30 Days of Thankfulness - Day 12: Gadget

Gadget, gadget, who has the best gadget? 

If I could invent a gadget that could do something spectacular, what would it do? 

After this morning's debacle, I'm thinking a smart coffee maker that knows when it needs to be cleaned or serviced and then actually walks you through the steps to correct the problem right on the unit's unique message center through voice commands or an instructional video so there is no question about what needs to be done. Perhaps there exists such a lovely beast already, however, the fancy-looking machine annoying me today does not have any such feature. I'm left to guess and wonder why it will not produce the black liquid I so desperately crave. I tried all the troubleshooting tips until I was finally furious enough I decided to throw in the filter and run to the nearest coffee shop for a fresh brewed cup without the hassle just to get my caffeine.

Just because a gadget or appliance looks high-tech or fancy, doesn't mean it's going to make your life any easier. Perhaps we need a gadget that will fix all the wonderful gadgets when they don't work properly or make life even more difficult.

I suppose you want to know if today's experience was as a result of operator error. As my daughter so lovingly questioned..."You had it plugged in, right??"

Yes, it was plugged in! Yes, there was water in the reservoir; and yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus...now if I could just get Santa to bring me a magical gadget for all my needs at any given time that would be Claus for thanks! LOL!

Despite today's frustrations, there are so many gadgets I am thankful for and appreciate on a daily basis...my smart phone, directional navigation devices, and my iPad just to name a few.

30 Day Photo Challenge - Day 29:DAILY ROUTINE

Like a beacon in the wee hours of the morning light, my cell phone illuminates and beckons to me.

As I was pondering my daily routine, I unfortunately was faced with the harsh reality that looking at my smartphone consumes a large part of my day...and I'm now feeling like that's not so smart after all.

The first hour of my day is spent looking at my phone.  As I lay in bed stretching and waking up to greet the day, I look at the weather, emails, and catch up on Facebook posts.  I have two local newspaper apps and one app from my hometown paper that I view to see if any headlines or obituaries catch my eye. Additionally, I check four different TV news station websites for other possible stories of interest.

There are two different word games I play with friends that I get alerts for when it is my turn to play.

The YouVersion app is my daily devotional.  The Plans and Verse of the Day get me in the Word and hopefully help me get in the right frame of mind before my feet hit the floor.

I'm sorry to say Candy Crush is back on my phone.  I had deleted it several months ago and appreciated all the extra time I had during the day, but I'm once again playing the highly addictive game.

Being extra mindful of my routine today, I discovered that even when I get out of bed, there is not much time throughout the day that I don't keep checking and looking at my phone...consequently it doesn't stay charged long.

This challenge may not have been much for a photo op, but it has made me reflect on how much time I actually spend with my phone, and perhaps has challenged me to put the phone down and look for other activities.