A Bluetooth to Save Face

I bought myself a new mobile early this week. Not because there was anything wrong with the old one, but because it was high time I did…. It was just too embarrassing to use the outmoded one in public. How superficial is that?  But I am not superficial. The society dictates that of me.

That reminded me of something Mr Money Man, Paul Clithero   – financial extraordinaire, Chairman Financial Literacy Foundation and many other titles under his belt—said long time ago.  He said he drove an old car because it served the purpose and did not see any reason to buy a new one. He said, he drove a BMW now (again, I am quoting him from when he made the comment, I don’t know what he drives now) only because Channel Nine provided him with a company car (he then had his own money show) because they were too embarrassed to have his old bomb parked in their executive car park.  I quoted Paul to make my point of why I kept using the old phone. I saw no purpose in changing, it did the job.

Anyway, off I went to the Optus shop- I usually gravitate towards Optus as a carrier for some unknown reason.  I dislike Telstra with a passion and all other carriers fall into the category of ‘I don’t know about them’.  Yes, even big ones like Vodafone and Virgin – I was looking around when a generation Y smartypants approached and inquired…..

“Happy browsing or are you looking for something in particular?”

 “I am looking to buy a new phone”  duh, wasn’t that obvious?

“Anything in particular?” asked the smartypants aka salesman

 “A phone that I can make and receive calls and send text messages”  I replied.  

He did his best to suppress his laughter and showed a mobile “well, this phone will do those but is very basic”

“What do you mean very basic?”

“It doesn’t have Bluetooth”

Though I have heard of Bluetooth, I couldn’t tell it apart from Next G or any other tech names I have heard so didn’t have the remotest idea what in the name of world it did.

“What are the advantages of having Bluetooth?”

His explanation flew over my head except for words like “wireless” “internet”  “doesn’t cost extra to send” that stuck…… however his latter saying, more like a implication, went straight to my head, ”but if you are not going to use those features you don’t need it”

The worst a generation Y egghead can do with me as a shopper is be condescending and tell I might not need an advanced feature. The more he repeated “if you think you will not use it” the more determined I became to go for the Bluetooth whether I needed it or not, whether I will ever use the features or not.

So I bought the phone with Bluetooth.  

Now I have to learn how to use the darn thing. I asked my daughter to show me how to access voicemail and text messages for the time being and told her “do not text me until I get the hang of it”. Well she didn’t understand, did she? She went ahead and sent one on Wednesday. Because I was expecting her call I had to phone her to find out if it was her that text and if it was time to pick her up because I couldn’t access the message, whatever I pressed. All she had to say was “Oh mum”

I cry for my trusty old very familiar mobile. I knew my way around that one.

Life is not the same without it in my bag.

Put My Foot In it

 

Ever had an experience where you wanted to either run or cover your face in embarrassment? It happened to me today. I really put my foot in it.

I ran in to someone I haven’t seen in ages…. when she lightly touched me on the shoulder from behind, came to face me and said “hello” the first thing I did, after greeting her with “hello” was exclaim with elation “oh you are pregnant!” My eyes diverted straight to her tummy.

She replied casually, “I was thinking that I should lose some weight” Imagine my chagrin!!!

Of course I apologised profusely and repeatedly throughout our chat and though she kept saying “don’t worry about it” it doesn’t take away the fact I broke the golden rule. You don’t ask a woman that question however fat and protruding she may be if she doesn’t mention it.

What was I thinking?

I need to zip it.