Complicated? I don't think so

I was reading a fellow blogger's post [link] the other day about how complicated our lives get as we get older. Of course, that triggered thoughts of daily, personal,rituals because he mentioned those.

We have rituals we adhere to each day; from getting up in the morning to lying down to sleep at night. And, Tom's right, they do become more complicated as we age. Mine have and I'm sure so have yours. I have added taking Ranitidine (generic for Zantac) each night to avoid heartburn at 3 AM, removing and soaking false teeth, and shaving as the mood strikes me.

I only shaved every day while I was in the Navy. Didn't need to before I enlisted and grew a full beard (stopped shaving) after I got out. I do not have my father's beard. As Mom used to tell me "Your father has a 5 O'clock shadow at noon." I have a very light, slow growing beard. And since it is all white now is hardly noticeable when I do not shave for 2 or 3 days.

Tom speaks of dashing out to play as a child (I am assuming here) and sometimes pausing to put on shoes. I no longer dash anywhere, much less to play outside (golf being the exception), but mostly just amble. If I have no shoes on when it's time to check the mailbox, I do not pause to put some on.  Not needed here, certainly, unless it is raining. And then only because I am a bit afraid of slipping and I do not like wet feet. Even when I do put them on on those occasions, its usually just sandals.

He mentions how technology has complicated our lives. This is true but it has also simplified much of it. We can be in contact with others at all times instead of having to find a phone booth (rmember those?) so we can check in from time to time. Our cars have automatic transmissions and some (like mine) have rain sensing windshield wipers, lights that turn on and off automatically, and so on. We have rear-view cameras and my car has an audible obstruction alert system (but no camera). I do not have GPS built in but have one I can use in either car we own. But I do have a "remote start" button on my key fob. And one other auto-related convenience item... the toll-payer. We used to need a transponder but no longer, now we have a barcode sticker which is read as we pass through the toll area and debits our accounts (which are, in turn, replenished automatically at a certain point). I like the simplicity that technology has given us.

He complained about having a number of remotes that must be used. I have three. The cable remote turns on/off the TV and handles the sound volume. The Blu-Ray player requires its own and requires I also have to find and use the TV remote so I can switch to the correct input (I might be able to configure that on the cable remote but am too lazy to bother) but, for most things, the cable remote handles everything I need to do TV-wise. I recall when I was the "remote." Dad (or Mom) would tell me to turn up/down the sound and to change the channel and I would do it. I was always closest to the TV those days. Now we do not need children to operate the TV. Which is good because they tend to not be around much after they hit 14 or so. And much harder to find and operate than the remotes.

We have speed dialing so we do not have to look up numbers of friends. We have Caller ID so we can know who is calling before we answer (and pick up or not accordingly). Heck, we can even turn on/off lights and adjust the AC or heat remotely using our smart phones.

Very strange... things have become simpler as they became more complicated.