and use my iPod as a remote. All sound runs through my 10-year-old Sony receiver which still sounds great. My CDs have all been transferred over, plus I can listen to Pandora and radio online. It was easy to set up and is easy to use. I can even record shows and export them to my iPod to watch as I commute. I use Vonage and Skype for my phone service — unlimited U.S. for about $15 per month. Take an afternoon to read up on this stuff and I bet you can save a lot of money.
WAE
July 30th, 2010
1:28 am
Hey, AJC, how long are we going to have to read this crap?
Tweets that mention Can Mom work all the electronics in the house? | Momania: A Blog for Busy Moms -- Topsy.com
July 30th, 2010
2:04 am
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by AJCMOMania, computer speaker, Elizabeth J. Turner, Joyines C, HAMZA LABBACI and others. HAMZA LABBACI said: Can Mom work all the electronics in the house?: However, I will have to admit that this summer while staying at a … http://bit.ly/dBGTpd [...]
Roswell Jeff
July 30th, 2010
6:56 am
Give it a rest people. We are SO impressed that you know everything and are so smug.
deidre_NC
July 30th, 2010
7:15 am
one good thing about computers is that you do not have to read things you think are stupid or beneath you. so why do you people continue to come here and make mean naasty remarks? just stay the heck away!
i hate multiple remotes…i think its stupid to have 5 remotes to watch tv….i use my computer to read news and watch movies….no remote problem here :) when i go to my sisters house i always mess their stuff up-they have a million remotes and they all go to a million different things. i hate it.
motherjanegoose
July 30th, 2010
7:29 am
SEE…I can admit when I do not know everything and this is the category where I am deficient.
NO…I do not even know how to work the DVD player and I really do not even care. I never watch movies by myself. I do not own an IPOD so that is not an issue with me. Our internet has been on the fritz all month and if my husband had not been here to reset and reinstall things, I would be toast. He was on the phone for 8 hours one day, with various tech support. He helps our friends with computers and electronics often.
We are getting Uverse today and he will be home to handle it as I do not know nor do I care.
I know, if something happens to him…it will be a problem but there are other areas that I handle and I guess my kids will have to step up to the plate. If something happens to me, he will also have areas of deficiency around here.
There are many other things I handle around here. Electronics are not my forte. I could give up the TV forever and not look back. I cannot work any of the remotes here nor do I care. I do not ever turn the TV on when I am home alone and watch it. I have never recorded anything to watch later. There are too many other things to do, that I enjoy more than TV. I have been in hotels for days without ever having the TV on. Once in a while I do watch it but not much.
For those who are flippant, many of you put a key into your car and drive it each day ( including me) but you do not know how to tear it apart and rework it if you needed to.You typically hire someone to do it. I do not even know how to reset my car clock…my daughter does it for me. My husband can tear most anything apart on our car and fix it.
I think I mentioned that my TOM TOM blitzed out on me while on a trip. I went to Best Buy and everyone there ( who looked at it) said it was absolutely toast…no way to re program it. Just toss it. I bought another one, as this is something I had to have. I also brought it home to show my husband….he spent some time with it and re-programmed it. We used it in my daughter’s car yesterday.
You make time for what is important to you…electronics are not in that category for me…just my computer and cell phone ( which I know how to use) and I can plug in a lamp LOL.
some guy
July 30th, 2010
7:40 am
the only problem with your analogy is that teresa isnt drving a car with no knowledge of how to tear it completely apart. shes sitting in the driveway with the key in the CD player screaming for her husband/kids to help her. theres a difference between total complete knowledge of smoething, and a basic understanding of how it works/how to use it. these things aren’t that complicated and it takes all of about 10 minutes to read up and figure it out.
motherjanegoose
July 30th, 2010
7:51 am
@ some guy…uh…it took more than 10 minutes to fix our Tom Tom and our computer. The other things, I do not use…so why do I need to know how to work them? If I lived alone, they would not be here.
I do know how to drive a 5 speed, as that was necessary and I have prepared our taxes for the past 27 years without my husband’s input at all.
I also know how to book and get a deal on most travel issues and navigate my way through the airport in all 50 states plus drive out a rental car and get on the interstate to drive to my destination and actually get there. Again, I make time for the things that are important to me. TV is not in that category ( for me). For others it might be and that is fine.
I also TRY to check my spelling on this blog. I absolutely have made both grammar and spelling mistakes too. :P
Roswell Jeff
July 30th, 2010
8:01 am
It’s not that Theresa wouldn’t be able to figure it out, it’s the fact that with the extremely limited personal free time, she doesn’t want to waste it on figuring out how to work electronics that are generally not user friendly.
It’s called priorities and everyone has different ones. If learning about every feature in your one thousand option remote is your bag, then so be it. Some people just don’t have the time or the care to want to figure it out.
some guy
July 30th, 2010
8:04 am
congratulations on your proficiencies in life. a person should be able to competently operate the things which they use in everyday life, which by the sounds of it, includes the tv/dvd for teresa. reprogramming a spazzing gps is not an every day thing and isnt really in the same league as changing channels or volume on the tv.
