I retired from sailing in the year 2000; I departed my last Military Sealift Ship in Singapore during the first of that year and told them I was done. I had an office job most of the time on the ships but my last tour I was a hold captain, which meant that me and my crew were responsible for all the cargo received, stowed and issued from our cargo hold. It was an easy job, a lot less then dealing with the crew in the supply office as I had on other ships.
There was a lot of humping cargo (Forklifts were used) but also a lot of computer work, the receipt, location of where the cargo was stowed and of course the issuing of the cargo to the US Navy Fleet. Not to mention inventory management.
The reason I mention that is to show that I did at onetime have a working knowledge of computers. Until I didn’t! My house was built in an area that had (And still doesn’t) have cable TV or telephone landlines. So the computer I had was a standalone hooked to nothing and all I used it for was word possessing and a great place to store my MP3 Music; County and Rock & Roll of course and over 5,500 albums so far. (Bring a USB when you visit)
I wouldn’t say I was Cheap but since my Ex-wife in the 60’s drug me over the coals I have remained frugal. If I can’t pay cash for something I’ll do without it. But believe me we do without very little. Yes I bought the big flat screen TV long after all my friends had on, but my old TV was still working just fine, thank you!
Most of our readers know about the New Old Honda and we just bought a new car. I’ve never had to keep up with the Jones as for most of my life I’ve had more money in the bank then the Jones, as I drove by them in my good running 18 year old car. My last loan was in 1978 where I financed ½ the cost of a brand new Lincoln Town Car. (See I can go wild once in awhile)
Okay Paul, so what is your point? What the hell are you talking about? A cella phone that’s what I’m speaking of! The New Millennium is 14 years old but my wife and daughters have dragged ne kicking and screaming into it. Yes we now have the 57 inch flat screen, I use an Android Tab, be it only for reading, and I love digital books because they can be stored in such a small space alphabetically vice the Dewey Decimal System, which I never understood. My car has three cylinders vice the four that my old one had and yet is just as fast.
This amazing bold new world this kid from 1947 is living in, who would have thunk it? Of course my brother Dan thinks that by now we should be living like the Jetson’s do in cartoon world!
It’s all about the Smart Phone, cella phones be damned, yes this is me spouting this diatribe, I’m a new convert after years with my Cherry Mobile D-11 cella phone.(PNP 1,240.00)
What happened, did I fall down and thump my scull? When my daughter complained to me that her Daddy never answered his phone, the truth was I never heard it ring, even if it was with me and not sitting on my dresser collecting dust. Plus I could not read any texts off that tiny scratched up screen, nor would my fat fingers fit on the tiny key board on the phone.
So Friday a week ago my ladies (Wife and two daughters) went to the Mall and purchased a My Phone “Smart Phone” where for PNP 3,855.00, I can now hear it ring, and hear their high pitched little voices. There was a button that has font settings that say small, medium, large and huge. Hey it’s there I’ll show you! Now the downside, the virtual keyboard, I don’t use it on my Android so why would they assume I would now?
More kicking and screaming and I’ll throw in the gnashing of NEW teeth for good measure. But with some simple lessons, and instructions I am picking it up. But my friends and family are getting tired of all my practice texting I send out. I’ve not ventured into Face Book yet but the thought is there.
So as with years gone by I will again start to carry my new “Smart Phone” with me when I go out. But when in a social situation with friends we do not answer the cella phone for if you do, the buying of the next round rule will still be in effect. Hah! I know where the off button is!
The difference between the cella phone and the smart phone are simple, I charged the cella phone once a week, and now I charge the smart phone every day. Ah the good old “Low Batt” excuse is back.
So let’s welcome Paul to the new millennium, dear God we thought you’d never get here… (I’m only visiting and waiting for the Y2K bug)
Thanks for sharing Bob. Paul, first of all thank you for your service! Also, a very good read. 🙂
Az Ma Taz;
I did retire from the US Navy after 22 years, so you’re very welcome. Military Sealift Command are government owned ships but are crewed by merchant seaman who are paid very well.
Hi Paul ,, I know exactly how you feel ,, I must have been the last person in Australia to get a “Smart ” phone ,,, 🙂 ,, I put it off for so long ,, Why would I want a new phone when my old 1 was perfect ,, lolol,,, But my pending visit to the Philippines created some problems when I do all my banking on my computer and how could I forget Facebook ,,, 🙂 So my family and g/f dragged me ,screaming and kicking out of the 60’s , where I was perfectly comfortable ,,, But , Dad , what if we need to contact you? ,,, There goes my peace and tranquillity ,, :-(,,, I told every 1 when I finished work I was going to throw me phone in the river ,,, now I’ve got a smart phone ,,, just goes to prove the point ,,, I’m definitely NOT smart ,,, …
Russell;
Like you I considered the cella phone another electronic leash, like the American NSA put a chip in my brain to keep track of me. But with no land lines in my area the smart phone is required. My switch from dinosaur cella phone to smart phone was simple, big screen and loud ringing. 70% of the time any friend who needs to talk with me can tap my shoulder to ask me to pass him another beer.
