Pages

Thursday, January 13, 2011

Sea of ?????

So this week has been eventful to say the least... First it started with Mom's car not starting( she needed a new battery) and a tireless search for a dress that was not hooker red or black.. Please note at 7:57 p.m.Monday night,  I settled for black. Then Tuesday I got married to the love of my life. And Wednesday I started the spring semester. Sometime between Tuesday night and Wednesday morning, my car decided it had enough. I mean it is entitled to as I am but I did not need it to do it then, it just said F U B!!!  

So Wednesday morning at 30 something years old, my mommy had to take me to school... It was odd, as well when I was growing up she was never able to as she worked and had to be there before I did; most times, I rode the bus. So hubby decided to take a look at it and with the help of the internet and a few changes to relays and fuses, it was decided that "a qualified specialist" needed to at least look at it. I mean how hard can it be to fix it?? I mean everything would come on it just refused to start. Windows would roll down, radio and heat worked even the headlights, it just simply refused to start. I know how it felt there are so many days and as of late many more that I have refused to start.

So now here we are Thursday morning, with him going to Dallas and then Ennis and lord knows where else with the wonders of modern technology and an electronic communication device, he called not only the dealer, but the towing company all while driving his 18 wheeler down the highway. About 10 something, I witnessed my car on facebook on the back of a wrecker. WOW, 5 maybe even as far back as 7 years ago we had no capability of things like that. 

So what is my point to this insane rambling you ask???? YAWN as you think about leaving. Hey its cool I understand. Well I am not certain that there is a point but more a feeling or statement.. I have heard it said in sociology and psychology classes and read parts of the book, the McDonalization of society that we a on the fast track to becoming a society of non thinkers and full of self need and gratification. The book speaks of a society where we have all become reliant on the use of technology and how we want instant gratification.It speaks of how we have become dependent on the use of computers and cell phones and other things of the sort to "make life easier."  It is odd. 

Take my car, the wonderful world of modern technology has created an item that is needed everyday of the week to transport us that breaks down and can no longer be fixed without the use of a computer. No longer can the mom and pop shop fix most cars. No it has to be taken in to the dealer or the big guys. Long short of it, my key fob which is in no way a "normal" key is what has to be replaced. It is also not a cheap fix and there is no promises that it will solve the problem. Car manufactures have made cars where they rely on computers. So I ask you has your computer ever died on you? Yes and you have been like a wounded bird unable to fly. You feel isolated and cut off from the world. It gets better just keep reading.

So see here we go, I rely on my car just as my cell phone and computer to get me and the kids here and there and most everywhere but when it stops, it takes days even weeks to fix. Imagine my panic Wednesday morning when the car would not start. Imagine my panic when we called the small guy or rather hubby called and was told "I can "diagnose" your problem but can not fix it and I am not in the business of taking money unnecessarily, it will be easier if you take it in." HUH??? What do you mean by that? What he meant was due to our, yes, our need for instant gratification and hurry up let us do it now I can not wait, he can  look at my car or any car but one that operates off a sole computer chip he is no longer able to fix. I mean really he is like one of the family he has fixed my cars for years, even sent me flowers when kids one and two were born and now he is telling me that since we have a  hurry up and wait society that car makers are making cars where he, little guy, can no longer fix it. I am dumbfounded by this. I guess when I bought the car I never really considered that it would die, but it did. Never did that thought cross my mind. I mean the thought never occurred to me. And now I am paying the consequences of it.

But that is my point. We want it now and have to have it now. We want bigger and better and the latest and greatest with out much thought to how it is affecting our lives. We no longer want to work hard for what we have and want or need.We just simply go about getting this or that or the other simply to make life easier and happier.  We are available at the touch of a button and spew our lives for 7 billion people to see. There is no "taking it easy or just chillin."  There is no longer "family" or Sunday dinners with the kids or even nightly dinners and I my friends am guilty of it as well. Society has dictated to us that we "keep up with the Jonses." ( No offense to my Jones friends) Even our children the younger generations are suffering and in the worst way. It has taught us and them that we have to rush here and there and get nothing done. Albeit we think we have but in reality we have accomplished nothing but stress and bills and anguish.