Photius
July 30th, 2010
8:05 am
Can Mom work all the electronics in the house? Another great reflection of the continued narcissistic American public – you’re serious with this topic??? 2 US Soldiers went missing this week in Afghanistan and were executed…. Over 50 soldiers have died this month in that theatre of operation…. Nobody cares, nobody even wants to think about it because there is no draft. There are no jobs here in the States…. But wait! Can Mom work all the electronics in the house? You’re kidding…. Right???
Cheryl
July 30th, 2010
8:14 am
I have to chime in and say Really? This is a topic for the mom blog? Roswell Jeff has a point about time management and priorities, but since I’m home all day and my husband is at work, it becomes necessary for me to understand the electronics. I used to love your column in the Gwinnett AJC, but some of the topics here lately have just been strange. Totally helicopter mom stuff, plus this weird question. Please get back to topics that relate to raising children.
Geez, Photius...
July 30th, 2010
8:16 am
…your attempt to castigate “moms” due to the ongoing Afghanistan problems is not a real good analogy, so lighten up.
And, deidre, why so “snarky” this morning?
motherjanegoose
July 30th, 2010
8:19 am
@ cheryl…I think T asked for some topic suggestions for the month, since so many bloggers were ranting on her choices. She used mine a few days ago. Perhaps you could suggest one.
HB
July 30th, 2010
8:25 am
I agree with some guy. If you are using something regularly, you should know the basics of how to use it and some basic troubleshooting. That’s not like knowing how to take a car apart — it’s like knowing how to change a flat, check your oil, and use jumper cables. I firmly believe all drivers should know those things. If you are using the internet daily in your home, you should know basically how it’s hooked up (one wire connecting the modem to the wall, one to the computer or wireless router) , where to check settings on your computer, and how to turn everything off and back on as a first step if it’s not working. Same thing with the remotes — no need to know EVERYTHING, but you should have a good enough idea of how your system is set up to know how to troubleshoot some things. If young kids are figuring it out easily, it’s probably not a complex problem, right? Mom should be able to match their skills.
DB
July 30th, 2010
8:33 am
It’s a bit of a silly sterotype in our house, since in our house I am the one that gets called to “fix” anything, from the TV to the internet to the programmable thermostat to resetting digital watches. I’m the one that programs the TiVo — either hands-on or via internet. :-) The only thing that I have trouble with is when my son is home from college — he reworks the wireless network so that it works with his X-Box, so if anything goes wrong with the network, I have to say, “Hey — fix it.” because I have no idea what he’s routed to what.
I’m the only one that can get decent pictures out of the digital camera, and I know how to use my Blackberry inside out.
So . . . you were saying something about sterotypes?
Having said that — it took me three days to figure out the internet/TV system when we rented an apartment in NYC a couple of years ago. There were no instructions, several remotes, and we finally figured out that if we turned the “ON” switch on a small router box that was tucked under a side table, the system worked with the remote . . . why anyone would turn OFF a router is beyond me. :-) Other people’s systems are often just as idiosyncratic, depending on what they have wired to what. I suspect anyone coming into my family room would be equally confused, between the TV, the TiVO, the DVD player, the X-Box and the internet connections.
@HB: We dropped our land line about a year ago — the only people that were using it were salespeople and my mother. I reprogrammed my mother’s speed-dial to my cell, and dumped the line. Ah, peace! No more telemarketers! The only thing I have to be careful of is to charge my phone on my nightstand, so that I can hear the phone in the middle of the night — “just in case.”
The TV Guy
July 30th, 2010
8:38 am
We have a neat solution for that.
Try http://www.mundu.tv
It’s an application that lets you run TV on your mobile. So you can get rid of the remote and just press play.
PhotoMomof4
July 30th, 2010
8:57 am
OK, I guess it does relate to moms. In my case, I am the one that is the tech support gal at the house. I set up the whole network at home to include all the computers and gaming systems. I’ve just always been the one to do that from college through now. I don’t think its a mom thing, but with all of today’s technology, there is a lot to know. What I have learned is that it is a lot cheaper to figure it out than to call the Geek Squad out!
Photius
July 30th, 2010
8:58 am
With all of the serious problems facing families in this economy, lately the topics on this blog seem devoid of reality. “Can Mom work the remote while on vacation” just smacks of a disconnect with what is really going on with families. Eviction, not being able to provide for your kids, being out of work, fear of losing your job, finding a job at half the pay, having a husband feel worthless for not being able to provide due to the economy, Mom is forced to find a job just so the family can keep the house (in addition to possibly having a child fighting in a War) – these are more of a reflection of the status of today’s American family. Not the troubles of some Mother who can’t seem to figure out the remote control while enjoying a vacation. Many of these topics lately are as if the author is living in a bubble.
JATL
July 30th, 2010
9:02 am
I can work all the electronics and I can even hook them up, but, like killing roaches, mowing the lawn and hauling out the garbage cans -I just let my husband handle that end of things because he REALLY enjoys the electronics (and he’s willing to do the other stuff). When I was single I was good enough at installing stereos and hooking up entertainment systems with their speakers and whatnot that friends would ask me to do theirs. I could also kill palmetto bug roaches when I had to, but since I don’t have to do any of that any more -I don’t. Like most things in life -if you truly have the desire to make something happen, and no one else is there to do it for you, you WILL figure it out yourself.
