How did we live without it

Several years ago, our ever so modern children said we needed a cellphone. We said, “We have landline at home and room phones when traveling.”

“We want to be able reach you when you are traveling!” they insisted.

We got a flip phone with 100 minutes for starters.

After a couple years of that, one of our brood bought us phone and paid the monthly fee for a while.

“My hands shake too much for a touch phone,” hubby said.

The phone became mine.

I studied it, trying to understand the fascination.

“Show me how to use it,” I asked.

After a “you dummy” stare I was told, “Just play with it. Try it.”

I flicked, poked and prodded. I found the Facebook app. I found a game that I played too much so I deleted it. I set up the app for my email account.

Finally, I tried the voice recognition one day as hubby and I sat considered a trip. “Find out how far it is to that city,” he suggested.

“How far is it to …?” I tapped the phone and asked.

Immediately the phone responded verbally, “492 miles.”

Startled at the verbal answer, we laughed. “Ask it …” became his favorite opening statement whenever we travel. “How far to the city? Where is the next Murphy USA station?”

I never worried about having enough data. At least I didn’t until this month, when our home WiFi glitched. Not having WiFi at the house has been a major inconvenience. Some days I get great phone reception for the apps. Some days, I might get it if I walk to the end of the driveway and hold it up high. Years ago, a visitor sat on top of his van to make a call. Most days I use it way too much.

Without WiFi, I shove my husband out of his desk chair and check Facebook. That is not the same as rolling over in bed, picking up the phone and taking a peek.

For several years, I have used the Bible App for daily devotions, checking out Bible verses and short videos. Without WiFi, my phone uses too many data points, so I again read a printed Bible.

My daughter suggested I share my weekly column with her on Google docs so she can proofread it. I can’t do that without WiFi to interface with my laptop or phone. So I parked near a facility with free WiFi, transferred my column to Google Docs and later, using my phone, sent an email with the new column to the editor. I prefer my lounge chair office over the car seat, but we do what we have to do.

Most days I click the El Dorado News-Times app to read the paper online. No more jaunts jogging down the driveway in the early morning to get the paper. Without WiFi, if I click the app at home, I probably will get the pinwheel of death or a totally blank screen. Again, I can take over the captain’s favorite chair at the landline computer, but I really prefer my lounge chair.

So, I guess we made it into the modern age with our cell phones and all the conveniences of technology, but without WiFi this week, I have had to go “old school” in several ways to fill my time and complete my to-do lists.

Joan Hershberger is a former staff writer for the El Dorado News-Times and author of “Twenty Gallons of Milk and other columns from the El Dorado News-Times.”