Modern Life

Modern technology is designed to make life easier.

Use email to save you time on posting. Call a person to save you time writing a letter. Use the dishwasher to save you time on washing up (God, I pray for a dishwasher).

So with all these "time savers" why do i feel like this?

AAAAAARRRRRRGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The holiday season is upon us now and colleagues are going away for a spell of summer sun sadly lacking in the UK. Since Friday I have been taking responsibility for my own workload plus the Director's. Friday evening I was on the phone at 10pm to a client and back on the damn thing at 9am Saturday.

I had to work late yesterday to get everything done, plus I was the recipient of a client's sharp tongued diatribe for a piece work I was only covering for.

I spend my work life emailing, faxing, texting and calling in an effort to meet an "immediate" client need that 15 years ago would have taken anyone in my industry a week to fulfill with no negative client effects.

But now humanity rushes around like busy bees, buzzing from one meeting to the next, trying to achieve deadlines of "yesterday" without the time to smell the flowers and breathe.

I need time to smell the flowers this week. I was lying in bed last night planning emails, work call and meetings that needed to be set up. I also thought about some documents I need to email today and alternations to our terms that needed to reviewed before the end of day. Not to mention where to locate a block paver for TC.

These are not restful thoughts. Modern technology is my biggest bugbear. Everyone feels they need a flat screen TV, ipad, internet enabled phone, or a hoover with a ball attached. Technology has become a consumable purchase and a status symbol needed to be regularly updated to keep up with society.

I am no hermit trying to live without the modern world. I do own an iphone, a digital camera and an mp3 player, and I love them all. But, they are all old models that I was bought (some of which were bought second hand) for me by family members. They all work perfectly well and make my life easier. But they are obviously old styles and those around me keep advising me to update the technology.

I will not replace these items unless items break and cannot be repaired and even then I know currently I could not afford replacements. Whilst I too am a fan of technology, I can and do predominantly live without it suffering no complaints.

So if someone gave me some money, what would I spend it on? Well the list is short 1) a haircut as it has not been cut since early January 2) resoling my boots 3) save the rest towards a new garage door.

Technology does not make my life easier. I make my life easier, and this evening in an effort to relax, I have decided to bake again as after a day spent looking at a computer screen. Doing something with my hands allows me to calm down and turn my attention away from the office.

But it could be interesting.... as yesterday evening in an effort to cut my gas bill I switched off the hot water timer and am going to try until the end of the month only heating water for a bath as and when I need it and boiling a kettle for daily washing. I have an electric shower so I can still access hot water as and when I need it.

I forgot to mention the last quarterly combined gas and electricity bill arrived a week ago - £249.00. B*ll*cks!

This could be a very interesting 16 days.

Frugally yours
Abigail
x