When it comes to OUR parents and old people -there’s an enormous technology generation gap. Even though most of us didn’t spend our childhoods with piles of electronics and technology -they didn’t spend their adulthoods that way either! We serve as the complete IT department for my father and my MIL. We get calls regularly regarding difficult problems such as: how to send an email or reply to one that you’ve received and how to set up your printer; how to print .pdfs, and how to make the television and satellite dish all work at the same time. Given the fact that these people taught my husband and I far more important things such as how to use a toilet and wipe ourselves; how to brush our teeth, not to hop in stranger’s cars for candy and then sent us to college so we could learn how to use technology -I don’t have a problem with it.
Lori
July 30th, 2010
9:11 am
Seriously???? These things are designed for the mass population. Even if you aren’t sure how to work them, if you look at the remote and press a few buttons you should be able to figure it out. I can’t understand people who are too afraid to try. “Oh, I might mess it up!!” That’s not an excuse, you can’t mess up a dvd player unless you drop it! I mean turning it on and pressing a few buttons isn’t going to kill it, that’s what it was designed for!
La
July 30th, 2010
9:18 am
Photius – either suggest some new topics (not “The War” “The Recession”, which are too general) based on your experiences or news articles, start your own blog on topics that interest you (and that you think others will read), or chill out and stop with the mom-beating.
DB
July 30th, 2010
9:52 am
@JATL: I hear you — I spent last weekend on my visit to my parents sorting out my mom’s computer — my nephews have a tendency to get on it and change her settings, and she doesn’t know enough about it to know where to look to fix anything. Last visit, I installed a sound card when my mom complained that theyu couldn’t figure out how to “turn on the sound.” Decided they needed some more USB ports, and installed those while i was at it.
My son told me something interesitng the other day: At college, with the high cost of ink cartridges and toner, some kids with inexpensive color jet printers will just dump the old printer and buy a new printer — with new cartridges — when the old printer runs out of ink. At $30-$35 dollars, it’s almost cheaper than a black cartridge and a color cartridge . . .I was shocked, coming from a tradition of $2,000 laser printers. But even those aren’t $2K anymore :-) So I guess it makes a certain kind of sense . . . still offends my recycling soul, though!
Cammi317
July 30th, 2010
10:00 am
Yep, I can operate and hook up all of the electronics in my home. As the office manager in our office, I also am the first person someone calls to help figure out what is going on since we do not have an in house IT person. 75% of the time I can work it out without calling in an IT person. When visiting other people’s homes it may take a me a moment or two to get familiar with their set up, but I have never found electronics difficult to operate. My daughter is pretty much the same way so I do not expect her to have any difficulty when she is older.
abc
July 30th, 2010
10:06 am
It’s not that anyone has a genetic or age-related predisposition to not understand or comprehend something new; it’s just a side effect of refusing to do what’s required to learn a new thing, such as skim through the manual. Like the old Dilbert cartoon — next time you get confused, neatly pile up all the materials into a nice pile on your desk, stand on your chair, and loudly say “does anyone here know how to read a manual?”
TechMom
July 30th, 2010
10:10 am
I’m the resident Techie in my family and for all of our friends. I can fix any computer issue, set up a network and crack an iPhone. I’ve also been known to take apart electronic devices and fix them myself. The one thing that drives me insane is trying to “program” one remote control to work with all the devices (TV, DVD, Surround Sound, etc.) The interfaces for those are counter-intuitive for the most part so I do understand why people just resort to multiple remotes. That being said, if you do spend some time figuring it out, you won’t have to deal with 6 remotes on a daily basis.
I think a lot of not wanting to figure out electronics is time and fear. People are afraid they’re going to mess something up or they don’t want to sit down for a couple of hours and figure things out (or heck, Google it! You’d be amazed at the tutorials and videos out there for working/fixing electronic devices).
JATL
July 30th, 2010
10:57 am
@DB -that offends my recycling soul as well -unless they’re all having them recycled (and I doubt it). OH the landfills! However, economically -it’s crazy that it makes sense, but it does!
HB
July 30th, 2010
11:18 am
That’s terrible! Ink cartridges are such a rip-off. I rarely need to print anything for personal use, so I’ve quit keeping my printer ready and just go to Kinko’s on the rare occasion something has to be printed out. What I print most often is photos, and I have a little Canon that makes “real” 4×6 photo prints.
motherjanegoose
July 30th, 2010
11:33 am
@ DB, Clark Howard has been mentioning the topic of buying a new printer vs. a new cartridge for quite some time now. Seems weird but it is true.
@ abc:
Like the old Dilbert cartoon — next time you get confused, neatly pile up all the materials into a nice pile on your desk, stand on your chair, and loudly say “does anyone here know how to read a manual?”
This is kinda like my husband standing in front of the fridge and saying, “where is the ketchup?”
If the fridge were shaking, it would be one of the first things to fall out. Easier to just as me.
@ HB, see I do not use the TV or DVD, nor do I care to do so…thus I do not even attempt to learn. Now the computer, that is another story. i just learned to text, as my daughter has informed me that I had better learn before she leaves for UGA!
I do know how to do all the auto things too but they are not something I do, I have AAA for that.
I can also castrate a bull calf, drive a tractor and bale hay for the steers that we will eventually eat our beef from. i do know how to bid on cattle at the auction house. I know how to do lots of things around here that the rest my crew does not know how to do. We all bring different things to the table.