Well…since my background/work is computers and hi-tech gadgets, I surely have a smartphone (brought it from Denmark) and i always (read: mostly remember) to carry it with me. Specialy when I drive around on my own, be it motorcycle or car. I just think I could need it in case there is an emergency. As a foreigner I am a good target to stop and maybe get a little “pocket money”. We have some PNP (Police) in the family, so if someone likes to give me a fine for nothing – I can call. I do not use it for Internet or FB, even the screen is an ok size, it’s still to small. And why on earth should i use it for that? When i am out – i’m out. No need to see what people write on FB.
On the other hand, there is a lot of great Apps that can be used, so I do download some…and delete them…Only a very few Apps have shown to be useful in my case. Example on “useful”: Shopping list. I do like to go out and buy grocery and things, but always forget the half of what I should buy. Now I just type in as soon as I am aware of a thing I need to buy, be it hardware of “software” (food), Even a GPS navigation app is on my phone, great and easy to use – I think, haven’t used it yet. Untill now i know where i am going, and if i should get lost i properly forget i have that app anyway. Next here in Philippines will surely be payment from smartphones, it is widely used all over the world. Maybe it is already in use here, without me knowing of it! ? So all in all a smart-phone is smart, no more paper pieces in the pocket to remember things, those small pieces with a list of things to buy, easy to throw out – or by mistake throw the parking ticket out instead, you know the one you have to deliver when you leave a parking area at a mall. man did that cause a lot of paperwork to be allowed to leave, when i had thrown the ticket away, instead of my shopping list! That never happens with a smartphone. I better stop now, my fingers live their own life, when the come near a keyboard :-D…have a great day and thanks for the Monday post.
Axel;
To those that find value in their smart phone, more power to them. But like any tool you should put it away after you use it. On the news I saw a new APP that using the camera you can walk and text safely as you can see through the phone. WTF!!! Can you drive using that now?
The shopping list sounds great, and I could use that. (Now that I can type on the keyboard.
Agree…the smart-thing is only in my hand when needed. I do not walk around with the thing in my hand and text – or anything.else. It is a tool and a tool is used when needed. The shopping list is great, I can have different categories: Grocery, Hardware store and so on. If – and I say if I wanted to use it, there’s even a scanner for barcode. Go to the fridge,,,scan what you need, no need to type 😀
As Bill says: It’s too much to be with other people and just sit with you phone and txt, check FB or whatever… I would never do that, but all the youngsters do it. even when we have a party, there’s a huge traffic on my wireless network, all smart-phones are in use – all the time. Next party i will shut down the wireless and hope it can minimize the use
Axel;
I always shut down the Wi-Fi during parties; it might interfere with the Damnable Singing Machine! As I said above the next drink rule will keep phones out of sight.
Paul, your 10 or 11 years older than I am, but for me personally, I just dont care about a smart phone, I have been told that I WILL get one, and I WILL carry it at all times when we move there, and if she has her way I will get one tomorrow here in the US, but I just dont need or want one. Cost has nothing to do with it for me, I just get so tired of my friends and employees keeping there faces buried in there phones at all times, like you see there, its almost impossible to talk to a person in a face to face conversation, because they will constantly be texting or talking to someone the whole time, it does kinda piss me off at times. Kids especially,,, that seems to be all there lives revolve around is the phone, and who has the fanciest one with the most gizmos on it. Back when I was a kid, it was who had the fanciest bike I guess, but at least we got some exercise by riding them. I guess the next generation should have strong and nimble fingers at least.
Bill;
I have an APP on my smart phone for exercise it makes me sweat and want to take a nap. I don’t know what my smart will actually do, but as long as I can read and now hear the damn thing I’m happy. As for at the table with friends the “You’ll buy the next round if you take it out of your pocket rule” still works wonders with us, or the offending party can move to another table and be with his electronic friends.
As for the kid, it’s part of their life and they sit at the little table anyway.
I still don’t have a smart phone P and have no plans to get one. I have a Lenovo cella phone that I use to mostly see what time it is or convert metrics back to the system I more easily understand. I don’t like texting and can’t hear well enough to understand any anyone on the phone anyway. ( the only reason I had a phone in the USA was so I could get DSL) When I call someone it is mostly to the Electric Coop to scream Obscenities at them to come replace the same fuse that keeps blowing and kills power from my house on up to the top of the mountain and ask when the plan to fix the cause of these bi-weekly Black outs that usually takes then 10 hours to get around to restoring and is restored just as the rotating brownout occurs. The next Hi tech innovation I invest in will be a 10 KVA generator!
