New Year, New Technology

Facebook, Twitter, blogs! I must admit, I've fallen hopelessly behind the times! Each year I revamp my web site trying to keep things fresh and new, usually something that is a joy to me. This year however a friend, several friends actually, suggested I get my fanny in gear and begin a bit of social networking. Huh? I'm just not sure a social site is the place for Ainsling's Realm; I barely use my cell phone let alone Twitter and the concept of a blog just baffles me. I may love listening to myself but is anyone else really interested in what I had for breakfast or my latest rant? LOL I'm betting I'm not alone in these thoughts or in being a bit out of step with current technology either.

Seems to be the wave of the future though and if you're not on board with all the latest online gadgetry you're likely to be left coughing in the dust. So here goes, the first post to the new Ainsling's Realm blog! (Insert a very long pause here while I consider something pithy and meaningful to say.) If you've read the profile attached to this blog you're aware that Ainsling's Realm is an online school of Wicca and witch crafts as well as a few other semi-interesting facts so we can safely omit any introductions. If you didn't read it, well, why in the heck not? There we go - reading! That's a good a place to start with as any and likely relevant to this blog and others in the future.

Why don't we just read the information we're given to begin with?

Not just here on this blog but everywhere. Have you noticed that we seem to lack the ability or interest in reading information in our daily tasks? I had this pointed out to me recently when I traveled to Florida. There I am in the security line patiently waiting my turn and watching a harried security officer repeatedly yell the basic directions for going through the line. Now, these directions are posted clearly before you get into line and have been a constant source of both aggravation and discussion since the whole security issue went critical. Why then do so many of us 'forget' the directions or just fail to read them? Why is that poor woman yelling herself hoarse reminding us of the postings on the signs stating to remove our shoes and jackets, empty our pockets and take laptops out of cases?

Being bored waiting in that line I roughly timed how long it took for those not heeding the directions to back up, comply and go through the process again. On average, using the 'one Mississippi, two Mississippi method' movement through security was held up anywhere from 15 seconds to a full 3 minutes while the errant traveler fumbled around. Taking a median average of 1 minute 15 seconds for each traveler we're looking at a full hour added to our wait for each 60 people in line! If you multiply that times the thousands of people traveling through a given airport in a single day you'll arrive at the reason we now have to arrive super early for flights and stand in line endlessly! LOL

And it's not just traveling. How many of you, like me, have done business on the Internet and the email doesn't go through or the order isn't processed or some other glitch happens just because we haven't read the page first? That's a classic for me! LOL I use Firefox as a browser and can't count the number of times I've been frustrated over a site only to later notice a plainly stated requirement to view the page with Internet Explorer. And I know I've struggled and cussed on several occasions with a web page that refused to take my perfectly good user name and password only to find after 15 minutes of effort that it quite clearly stated to enter my email address LOL I'm old enough to remember the slightly PC incorrect joke about men never reading assembly instructions but it seems now as if the entire population has come down with this disease.

I'm lucky enough (said with much sarcasm) to live down the street from an elementary school. It's no surprise or even questionable that parents should want to pick up their little tots from school, I can deal with the traffic congestion; but why can't they read the posted parking signs? Every 20 feet stands an official sign with bright red letters designating the curb no parking and a fire lane. And every day there is a line of parents parked the length of the fire lane staring right at those signs LOL Btw, if you ask them they're not 'parking' as they are: 1. Waiting for their precious offspring, 2. Still have the engine running. 3. Are still in their vehicles or, the very best one 4. They won't be there long LOL Problem here is that it's a FIRE LANE. Blocking it means ambulances and fire trucks do not have room to access the street and parkers are putting people's lives at risk. Yep, it actually happened once!

So what do you think? Anyone else out there who, like me, has continued to push on the door clearly labeled pull or who's noticed this lack of ability to read basic directions on our collective part?