YES, I am the stereotypic ( is that a word) non techno Mom. I simply devote my brain cells to things I need to know.
Photius…I have been on this blog for years and do not ever remember a trend where we rountinely discuss deep topics and ways to solve the problems of our universe. How is this any different than the rag magazines at the grocery store that tell who has had lypo, breast implants or gotten his/her third divorce? Not something I personally read but obviously there are millions of others out there who do pay for that information. Maybe others here are more interested in deeper topics and will let us know today what these topics should be. We will see!
motherjanegoose
July 30th, 2010
11:38 am
See HB, we are all different.
I print things every day and would spend more gas and time making trips to Kinko’s than my printer or cartridge would cost me. I have contracts, reservations, directions etc. While I would prefer to just rely on the technology, mine has failed me more that once…en route and thus it is handy to just have a paper map. I have ATT for cell service and contrary to the commercials…they do not have coverage in many of the places I go…even right in front of Discover Mills,next to I85…I always drop.
I have been in the middle of Arkansas with no cell service, no GPS and have no idea where I am.
A paper print out or map from AAA is quite useful, unless one wants to stop at a farm to ask about directions!
FCM
July 30th, 2010
11:45 am
Single Mom here (yeah I know you all know that)—I can (and have) set up all the ecectronics in our house–surround sound, PC, TV, DVD, etc. I work all the remotes. I did have the CS major I know set up the Wireless (it is currently acting up so I will fix it)…the installation guys of course wired the Dish.
I think that Children are more flexible and adaptable. More teachable too. Thus they “pick up” how things work faster than adults. Adults can learn it but it takes longer.
PLUS kids have less to unlearn….We adults get complacent about the things we do daily (your parents and their tv) and thus the familiarity becomes routine. We don’t really like it when we move out of our comfort zone. I strongly suggest you go outside your comfort zone more often…you would be surprised that if you actually practice it in other areas (like letting the kids or Michael do things without your telling them how) how it will lend itself to things like this.
MJG–I gave my eldest an instruction in the car yesterday –when you get home I want you to straighten the living room up. I did not tell her the 15 things that included etc. I gave her a huge hug when she did it with no reminders and did a great job. Sure I still had to sweep UNDER the furniture later :) That fits your topic earlier this week though
Theresa Walsh Giarrusso
July 30th, 2010
11:48 am
Boy, I think a lot of folks are hot and grumpy. If you don’t like the topics please please send me topics. I am happy to use them. I used three from readers last week. I have no problem sharing your topics. Email me at ajcmomania@gmail.com
I can easily work a GPS (on multiple cars), printer, scanner, computers of all sort, you can drop me into software online and almost always I can figure it out, I can even set my car’s clock but I am telling your this guy’s particular TV set up was F’ed up and for some reason Rose understood how to do it. sometimes you were on one channel with one audio feed but if you used the DVR or the X-Box or Netflix you had to be on a completely different video and audio channel — his set up did not make any sense. And I think if a national TV channel on a very popular TV show runs a story arc about a mom not being able to work the electronics, the stereotype is at least there and worth asking.
There’s another topic posting a 2 — a more serious mom topic so come on back and judge the next topic.
Theresa Walsh Giarrusso
July 30th, 2010
11:52 am
A friend actually started a company to help teach women all about their electronics. they hire Agnes Scott techie girls and others to come to women’s houses to help them set up everything in their lives like their cell phones, computer, AV system — they’re whole business model is about helping WOMEN with electronics. http://www.sheswired.com/
FCM
July 30th, 2010
12:00 pm
Photoius—your wrong! Pleanty of us do care. We also wonder what the WikiLeak has done to put more of our soliders at risk. Some of us have family serving overseas…others are raising the children of those currently serving.
Trust me, I care every dang day.
motherjanegoose
July 30th, 2010
12:03 pm
@ T but can you PLEASE send my e-mail to catlady or send hers to me? We are still waiting :)
Love the business model, as I cannot stand it when my husband tries to zip through things with me on the computer. He is BRILLIANT with it but cannot teach me…perhaps it is my mind that has the problem. I am a visual learner and thus need to see things in print and not just hear how to do it.
FCM…good for your daughter.
I just sent my daughter to the chiro alone, per the advice of someone on the independent blog topic. She has been to this Doctor before but just called me as she is filling out the forms and they need to be updated. She was asking me a few questions. We will see how it goes.
Theresa Walsh Giarrusso
July 30th, 2010
12:06 pm
Photius — I am not supposed to talk politics so I can’t get into the Afghanistan and Iraq on this blog (mostly because I am a journalist by profession and you’re not supposed to share your political views and also because my husband works for the AP and sharing my views could affect him.) But as the daughter-in-law of a retired ARmy officer who served for more than 30 years multiple times overseas and with friends serving in Iraq and Afghanistan believe me I do care. I can’t get into my personal feelings on the topic, but we have talked before about sons and daughters serving and spouses serving before. We’ve also talked about would you encourage your child to enlist at any point. We have discussed these things.
Let me also add that you guys complain about not having serious topics but would you like to know when I get literally 10,000 page views — when we talk about Jon and Kate or talk about the Mad Men mom –literally 10,000 — You guys never tune in for “serious” topics in those numbers — so that is a frustration for me.
Theresa Walsh Giarrusso
July 30th, 2010
12:07 pm
sorry mjg — will do right now!!