Joe;
First you should Never say Never, I did and then I had to write this article and admit to the world that I did!
My first day home in 2000 I took a $1,500.00 Rado watch off my arm and handed it to my father-in-law, he passed and now my brother-in-law wears it. That how important time is to me now, I know day time and night time, the rest is unimportant in my life. I eat when I’m hungry and nap when I feel sleepy. But when the ladies are out with the car I need some type of phone at the house. Dear Lord what if the beer supply ran low?
A watch?? What is that? Oh right, I have one in my drawer, out of battery I guess. As you say, I do not need a watch here, too hot to wear and why should i care about time. If i have an appointment – hey – no need for a watch , the other part will never be there on time anyway.
Axel;
I’ve never had a watch with a battery, but I needed it when I was working as not being there when the ship sailed was an “Ahh Shit” that cost you your job.
Shit happens…but when it cost a job…double up :D. Now you can be careless about time, no ship is waiting.
Axel;
Time? I might just log off and take a battle nap. Let me think about that!
Paul,
You mean they stopped Western Union Telegrams too? Egads! Someday Im going to have to explain life before the cell phone, like when you landed at NAIA and you could go over to a counter and they would send a Telegram out to the Province to confirm a hotel reservation, or worse yet, TELEX!
Glad to see you are finally moving into the millennium… uh, my calendar says 2014 though. Of course up on my mountain communication is just about as bleak as it is on yours, even though i can see at least 3 cell towers within viewing distance. As they say, “Your results may vary”, good luck on that connectivity.
Hopefully I can get a copy of that music collection for my new AV room, now that would be a treat.
Rick;
The music is free to all who bring their own USB’s. I still wire in my money by Western “Onion” as my wife calls it and I’ve never corrected her. The same with cella phone and doing paperworks. I leave it alone.
The mountain behind my house is loaded with towers and I see the globe truck going up there once in a while. If you ever figure it out let me know.
Smartphone! No thanks, I’ll stick with my LG that lasts 7 days per charge. Unless, I’m working in an area with no cell phone coverage then it serves as an alarm clock only and the charge lasts about one to two months.
I do have tablet and have learned to use the speech to text well enough I don’t need the keypad except to make small corrections. Then again my tablet is 3G, so it’s kind of like a phone but I only install a sim card if I have to have a data connection.
Mike;
A man after my own style rebelling against technology. If there was a landline in my house I’d not own and portable communication device. Except my Tablet which is only a book repository and one game that I play just before my nap. Talking text? I’m from Boston would that work for me?
Paul,
I’ve got friends in Warwick and Framingham. They said it doesn’t do well with their Boston accent. haha so it might not work for you either!
I met them when I was stationed at Natick back in the late 90s. Massachusetts has always been one of my favorite areas.
Mike – My wife speaks with Arabic accent. She frequently uses the speech to text method when texting me using her Samsung Galaxy. Except for a few unusual place names which she has to key in manually, the messages transmit with perfect spelling.
John,
That’s great I’m glad she finds it so easy to use.
I have noticed with my samsung galaxy if there’s much background noise it misinterprets my words. I’m an American with multiple influences in my speech pattern and accent. Perhaps the Samsung is better at interpreting than the iPhone.
Mike K;
When we New Englanders say something is “Wicked (Pronounced Wick-ard) Pissa” and means “FANTASTIC” “he phone shuts off. The Navy stationed me in Newport RI but the locals never figured out I was a sailor off a ship because of how I spoke.
HaHa I also have a habit of destroying electronics when they don’t cooperate. perhaps that’s why I went 20 years without owning any.
New England accent is the only one I never really picked up. but, I was fresh out of the middle of nowhere at the time.
Mike;
Bostonians have no accent; the rest of the country just forgot how to talk after they moved west. It’s not pronounced beer it’s be-ah. I won’t even try to tell you how to say bottle
Bob really needs to put a like button on this site. no doubt the rest of the world pronounces beer a little different. I say it more like Europeans or Bostonians.
At least here, we don’t have to wonder what the youth are saying, unlike the states with their so called slang.
Mike;
Believe it or not there was a Like button on Lip a couple of years ago, and during Bob’s every year site makeover it went the way of the Dodo Bird. You can pronounce beer anyway you want as long as you serve it cold.
.
I decided to get rid of it because nobody ever used it. Now people want it! Oh my… what to do now???
Bob;
Do it your way, you’ve been right so far! Anyway it’s Lip not Facebook.
