Just a BlinkProof Time Flies

Self checkout lanes, automated voice teleprompts and ATMs alike are very transparent in their purpose.

Less labor force = More income

I am not outraged at companies creating income. Capitalism and “Big” anything don’t annoy me. What annoys me is the automated processes themselves. Now, I have come to except and use ATMs without hassle. I have used the self-checkouts a number of times, each time with a less-than-seamless experience. I have used automated voice teleprompts more times than I would have ever wanted.

Here is how a recent phone call to our unnamed health insurance company unraveled:

Automated “Employee” (AE): Hi and Thank you for calling So-and-So insurance company and affiliates.  Please say your subscriber ID.

Me: Blah-XYZ-Blah-123 (with eye roll). <I just found out that companies have you enter this information just to make you feel like you are making progress during the wait time and to ensure that you have your information at hand for them later. Ever wonder why they ask you for you information AGAIN when a real human picks up the line? The first time does absolutely nothing.>

AE: Are you calling about mental health or substance abuse?

Me: (nothing said here) I am still waiting for a number to push for yes or no

AE: I’m sorry I didn’t hear you.

Me: No. Followed by a short pause. No No! Molly get out of the dishwasher!

AE: Please try again. Are you calling about mental health or substance abuse? Please say yes or no.

Me: No. Followed by a shorter pause. M-AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH-M (the extra long version of Mom) did you see my trick, I can fly like an airplane!

AE: Please respond with a Yes or No so I can fully understand your response.

Me: No. Immediately followed by a Whiinnnnne from Molly for graham crackers and me saying “Just I second I’m almost done”.

AE: I am sorry please call back. I am not able to understand you at this time. click…

Hey, I can see user error all over this story but whatever happened to customer service? I miss customer service. I tried the call again and was put on hold for 10 minutes 56 seconds. Of course I had to tell her my subscriber ID again! No big deal though, she said if I log on to So-and-So insurance company’s website I could find the answer to my question. Oye!

It is sad that material things can make me giddy but it is true. What could make me so giddy you say? My first iPhone. Here are some photos from our trip to the ATT store the day of the iPhone 3G launch.

The Conquest

Peter and I drove past the Apple Valley ATT store around 5:30 a.m. or so to check out the line. We found a sidewalk flowing with camping chairs and umbrellas. However, the line was minimal so we went to workout at the YMCA in the neighboring town. (I think we planned it this way so we could tell ourselves this was the real reason we woke up so early.)

Upon arriving at the ATT store at 7 a.m. to meet our friend Jon (an hour before the store opened) we found out that they were already “sold out”. Meaning they only had, get this, 20 iPhones! The first 20 folks already had their “I-get-a-iPhone-and-you-don’t papers” from the store in their hands!

We carpooled up to the Mall of America to see if we would have a better chance. We did! I was number 40 in line at the MOA ATT store. Not bad considering the Apple Store had over 300 people by 8 a.m.

The Hiccup

We bought 8 gig models instead of 16 gig. Due to bad storms the delivery planes were delayed and the store was missing it’s entire planned shipment of iPhones. That is what they told us to explain why the store ran out of the 16 gig iPhones.  As if to pour salt into our wound, like most of the nation, we were unable to activate our service until 5 or 6 hours later. Oye!  I wasn’t too deflated because I didn’t really need my phone for the afternoon. Peter thought driving around without a phone made him feel naked.  I thought it was a breath of fresh air to be in existence with no “lifeline” of cell service for a few hours.

The Happy Ending

All in all, I am in love with Apple and the new iPhone 3G. I bought it a new outfit today, pink leather with brown piping.  Why have I adopted this gadget device as my third child?  A sick obsession with a trend or keeping up with the Jones’?  No.

Instead, the iPhone apps have already opened my eyes and ears to “Me”. The iPhone shows life is complex yet comprehensible, corporate yet causal, confidential yet connected. I am finding myself again with a cell phone! To be infused with my favorite songs, photos of my kids, dynamic do to lists, the Bible, facebook, games…so many apps that help me do my day-to-day with ease and entertainment.

I am happy with the purchase and do not regret the investment at all. Giddy maybe but not in love with…well that’s debatable too.

Freshly picked, plucked and piled strawberries waited to be feature ingredients in a delightful summer dish as I poured over at least 100 strawberry recipes. I longed for the just right presentation for my hand picked red ripe beauties. I went to cooks.com, strawberry-recipes.com, easy-strawberry-recipes.com and justberryrecipes.com perusing mouth watering treats like strawberry truffles, mousses, baked goods, ice creams, syrups and even strawberry salsas. I scratched a few notes and sent a few recipes to my email account all in preparation for my just right strawberry dish.

Upon entering my kitchen [first to wash dishes, next to make dinner and finally to create dessert] I realized I am not living up to my full expectations. I expect to be imperfect, spontaneous and most of all fun! I tossed out my recipe for some much too uptight strawberry confection.

I had Ryan pull up his kitchen chair to the counter for some much needed time to be inventive and important. Together we made a simple layered parfait from our everyday snack cupboard.

The ingredient list was as follows: Banana pudding, milk, strawberries, chocolate chips and honey teddy grahams. We chilled the dessert as we ate supper and enjoyed them very much! Oh, I forgot to mention we added sprinkles to the top of each parfait right before we ate them.

It was the just right strawberry dish after all.

There is a first time for everything. I finally went strawberry picking! I love love love strawberries when they are in season. It was an absolute treat to hand pick the ripe fruit from its very own patch. I am planning on making something homemade with my strawberries. I’ll post my finished product.

There is something really great about buying and eating locally grown food. Certainly I will still eat my imported grapes from Peru! But there is something nice to go to Sever’s market for corn on the cob in late Summer or go to Apple Jack’s Orchard for some awesome Honey Crisp apples in the Fall. I will be going strawberry picking again next year for sure.