HB
July 30th, 2010
12:24 pm
MJG, I get that we’re all different, but I still think we should all have a good working knowledge of the things we as individuals use daily and shouldn’t just learn the bare minimum necessary to get by. If you don’t use a TV and DVD player, fine, don’t bother learning to use their remotes (I never said otherwise). You really should have a little knowledge of your internet connection, though, since you obviously use that regularly. And given your business, I really do think you should at least consider learning a little about use and sale of audio downloads. CDs are quickly falling by the wayside, and it might boost your sales to have downloads available in online stores (and ePub versions of your books for that matter). As for printers and cell phones, I said I don’t use them as regularly as other devices, but I do know how to use both and consider those important basic skills.
I guess where we differ is I don’t make a point to devote my brain cells for strictly what I now think I need to know. I assume I won’t know how much good I can get out of new knowledge until I go and explore the new thing a bit and broaden my horizons. Keeps my learning/adaptability skills sharp too.
motherjanegoose
July 30th, 2010
12:26 pm
Thanks T…I got it and sent her an e-mail.
It is hard for anyone to know what will appeal to the masses. This is why I rarely complain about the topic…I may complain, just not about the topic.
There is NO way to know what will bring in comments or even those who just take a peak and never join us.
motherjanegoose
July 30th, 2010
12:35 pm
@ HB…I assume your brain cells are not 50 plus and rapidly diminishing . Mine are and I need to use them for things that I still have to be accountable for. As I get older, I find that I cannot remember what I once could….anyone else?
I was at my recording studio this week and the owner ( whom I have worked with for over 10 years) keeps me up to speed on what I need to know for my business. I trust his expertise far more than I would trust my own or others who are arm chair quarterbacks. I run into folks all the time who try to tell me how to do things. I am always open to all new ideas but many times, these are simply ideas that are not from folks who do what I do on a day in and day out aspect.
I trust my husband to handle the techo stuff around here. That is just me. He is an expert in that field. I am not.
motherjanegoose
July 30th, 2010
12:35 pm
ooops techno
shaggy
July 30th, 2010
12:35 pm
Woo Hoo, and a Yeah Baby!!
Theresa, you delivered a great beat down to your snarky critics, and I applaud you. GOOD JOB!
JJ
July 30th, 2010
12:39 pm
I have to know how everything works. It’s just me. But as a single parent, I NEED to know how everything works.
Now that doesn’t stop me from calling a guy friend when something goes on the fritz. Like my dryer, totally out of the blue it stopped working. I dried a load, took stuff out of the washer, and no dryer….. I have NO clue about stuff like that but my guy friends do and they come and help me.
Roswell Jeff
July 30th, 2010
12:52 pm
Just a note on the Ink cartridges for the printers… we buy the ink, black and color on line and put it into the cartridges ourselves. We $AVE so much money on this. They tell you that you can’t reuse the cartridge, but that is BS. We’ve been doing this for a couple of years now and it works great.
FCM
July 30th, 2010
1:00 pm
TWG–a blog by definition is an opinion piece…not real journalism stinit where objectivity is important. I can believe your desire not to go into on here is that your afraid it will reflect on Michael.
How many of the 10K hits results in talk? I can go view a site and never interact beyond what I read. In fact I do it often on this site myself, if I want to see what others say and yet do not want to respond.
It seems the point of a blog is to get response or to state an opinion. Thus comment total should take presidence over number of hits you get.
HB
July 30th, 2010
1:35 pm
I’ve heard that’s a good option, Jeff. Another is going online and finding someone selling recently expired cartridges cheap. I did that a lot a few years ago (I think through ebay, but it’s been a while), and they always worked just fine. They were around 75-80% less than the usual cost. I’ve just hit a point where I print so rarely (seriously, it’s so long between prints that the cartridge in my printer gets clogged) that Kinko’s is more cost effective.
FCM, amount of talk is probably a secondary concern for the powers that be. Ad views and clicks are likely the main goal. All these free online newspaper sites are great, but they’re really struggling to figure out how to replace the revenue that used to come from print subscriptions. 10,000 ad views may be worth more from a business standpoint than 100 comments.
motherjanegoose
July 30th, 2010
1:51 pm
@ JJ…our dryer broke last summer. My husband took the entire thing apart, including taking the drum out. He could not get inside to see the model number, so I crawled in there and wrote it down. i almost could net get out, as my knee was all twisted up. I went on line and found the part…it matched our dryer brand. I told my husband and he says,
“are you certain you wrote down the correct number?”
HELLO…do you want to crawl in there? It is not like the part number popped on on screen with a Christmas tree stand. The part was $125 and our dryer was 12 years old, so we just bought a new one. Our neighbor used the old parts in her Physics class!
War Eagle
July 30th, 2010
1:52 pm
Cartridge World is great for refills…but I agree with the college kids view on just buying another printer…just got a Epson All in One last week at Target (when my other died) and it was only $30!
Also, if you’re the techie in the family like I am logmein.com is a wonderful tool. I made my Mom’s computer accessible to me so I can fix things, show her things and run spyware/adaware scans for her. She was always calling needing to know how to do things and explaining did no good so now I can either just fix it for her or hijack her computer and show her.
motherjanegoose
July 30th, 2010
1:52 pm
ooops…I almost could not get out….
