Talk To Me!

Do you ever have any of those 'shoulda-coulda-asked-triggers?' It is when you say to yourself, 'Sure wish I had asked them that question?' I can best explain that of which I speak by laying out a couple of scenarios. A few weeks ago, I was watching a television documentary about the Great Plains Dust Bowl of the 1930's. As the story unfolds it gives rise to factors, which caused the 'dust bowl' and I didn't realize that some farming techniques that stripped the land of grasses contributed so greatly to the devastation from the event. I was alarmed at the human suffering.

I thought immediately, I sure could have leaned much about this American history tragedy by asking  my grandparents; they lived it. I suppose during my grandchild-grandparent window-of-time interaction,  I was interested in other things. When they were alive I could have asked more questions and now that they are gone, I can only get secondhand information. 

Often times during the baseball season, I will hear some story about a baseball player of yesteryear and remember my Dad mentioning 'that' player's name. The 'shoulda-coulda-asked trigger goes off again; my Dad saw the old timer play...sure wish I had asked Dad a question or two about the guy. Whoops, missed that chance! Hey, I'm not to blame. My parents could have been after me more about teeth care and interviewing grandparents about things. I need to clear this up with Dr. Phil.

I get upset with my own grandkids and I have for sometime. When we are together they seemingly cannot put away those damn iPhone and computer devices; it truly pisses me off and I tell them but to absolutely no avail! I use to say some sarcastic comment to the kids and you can bet their mommy comes galloping to the kid's defense. So, I stop saying anything. Most of the time when the grandkids come to the house, I watch television and they are busy with the  IPhone; of course, we do our separate things in the same room for a spell.

Well, lo' and behold, one of my daughters recently sent me an email and called me ahead to tell me, "Dad, I think you'll enjoy the email I sent." The email showed several pictures people groups (all ages) each person ignoring every other person in the group but intensely concentrating on their own hand held iPhone computer. I recall when all this crap began; 1980, when that little turd, PAC Man showed up eating those freaking 'dots.' The final picture on the email is that of Albert Einstein with his quote: "I fear that some day when technology will surpass our human interaction. The world will have a generation of idiots."

Look about and check out your world. I sent a reply email to my daughter; "Can you possibly imagine the conversations you won't have with your grandkids?" Come to think of it, I have some of my own children who would prefer messing with the Internet, etc. than visiting with me.