Our younger generations have no "thinking outside the box" skills or coping skills for the things that go wrong in there lives. The boys in example of the car were like so that means that we can not go to school today? They have no motivation or direction and frankly have really not received any. They are taught how to take a test and the needed information on that test. Oh sure there are parents who like myself have tried to teach their children those thinking skills and life skills as they call it but it is like beating ones head into a wall when they see it from their friends and frankly society. I remember in school we had things like Future homemakers of America, and Business Professionals and so on. It was in these settings that we not only learned a "trade" but we learned life lessons like how to balance a check book, and how to type on an actual typewriter even something such as filling out a job application or loan application. Sure they have this new up and coming school of career and technology opening here in our district, but when I looked at some of the things listed they were offering frankly it concerns me a great deal. What concerns me about it is yes you are teaching these kids a "skill" but are you teaching them what to do to be productive members of society? There are some parents who do not have the desire or time, but that is why we need things like citizenship and life skills type things in school. But hey who am I? I am a high school drop out with a GED and 24 hours toward a degree with 3 kids and school loans to pay- the point is, I have always had an inkling of what I really honestly wanted to do when I grew up, it was a matter of  I was not able to do it until now. But I have an 18 year old that when asked what do you want to do with your life has not a clue in the world. He has no clue. I mean I knew what types of careers and things were out there when I was in 8th grade. In fact we had a class in 8th grade, that showed us jobs and careers and things I can not remember the name of the class but I remember it well. I overheard a conversation about a youngling who called to register this week. Now keep in mind that this week was the start of the spring semester and the youngster asked "so I have to come to school this week?" SERIOUSLY?????? (sorry guys I had to use this )I have another friend who mentioned one day "what are they teaching these kids in school now a days?" I inquired as to what she meant as well you know inquiring minds want to know, and she mentioned that they have no knowledge how to spell or use spell check or even something as basic as writing a paragraph. They seem to not know their alphabets and have to be hand held and told even how to breathe..

Reports have said that children are waiting longer to go onto an institution of higher education as in they are waiting until their 20s to do it and they are living at home longer. But hey who can blame them? They have no clue what to do. That is sad truly sad. And when they do figure it out, they want it and fast. They do not want to wait and work their way up... Ahhhhh see there it is again the McDonaldization. And sure they hear you can make this large amount of money, but they have no clue that when they first start out, they are making less, and they have no clue that there is rent/mortgage and things of that nature that have to be paid.   And when they are not raking in the mega money, they simple give up and go on. Hummmmmm. Do you see the pattern here?? Bigger, better, faster and best. 

I am not sure what the future holds for any of us. I do know that we have to at some point say enough is enough. I mean me "journaling" or Blogging is another fine example of this. I mean it is a great way to keep in touch and all and a good way to "vent" but when I honestly think about it and the other millions who do it, I think about the younger generations who are up and coming what will happen to them if some day there are no more computers or cell phones? I am afraid for us 30 to 40 somethings safety let alone those who are older then we. I mean think about it... Do you really want a 20 year old doctor wavering on how to save your life? If they can not make normal everyday decisions how can we expect them to make life altering decisions? Sobering thought huh? Reality bites?

So now that I have bored you to tears and gotten down off my soap box, I am going to do homework. As this was the beginning of school week for the spring semester you know. And the car well they are hoping that replacing my key fob which they said will take about a week and doing something called "flashing my car" ( I am not sure sounds perverted to me) that it will be fixed. However, they did say that there is no promise or guareentee that the fob going out will not cause more problems. In other words we have to do something out of the norm, and WAIT...

Have a super Friday and in case I do not see you have a terrific weekend.

No comments:

Post a Comment