FCM
July 30th, 2010
1:53 pm
@ HB and I can certainly see that…but my point is that the topic should be to generate response not ad views. I can certainly see that revenue generation and the business model is important. However, TWGs response leads one to believe we get the Tabloid Fodder because people are “into’ the topics while reality is they get a one shot deal for those as the bloggers aren’t “into them” (and likely the clix is from a someone outside this blog target and thus not getting into the ads anyway).
I just think there should be a different way to do it. I also think that claiming this is what we respond to when the “regulars” don’t want those topics is wrong.
newblogger
July 30th, 2010
2:10 pm
Good grief! A lot of unhappy people on here today. @Photius-Believe me I do care about those things, I’m a military mom. But for that very reason and the fact that every time I turn on the news, it’s 90% bad, I like to come here and be “devoid of reality” for awhile. Seriously, if you don’t like it, please feel free to not come back. I’m sure no one is making you do it. If I find a topic that I’m not especially interested in I just skim through the comments and go along my day. Why the bashing? Anyway, ironically I want to say thanks to all the bloggers for making my summer more interesting. Checking momania every morning has become part of my routine. However, I have to go back to the real world on Monday and prepare my classroom for another year of 5th graders and my mornings are crazy so I won’t get to catch up on the blog until the evenings. TWG, please keep up the good work-no matter what the haters have to say. Some of us enjoy the ride!
Theresa Walsh Giarrusso
July 30th, 2010
2:13 pm
Hey FCM — I express opinions about motherhood every day but not about politics – not my beat. Also if I ever wanted to work for a different part of the paper or a different publication you cannot have out there your political views. We tell our kids not to talk about what we say at home. With MG it is very very serious.
HB
July 30th, 2010
2:18 pm
Don’t get me wrong, FCM, I agree that there should be a better way, and frankly am horrified that Jon & Kate generate interest with anyone. I actually see this a lot in my work with museums. It is increasingly difficult for organizations with a substansive mission — good newspapers, museums, zoos — to compete with mindless pop culture, and sadly most of them have chosen to incorporate lesser elements — tabloid reporting, “science” exhibits based on movies — to draw people in. I think there’s a way to bring some pop culture and fluff fun into these places, but many go too far and dilute their overall content. I’m really impressed with WashingtonPost.com. It has lots of dynamic content and mixes excellent reporting and commentary with some fun fluff entertainment thrown in here and there that very rarely crosses the line into drivel.
JJ
July 30th, 2010
3:24 pm
MJG I have had the same washer & dryer (from Sears) for almost 20 years. Bottom of the line, basic models, nothing fancy. I’m really surprised they have lasted this long.
I just put in new flooring all throughout the house, so I don’t really want to spend the $$ on a new dryer if I don’t have to. Right now we are using the neighbor’s.
motherjanegoose
July 30th, 2010
3:31 pm
@ newblogger….LOL at your comment:.
I have to go back to the real world on Monday and prepare my classroom for another year of 5th graders
Do you mean MY real world? Or is the real world only in the classroom and then 5th grade?
I am just teasing with you.
I feel like I am in the real world most days I work and I never work with 5th graders. Glad you have the finesse as I could not do it. i respect anyone who works with kids on the verge of hormones. Give me the Kindergarteners!
HB, I ran some thoughts ( we discussed today) by my husband. He suggested that you do not need to know how to put out a fire, if you are a surgeon. There is expertise in all areas that some cannot attain. Most of us simply cannot excel in everything and while I excel in my line of work…technology is not a critical part of it. He reminded me of the teachers I meet that do not even own a computer or have their own e-mail…it is hard to believe but true. If it is purposeful to learn how to do something, by all means I should learn it. Hence texting.
My own mother was a great cook but she never ever fried chicken and was amazed that I knew how to do it. She grew up in the north and this was not something she needed to know how to do. She did not even know how to grill a steak, as she never learned how to use the grill. She DID know how to make any kind of Jello mold, cake or casserole….:0
motherjanegoose
July 30th, 2010
3:37 pm
@ JJ…Sears here too. We bought a 3 year old Maytag set off of Craiglist for $350 from someone who was moving to Florida and already had a set in their new condo. They needed to move the next day and wanted it out NOW! They had the receipt and showed me that they both worked, as they were still hooked up. I was excited!
You might check, here’s your brand:
http://atlanta.craigslist.org/nat/app/1862854016.html
We put in solid hardwood last summer too and the dryer was not an expected expense…such is life!
DB
July 30th, 2010
3:41 pm
I took my son’s sick Blackberry apart last month and replaced the keyboard, the keyboard mat, the case, the trackball — it was fun, and basically, when we did a download of the latest operating system, he now has a shiny new black Blackberry that works great! It was out of warranty, so I figured — what the heck, if I screw it up, we’ll get another one. He couldn’t text, and the case was a really banged up grey one.
HB
July 30th, 2010
3:43 pm
Impressive, DB!
irisheyes
July 30th, 2010
3:43 pm
I’m the one who does the tech stuff at our house. That being said, our tech stuff is not very “high tech”. No surround sound, no flat screen, just a DVD player and VCR. (Thankfully the U-verse guys set up everything else when we moved.) We don’t have a GPS (my phone does that). So, who knows, maybe I would be just as befuddled! I’ve actually had more problem putting together a high chair than connecting the wii. The directions for the high chair were just pictures with no text. Unbelieveably confusing!