I am looking for the thumbs up button for this comment, but can’t find it! 😉
😉 faces make good like buttons, but man, theres so many with all those options I may pick the wrong one :-O
Paul,
I am currently reading your article with my smartphone as my wifi connection on my laptop is not very good. That’s one of the reasons I got a smartphone and the other is I can use it in the US because it is Duo SIM. I really had no need for one until I got here. I see several talking heads are predicting Boston will go back to the World Series, but minus the beards lol. Glad to see baseball back.
Randy;
I know Bob Martin will never be upset by anyone on his site by smart phone, I’d even wager he does it. Boston back to the series would be wonderful, but understand that Bostonians are happy as long as New York doesn’t get there. We are so easy to please.
It’s those Cell Phones again ! Paul with your new car and your new Smart Phone I can just imagine you going around humming to yourself that Smash Hit Single by Dobie Grey ” I’m In With The In Crowd “. Back then if you had the latest ” HIT 45’s ” you could be considered Trendy LOL. New car, New Smart Phone you are once again very ” Trendy ” Paul.
All kidding aside though, I can see where it would be very useful for you to have it as a back up for the next time your dongle goes bad or you can not get your regular internet connection you have your trendy little Smart Phone as a back up internet service. I wonder if there is any way a full sized PC type keyboard can be plugged into it ?
I still do not use a cell phone here in the USA but my little Samsung Basic will come with me on my next visit to PH. I take it out once in a while to keep the battery charged and look at the messages from my last visit,
One of the comments here mentioned Western Union Telegrams. I used to have about a dozen surplus Teletype Machines here that I used on Amateur Radio. I also used them for handling Navy Marine Corps MARS traffic back in the 70’s with some of the traffic originating from ” RP “. Today you can do the same thing with that little pocket sized Smart Phone.
I know already that you are going to have a lot of fun with it Paul. I wonder how many 45’s could be digitized and put into it. Just think all of those records , albums too, in your pocket without the weight !
Bob (NY);
On a 2 gigabyte USB it will hold approximately 1000 songs (500 45’s using both sides) On my New Ole Honda you plug it into the front of the stereo, but in my “Trendy” New-new Mitsubishi the portal is hidden in the dash pocket. It took me a trip back to the dealership to find that out.
The extent of my smart phone within the last two weeks is to call and text and answers some incoming calls. The APP’s lay dormant on the screen unused by me.
I tried using the MARS System once, but since I was single never again. The girl I called married some civilian before my ship returned to the land of the “Big PX” boy do I owe that guy a beer or two.
Paul,
Old is good 🙂
1. Big box like T.V still working…CHECK!
2. Old type cell phone (flip open motorola)…CHECK!
3. 14 year old vehicle…CHECK!
4. Buy everything with cash…CHECK!
5. No house payment…CHECK!
6. Gov position (it’s kind of like a real job) making good bucks..CHECK!
7. Plenty of San Magoo…NO! OMG time to fully retire!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
John;
I’m old and great!
1. Flat Screen TV; Big Box went south one afternoon
2. Couldn’t read or hear Cherry Mobile can see smart phone
3. 18 Years with the New Ole Honda, Starting to cost a lot of SMB money
4. Still buy with cash, Cash is king in the RP
5. Never had a house payment in my life.
6. Two government pensions (But savings from 30 years of great pay and being single)
7. A Ref full of San Magoo, and a kid that will deliver more with just one text from my new smart phone, that I can now read! Fully retired since the day the New Millennium started.
Paul,
You could deal with NSNs, NINs, NICN, and whatever the hell else Uncle Sam uses to order and track supplies, but claim the Dewey Decimal System is beyond comprehension? Maybe you were just used to more convoluted systems so the ease of use threw you?
We tried to invent and install a Shipboard Warehouse Management System on the new MSC dry cargo ships. We spent a hell of a lot of money on RFID (no scanning or manual recoding of anything), but could never get through the regulatory hurdles (shocking I know), and now now the ships have the servers and stations just sitting there, and inventory done the old way. Probably best as tough to teach some of those MSC old dogs new tricks. I will be using the plans to install a San Miguel and Tanduay Inventory Management System in our house in Iligan.
Herein was the problem, the SM5 system MSC used for years was an easy and very accurate system, designed by a MSC sailor who BTW was paid very little for his effort. With the advent of computers why in God’s name would one need the Dewey Decimal card system when you can punch in the name of the book or the author and the location will pop right up?
Using the old Navy system I could convert a part number to a NSN in seconds and tell you how many and where they are, plus automatically order a new supply.
It’s hard to retrain sailor’s, we’ll fight cha tooth and nail. (LOL)
As for SMB’s if you drank 6 order 12 more as a friend might drop by.