Fair Trade

I explained to my grandson's friend what a shmatta is and in turn she told me what Angry Birds is and how to install it on my computer. Now that’s what I call a fair trade.

The easiest way to describe a Shmatta is to liken it to Linus' blanket. Now that’s a shmatta. In other words, a worn out old garment or piece of cloth that is too treasured to throw out and is still, in the eyes of the owner, worth keeping and using (preferably when no one is looking).

Now Angry Birds is something we've been hearing about quite a bit lately but we had no idea what it or they were. So now we know it's a game that has become an obsession in certain circles, my grandson and his friend included. They tell me another grandson in the family also is addicted to it.

So before they left this evening after a wonderful surprise visit here, I asked him to install AB on my PC. Which he did. I even tried it once. It feels like fun. It's too soon to tell whether it will replace Spider Solitaire but we'll try it from time to time. I know the wife is anxious to give it a go.

Are we moving forward or what?

Before I Forget

Folks our age are always wondering why we can't remember something. It can be serious or frivolous but we worry about it anyway.

My wife recently took a course billed as “Brain and Memory,” given by a group of gerontologists and nutritionists. Leave it to the clinicians to bottle old wine in new verbiage. Their theory as to why we can't remember as well as we used to is not that we are losing our ability to recall but that our “Memory Recording Device” (MRD) is not working as well as it used to.

The use of euphemisms to disguise or soften what otherwise would be distasteful is rampant in our society. Note the fanciful names congressmen give their legislation to hide the fact that it's going to cost us money or pain.

So what, I ask you, is the difference between forgetting things now and then and a malfunctioning MRD? I use my PMB (Personal Memory Bank) which is now 80 per cent full. My wife's is 79 per cent full. And so much of what we do is automatic it isn't worth depositing.

Do we need to name this condition? Loss of memory comes with aging. Unfortunately for some, sooner rather than later. We've deleted what we no longer need to know. So we stick to essentials. Look both ways before crossing the street. Watch your step on uneven pavements. Did you lock the car? Do you have the keys, tickets, passports, etc.?

As for our memory banks, we're pushing overdraft.

Have a nice...what?

Retro Evening

We had dinner with friends this evening and then saw a local theater group present Noel Coward's “Blithe Spirit.” Both the dinner and show were enjoyable.

I'm writing about this because both the dinner and the show featured conversations between adults. Not twit notes, not Facebook “likes” or any text messages or cell phone interruptions. Not that I frequently receive any of today's instant memo's.

But it was a refreshing reminder that a good conversation or a good play featuring sparkling repartee is worth spending time with. The dinner conversation was informative and lively. The play was witty and entertaining.

Both took some time. Not just the nanoseconds it takes to Twitter or text, but real time. Like close to two hours over a meal or two-and-a-half at the theater.

Those of us who have that time, find it a very worthwhile investment. The dividends are food for thought.

What's Next?

So here's the thing. After many months of dithering I finally buy a Blu-ray disc player with built in wi-fi, get it to work and watch a movie.

Now what? This evening I didn't even put it on. Is the thrill gone? Was it the journey or the destination that mattered? How existential can I get? Not so much.

There are still so many other gizmos out there that sound exciting, look attractive and, if you believe the hype, are “must haves.” Guess what, I don't have to have any of them.

Yet...there's the seduction aspect. Tomorrow's NYTimes, I'm sure, will have still more new items to entice the gadgeteer, the early adapter, etc. I will read about them and be amazed. But resist the temptation to acquire as long as I can. I guarantee nothing.

My demands are simple. A convenient tee time, a pleasant round and an occasional par. Not too much to ask.

FORE!

Success!

We watched our first live streamed movie from Netflix on our TV set tonight. All connections GO. The movie was “(Untitled),” a 2009 goof on the Art World.

I thought it was hilarious. But I was more impressed with the technology that brought it to my TV set. The wi-fi modem is in the kitchen. The TV set is in the den. But lo, and behold, today they got together and delivered the goods.

I was less than impressed with the offerings available for instant viewing on Netflix. Most of them I had either seen or had no interest in seeing. As time goes by I'm hoping for better choices.

Meantime, I'm having fun with a new bit of technology that, for now at least, seems to work.

A Baby Step

I did not have time today to contact either Sony or Netflix to help me set up live wi-fi streaming to my TV set. And the teenagers at this afternoon's family celebration were so busy dancing and socializing I didn't have the heart to ask any of them if they could help me out.

However, when we got home we played a non-Blu-ray disc in the device and enjoyed the experience. I also upgraded my Netflix account so that from now on I'll receive Blu-ray versions of the movies I order. Meantime, we will make do with what we have until I get around to resolving the wi-fi situation.

I'm taking the rest of this Memorial Day weekend off. See you tomorrow.

Not Yet...

I lived up to my moniker today by muddling through most of the afternoon until I finally got my new Blu-ray Disc/DVD Player connected to the internet. But I still haven't been able to stream anything to the TV.

It's well known that these electronic devices are made in Japan and their manuals are written by Japanese engineers and translated into semi-English by eight-year-olds. And printed in such small type I had to use a magnifying glass to decipher one particular item.

Several hours were spent trying to convince the built-in wi-fi in the Blu-ray to hook up with my wireless modem. It took two phone calls to the store where I bought the Blu-ray to accomplish this seemingly simple task.

The first call was to ask where I would find the wireless security code so I could enter it. The second call was to report that I found it, entered it and Blu-ray still would not accept it. That's when my salesman told me the letters in the code had to be in upper case. I had seen no instructions to that effect nor on how to maneuver the remote to get from lower case to upper. Only through diligent trial and error did I manage it.

And finally it connected to the internet. But success is still denied.

When I clicked on the Netflix logo to stream a movie all I got was a message saying “the software in this unit must be upgraded.” What unit? The brand new Blu-ray? The Netflix site? What? By this time I had had enough. My afternoon scotch was calling. No security code needed.

I'm busy with a pleasant family affair tomorrow where the teenagers present may be able to sort out my problems. Or not. Speaking of family, I have to give my wife extra points for wisely staying in another room, quietly reading her book and, without commenting, charting my progress by the assorted grunts and groans coming from the den.

Next, phone calls to both Netflix and Sony seem to be in order.

Is the suspense killing you?