"These happy golden years are passing by, these happy golden years." Laura Ingalls Wilder

Monday, April 23, 2007

Ring, Ring ... Warning ... Ring, Ring


I have too many dummy bells in my new home. You know, those annoying little ringing, buzzing reminders that something is done, left open, being opened, telling time, etc, etc. Sometimes, I'm a wee confused as to what I'm hearing. There's a chime on the new LG refrigerator if a door is left open too long ... my cuckoo clock rings twice an hour ... the house alarm is set to ring if a door or window is opened; and again when it gets shut ... the coffee maker sounds when the brew cycle is finished ... and again when it automatically shuts off ... A ding for this and a dong for that ... and sometimes I get the sounds a bit mixed up in my head as to what they're trying to tell me. Except for the door chime (which keeps tabs on Nathan), I really think all the others train a person to not think on their own. Before we sold our '65 GTO, I warned DH not to rely on the convenience of a chime to remind him to turn off the headlights ... and sure enough, he forgot the GTO didn't have such a gizzmo and left them on causing a drained battery. I really enjoyed telling him "I told you so" when he called home for a ride. Do you think too many reminders and warnings make people less sharp? How many people really need a label on their cup of McDonald's coffee warning them that it's HOT? We have forgotten how to be proactive thinkers ... now we're reactive thinkers and have come to rely on silly warnings. Anyone else ever think thoughts along these lines?

9 comments:

Pat said...

So true! Hal's last truck, a fancier model then he now has, had a back up beeper that warned when you were close to an object. New truck does not and now he's caught off guard waiting for the beep, beep! It seems to be too easy to become reliant on these things...plus they're annoying!!

Terry said...

Yes, I agree with Miss Patty...
We are relying way too much on the "dings" and the "beeps"!!

Mrs Mac, have you ever seen someone that has lost their keys and whistling for them and THEY start dinging from their hiding spot?
I mean what ever happened to old fashioned looking for something you have misplaced and for old fashioned remembering to turn something off or ON?!!
And how can you tell what ding is beeping for WHAT?
Life is way too confusing as it is! Ha!!,,Love Terry

Jim said...

Hey, Mrs. Mac. This is pretty much true, isn't it? Good reading.
I do like the 'ding' we have for the lost portable telephone. We have to ring the cell phone to find it.

Our house has four 'dingers' right now, me, Mrs. Jim, Adi, and Amber--who is just visiting.
Adi is the most regular;
Amber picks the worst hours to ding;
Mrs. Jim seems to be the most frequent; and
I am pretty well perfect (very few dings).
..

Margie said...

I'm my own dingaling, i don't need all that :)

Jim said...

Mrs. Mac, I put a link to your blog on mine. For a while it will be under 'NEW.'
I hope that's ok.
..

Jada's Gigi said...

I personally love all my many reminders...it relieves my brain from holding all that information so I can get on to more important things...such as what Sanjaya is going to do with all his free time..:)...well actually I just don't like having to remember EVERYTHING for everyone...like Sean Connery said in the Indiana Jones movie...I wrote it down...so I WOULDNT have to remember it!! :)
But it does sound as if you have quite a few going on at your house.

Terry said...

How about THIS ring Mrs. Gramma Mac?!!

Ring!! Ring!! Is anybody home??? Love Terry

Maggie Ann said...

You've got me laughing with the Big Scary Laser which I take it has already killed one eye! I like the 'dings' really. Our microwave keeps beeping untill you take our whatevers in there. My memory just forgets whatever in a heartbeat sometimes so I find reminders more important than in my youth. I am making myself sound absolutly ancient! Help...send a laser!

Anonymous said...

Here I am trying once again to leave a comment. I even tried to send you an email and the old MailerDemon sent it back. Congratulations on you beautiful little grandson. His little round face and his head of dark hair make him a perfect baby don't you think? :-) Also, your daughter makes a pretty little Mommy.
I love your house, I wouuld love to visit you in real life sometime, you live in such a beautiful spot. Just Gramma_s