FCM
July 30th, 2010
4:05 pm
TWG–I am with MG on the hush the telling with the kids….mine are told same. I even can understand why YOU wouldn’t do politics on the blog…I think there is a way–and you have done it–to do some issues, and I too would like to see more, without the politico.
However, I stand by what I said. The point of a blog is to share opinion.
FCM
July 30th, 2010
4:07 pm
Got my Whirlpool Washer used–3 years old at that time–from people moving out of the APT above me back when I was pregnant the first time so it is what 14 years old! If stating that causes the cosmos to kill it this weekend I am $crewed! We’ll be in dirty clothes coz I cannot get a new one!
HB
July 30th, 2010
4:11 pm
Wow, MJG. I totally disagree with your husband and think everyone should know how to put out a fire! I don’t think a surgeon needs to know how to drive the truck, raise the ladder, or open the hydrant, but everyone should know how to use an extinguisher and the basic principles behind putting a fire out (cut off its oxygen with water if not a grease fire, sand, etc).
You really don’t seem to understand what I’m saying. I never said all people should be experts in all things, but rather that everyone should aim for good basic knowledge of things they use regularly. And I really don’t understand your philosophy of saving brain cells since everything I’ve read suggests learning new things and picking up new interests throughout life keeps the mind sharp.
not impressed
July 30th, 2010
4:24 pm
10,000 hits means nothing. You dont know the reason behind the hit? In the 70’s Braves games on TBS collected record ratings despite the Braves being horrible. Obviously people would “pop” in just to see how bad it was going. Just sayin……
FCM
July 30th, 2010
5:13 pm
HB you been to my house? I set the Toaster Oven on fire at least once a week. Just got a new one–the crumb tray is INSIDE. The last fire almost burnt me, the cabinet and the kitchen. Everytime I went to open the door the Oxygen got the fire started again. Most people would probably panic. I just grabbed the milk out of the fridge and dropped it on the flames.
Public Service Announcement: Milk can be used to put out greasefires. Baking Soda is perferred. Fire Extinguishers are better. Absolute best option: don’t start the dang fire!
HB
July 30th, 2010
5:30 pm
Good job, FCM! If you had waited around on experts the whole kitchen might have gone up in flames! The only fire I’ve had to put out was in a fireplace. In my first apartment there was a weird air pressure thing going on and smoke wouldn’t go up the chimney unless a window was cracked open just a bit. So the first time I tried to use it I didn’t know about that and the whole place quickly filled up with smoke! Sure was glad to know how to use my extinguisher that evening!
motherjanegoose
July 30th, 2010
5:44 pm
HB, it is a good thing we do not work together as we do not communicate well.
It will be a snowy day in August when we are ever on the same page :)
The point my husband was making to me and what I tried to share is exactly what you said :
(a surgeon does not) need to know how to drive the truck, raise the ladder, or open the hydrant
just douse a small fire. I do not need to know all the details of techno things I do not use. Nor even plan to.
I would say that maybe it is me who cannot communicate well but since I do it for a living, I think it is just that we seem to never get each other’s points here on the blog.
I will just accept it and move along.
I guess I just have to be able to communicate well with those who pay me and live with me.
I have also managed to do so ( in person) with others on this blog.
@ DB, my husband is in your camp. If it is already broken, let’s dig into it….we cannot use it anyway. He can fix most anything!
FCM…I have a giant bag of baking soda in my kitchen…thanks for reminding everyone.
HB
July 30th, 2010
6:07 pm
Well, I happen to work in communications too, so I honestly don’t know how you can interpret “if you are using something regularly, you should know the basics of how to use it and some basic troubleshooting” as my suggesting that you “need to know all the details of techno things I do not use”. Do you really not see the difference in those statements? I’ve tried using the words “basic,” “working knowledge,” “a little knowledge,” and you keep telling me why people don’t need to be experts at everything as if I suggested they do. I really don’t know how I could be any clearer. Please point out where today where I suggested people should aim for detailed, expert knowledge of things they don’t use.
deidre_NC
July 30th, 2010
7:22 pm
i was a tad snarky this morning because i am sick and felt like crap….and i am tired of seeing theresa getting bombed by people who dont like her blog topics. i read other blogs and message boards and it amazes me that people seem to visit them just to be mean and nasty to the blooger or the posters. if one doesnt like the topic just skip it for the day. and yes we all (i hope) know that young men and women are getting killed and hurt every day in this godforsaken war we are having. i personally know about 15 young men and women who are right now in afghanistan and i pray for them daily. that has nothing to do with this blog. maybe it would be a good topic ‘how would you feel if your child enlisted?’ then it would be appropriate to post about.
i hate electronics. i do not know how to do more than put a dvd in the player and if the remote isnt on the right setting then i just dont watch it. i know how to do a lot of things i dare say many on this blog dont know how to do…thats because i have to and i want to. i couldnt care less about knowing how to program the stupid tv or ipod or any of that stuff. if i cared im sure i would learn.
sorry for the ;snarliness’ i just would like to see people be nice and stop dissing theresa every day. its really childish. and boring.
deidre_NC
July 30th, 2010
7:23 pm
excuse the typos
HB
July 30th, 2010
7:33 pm
Hope you feel better soon, deidre_NC!
