Lisha Cassibo has been writing for the Uxbridge Cosmos for two years, both as a freelancer and as a columnist. She has also written for several parenting magazines both here in Canada and for English publications in Switzerland. She graduated from Carleton University with an honours degree in Journalism and English Literature. She lives with her family in Sunderland.
Ignoranace is... not possible!
I am a self-professed techno-twit. I don't know the difference between a mega-byte and a giga-byte, and, to be even more honest, I don't care. As long as my various machines do what I want when I want, I'm happy. So when my husband presented me with a brand new iPod Touch a couple of months ago, I tried to be as excited as he was about owning one. I thanked him, of course, but was more excited about the neat case I could put it in.
By the end of the first day, I had barely figured out how to turn it on and off. By the end of the second day I had managed to change my screen saver from the factory set one to the factory-included photo. My husband had already downloaded a lifetime of songs, hooked himself up to WiFi (whatever that is) and was happily receiving emails and checking his Facebook page. I eventually taught myself (with help from my children) how to "sync" my iPod and get songs on it, and I only ended up deleting everything and starting fresh three times.
It irks me no end that the silly thing didn't come with proper instructions. When one spends that much money on something the size of a granola bar, one really ought to receive full and proper guidelines on how to use it. But no, no, you have to go to a store and buy a big book called "iPods for Dummies" (written just for me) for another ridiculous sum. Or, of course, go online. (I couldn't get the silly tutorial online to work, but whatever.) My old Sony Walkman was much easier and much more accessible. I'm sure I'm not using my iPod to its full capacity in any way, shape or form. Hubby gets terribly frustrated with my technological idiocy, but he can't stop playing the games that he's downloaded onto HIS iPod long enough to help me out. Daddy's iPod is a much sought after item amongst the girls. Mummy's is boring.
I disagree. I have learned how to use the "Notes" feature on my iPod Touch, and religiously maintain a "Delicious Wines I've Discovered" catalogue on it. That's important. It only took me a morning to figure out iTunes, and I have a great array of songs I love on my iPod now. Every song is a "great tune" - I don't have to listen to or skip over ones I don't want to hear. I've even learned how to import individual songs off of CDs and put them on specific playlists. My iPod is now an integral part of any pre-show warm-up I do in the theatre, and I love how I put those earphones - sorry, earBUDS - in and the world is shut right out.
The BEST thing, though, is that I have discovered podcasts. And I discovered them all on my own, as neither my husband nor the girls would EVER be caught doing something educational with their Touches or Nanos. Yessir, I found a whole little world out there that is mine for the taking. I've been downloading book reviews, radio broadcasts, lectures - I can hardly keep up with myself! I'm beginning to think my favourite part of my day is when it's done, and I can climb into bed with my knitting and merrily sit there listening to “The History Chicks” as they fill me in on history's greatest females, fictional and real. I'm currently listening to a 10-episode series from the BBC on certain historical artifacts that are related to Mozart. I hear snippets of “Q” on CBC One when I'm in the car, but never get to hear the whole broadcast, and now - I just download what I want and have Jian Ghomeshi's voice right inside my head. But the highlight so far has been Learn Out Loud's series on Philosophy. I had no idea that the random, sometimes radically odd, thoughts that occasionally drift through my brain are the very same questions and issues that have plagued the great minds of history. I didn't take philosophy at any point during my formal education, so I was delighted to learn that I am just as clever as Aristotle was! Plato and I - totally on the same wavelength. Adam Smith and The Wealth of Nations did serve as an ideal cure for insomnia one night, but I understood it. Baruch Spinoza's Ethics didn't engross me quite so much; I was completely lost on that one. I'm looking forward to continuing one lecture series entitled "Discovering the Philosopher in You." I didn't even know I had one!
The sweet news, though, is that all these babies are free. Free free free. I love free. Click here - oh, it says "free", ok! All that information, all that knowledge, all that entertainment - FREE! I can't even list all the stuff that's available on podcasts - it's just too vast. Comedy, reviews, newspapers, classes, lectures from all over the globe. It's intense. Want to know the Latest in Paleo - it's there! Want to learn a language? It's there. CNN Africa, if you feel the need - it's there. I know, I sound like an advert for it, and the rest of the world probably knows that this is old news. Some kid is going to make fun of me in Zehrs next week for being the old lady who just found podcasts on her iPod, but I don't really care. This world is exciting! It's like being in class again but I don't have to take tests! Much more interesting than anything on television (except for Glee). So I will happily, defiantly, defend my status of techno-twit extraordinaire, and continue to find delight in the fact that I know how to do this all by myself.
Tonight - Entitled Opinions and a discussion on the Virgin Mary. Next up - Japanese Bedtime Stories. Why? Because I can!
