Monday, June 19, 2017

There is very little to report, but that is no excuse for not reporting it.

I am well advanced with the third repeat (of 4 ½) of the 24-row pattern of the Northmavine Hap, and I sort of think I might as well plough on. Every row adds two stitches. Still…

Guess what I did today! I bought a telephone! And have thus catapulted myself into the third millennium. My dear friend G. who was at my elbow in the shop then spent at least an hour cursing and swearing in my kitchen as she tried to set it up for action.  I think she has done so. I’m sort of scared of it, as it lies there on the kitchen table. I can always give it to Archie.

I do regret the days when an expenditure of that sort would have secured an instruction book which one could read in the bath.


I have discovered an author, new to me – Salley (sic) Vickers. Highly recommended.

19 comments:

  1. Anonymous8:53 PM

    You'll wonder why you hadn't bought one years ago, Jean. I love my smartphone especially for taking photographs. Enjoy! Catriona

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  2. Anonymous8:56 PM

    I like the notes feature - shopping lists, knitting projects, birthday gift lists, etc
    Also the calendar!
    Have fun - perhaps watch some tutorial videos?
    And definitely have Archie give you his own tips.
    LisaRR

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  3. All the phone "how tos" are online. Videos are great too! Have fun with it.

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  4. Anonymous9:26 PM

    That's the spirit!

    I'm sure Archie will help if you need him to.

    My son told me to "Press buttons and hope."

    Helen (anon)

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  5. Do have fun with your new toy!! iPhones and others have some good voice-activated functions which can be really useful, and which make typing on a small screen much less awful. I have found Siri (the iPhone voice activated assistant) to be pretty good at remembering my shopping list...

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  6. Carol M9:40 PM

    I also use my cell as an alarm clock, calculator and calendar - all great features aside from the camera. They've done marvels with the camera features. Hope you'll try texting, too. Have fun with it.

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  7. Anonymous9:44 PM

    Meant to add the Northmavine is lovely!
    Will think about trying to get to that pattern somehow in 2017.
    LisaRR

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  8. I have always found it helpful to cultivate a 12 year old who loves technology & takes spare parts. Then you can bribe he/she into fixing anything.

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  9. I have yet to acquire one or master one. Friend here who is about your age bought one especially designed "for seniors". It doesn't do anything fancy - just allows her to make calls and receive them. Wendy told me that was quite enough for her. However, you are very computer literate so you will have no trouble at all!

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  10. You're making great progress on your Northmavine Hap! If it's an iPhone that you purchased, you shouldn't have any trouble at all. It is very much like an iPad with the added feature of being able to phone someone. And if you can't figure out how to do a specific thing just Google the question and you should be able to get an answer.

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  11. I sadly suspect that your new project is progressing so well because you have more free time now. A silver lining?

    Definitely cultivate a local younger person who can help you get used to the phone. Even in my fifties, I find myself advising older parishioners on their technology. They think I'm young which is all the reward I need!

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  12. Yea for you! Siri is good at helping you I actually changed mine to the British female voice and love using her. Also there are books for learning about iPhone and you can call and make an appointment the apple genuis bar to have a lesson.

    Are watching any tennis in this run up to Wimbledon? I am praying that Rogers blip at Stuttgart was just that. I really want him to win Wimbledon

    I am in the depths of my first real estate transaction in my fifth decade yikes now I know why people stress soo much over these. Yikes

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  13. Is it an iphone? As others said, very like the ipad, so you should adjust easily. My latest iphone discovery is the magnifier option. https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/16/technology/personaltech/use-phone-as-digital-magnifying-glass.html

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  14. We recently bought a tablet, primarily for use in our holiday cottage. No manual, and no way to get our emails to open on the device - we could see them, but not open them. A visit to the shop provided the workaround, but we would never have discovered it for ourselves.

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  15. Anonymous3:22 PM

    Enjoy your new phone. You can get Ravelry on it; does that help? I also take pictures of patterns or download them from Ravelery to my phone so I don't have to take paper with me when I travel. ps. My 60 yo friend's niece changed her Siri to say Good Morning, Hot Mama! So, there's that... Loretta

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  16. When we got our first smart phones we too were taken aback by the lack of any manual. The store offered an introductory course, so we signed on. Everyone was middle-aged and up (except for the instructor). I suppose the young don't miss the manuals, as you can just google things.

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  17. Anonymous6:39 PM

    Another vote for installing Ravelry! There are also knitting calculators and counters. Plus audiobooks and podcasts, radio shows, and even videos and books (although I find the screen too small for pleasure in those on a phone). As well, you can get the ancient Greek & Latin dictionaries, so they are always ready to hand…
    cheers,
    CKP

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  18. =Tamar6:48 PM

    Good luck with the phone. Some kind of course might help, especially if they slow down enough to let you take notes. Insist upon it.

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  19. I have always been able to download manuals online. By typing the phone make,model and 'manual', into Google, the manufacturers website usually appears and the manual is usually available to download. Just don't drop your iPad in the bath whilst reading.

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