deidre_NC
July 30th, 2010
7:44 pm
ty HB….just for the record..i used to always be the one to hook everything up. i have been a single mom most of my kids lives…so i had to. then as the kids got older i figured they needed to know how so they took it all over. and i am glad…its a lot more complicated now and i never watch tv..in fact at this time i dont even have tv service…one day i realized the tv hadnt been on for 2 weeks and i had it turned off. we use our laptops for everything. i have 2 degrees in computer technology and information systems and am working on a ba in human services and criminal justice, so im not a dummy :)…i just dont care to know all that stuff. when the grandkids come they know how to use everything, so i dont need to know any of it!! i hate tv…i hate listening to all the needless noise. i have so many other things to do with work and school and my addiction to reading, i dont have time for tv. i watch movies via netflix or online. i have in my life learned how to dig a water line and hook up a gravity water system to my house, i can shoe a horse and ride barrels. i can clear a trail from the back of a horse with a machete (without chopping the horses head off :) …i can grow a garden and can enough veggies to last all year and raise beef and chickens etc…..i just dont care about how to work a bunch of remotes so i can listen to mindless bs on tv. those are my choices. geeze i need to get off here…i must be having a bad day lol..sorry :)
deidre_NC
July 30th, 2010
7:46 pm
and what ever happened to jesses girl…i miss her input!
HB
July 30th, 2010
8:10 pm
I’m sure you’re very smart. As I said, I think everyone should have a basic knowledge of what they use regularly. Absolutely nothing wrong with choosing not to watch TV because you just don’t want to! You use computers and obviously know how to set them up and troubleshoot. :)
deidre_NC
July 30th, 2010
8:20 pm
you know whats funny? i have these computer degrees…and i have trouble shot my problems…called tech support and had to do the very same things again with support on the phone…so now i just call them and do it while im on with them. no need to do it all twice!
deidre_NC
July 30th, 2010
8:21 pm
i meant to say…trouble shot and figured out what was wrong….called tech support to order parts and then had to go thru the whole trouble shooting again while they are on the phone…grrr
Bea
July 30th, 2010
8:55 pm
It’s pretty easy to see who is communicating better if you look at the comments together. You decide.
goose at 3:31
“HB, I ran some thoughts ( we discussed today) by my husband. He suggested that you do not need to know how to put out a fire, if you are a surgeon.”
HB at 4:11
“Wow, MJG. I totally disagree with your husband and think everyone should know how to put out a fire! I don’t think a surgeon needs to know how to drive the truck, raise the ladder, or open the hydrant, but everyone should know how to use an extinguisher and the basic principles behind putting a fire out”
goose at 5:44
“The point my husband was making to me and what I tried to share is exactly what you said :
(a surgeon does not) need to know how to drive the truck, raise the ladder, or open the hydrant
just douse a small fire.”
motherjanegoose
July 30th, 2010
10:08 pm
@ bea, not sure if that was a slap at me but that is fine. I may be too stupid to figure out what you are trying to say.
I have my own business and while I may not be able to communicate my ideas with those on the blog, I have to be able to communicate well all the time when I work with my clients.. Otherwise, they will not hire me. I am basically unemployed every day I wake up until someone takes a look at what I can do and decides to hire me. I have been doing it for 12 years, all by myself. Maybe I have lost my touch?
I am not a techno person, this is not my strength. I have other strengths and my clients, family, neighbors and even some on this blog know what they are.
catlady, T sent me your e-mail about meeting for lunch/dinner and I sent an e-mail to you. Did you get it?
KA
July 31st, 2010
7:35 am
First, I found the original blog article humorous. It made my laugh. I don’t think each topic needs to be serious. Second, she was talking about the difficulties being on vacation with 8 strange remotes. I am a Mom who also happens to know how to operate most technology at home; however, I have been in a similar situation on vacation where there were 3 or 4 random remotes that handled various aspects of the tv/dvd/cable systems. Those situations can be annoying even for the techie people, as one remote may operate part of the dvd, while you have to use the other remote for changing the source, volume, etc. The most recent vacation home we rented actually had typed instructions for which remote handled what part. Obviously, the owner thought it was needed by many renters.
My mother in law knew how to operate all her remotes until the cable company upgraded some equipment, then everything was different and frustrating. Typical remotes are poorly designed for users. They have an average of 50 buttons. How many of those do you actually use? Maybe one-fourth or one third, at the most?
motherjanegoose
July 31st, 2010
8:07 am
Oh wow…it just occurred to me that perhaps I just need to know how to communicate with children and those who work with them…this I seem to be able to do. ….most of the time.
KA…the instructions thing reminded me of the wood bringing stove we met up with when we were in Oregon, last month. It was 50 at night. Neither my husband nor myself knew how to light it and keep it moving. We have gas logs here and it has been so long since either of us have used a wood stove that we could not do it. My husband left a not that said, “please leave directions for the city folks who rent your house and do no know how to use the stove.’ I laughed at him, as he can usually handle most things! He hates to admit it when he cannot …but he did.
I am with deidre, I CAN do lots of things others here perhaps cannot do. I make time to learn the things I NEED to know.
motherjanegoose
July 31st, 2010
9:59 am
oops too many typos:
burning stove and note and not
outta here!
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