My Very Eighth Newsletter
Hi. Here this week to say that we are moving way too quickly with all of our technology. I’m no luddite. Yes, I like my phone and I think the DVR is a gift to mankind. But come on.
Why do we need to communicate with our refrigerator when we leave the house? Ordering Alexa to dial a phone number or tell me the temperature only makes me feel helpless. Worse, I was bullied into purchasing a Roomba, the supposedly intelligent vacuum. My Roomba manages to get stuck in a mousetrap every week, which makes it dumber than a mouse. That customer service has been assigned to a robot is woefully insulting to the Karen who types this. I’m not even going to delve into the fact that the robot on the other end of the phone has a 3.2 percent success rate in addressing my problem. The point of customer service is for a business to connect with the customer and make them feel heard. That robot has never heard me, not even when I hurl my phone across the room in frustration.
I like people. Correct that: I like some people. But I think we would all like each other a little more if we had more contact with each other. Friendships build from quirk and connection, and technology is chipping away that. I’m not advocating an Amish lifestyle –maybe just one from twenty years ago: when I knew all of my friends’ phone numbers by heart and possessed skills like looking at a thermometer and cleaning my home.
Distractions
Snacks
Kirkland Extra Fancy Mixed Nuts for the win. An exquisitely salted mixture of macadamia, cashews, pecans and Almonds in a huge bag. Makes sure you buy Extra Fancy if you want to impress.
TV
I’m not a reality TV person, but I’m a new fangirl of Gordon Ramsey, after watching my son’s friend Arnav compete on Next Level Chef. I went down the Gordon rabbit hole and discovered the most exquisite episode of Kitchen Nightmares. And, there’s a sequel.
Movie
I tried and failed to read the super popular A Man Called Ove. I really tried. But it was so damn boring. So, of course, I could never bring myself to watch the movie, A Man Called Otto with Tom Hanks. But then my husband recommended it to me after seeing it on a plane. So here I am recommending it to you. I dare you not to shed at least one tear.
Reading:
The Bee Sting grapples with moral questions while being a completely engrossing escapist read. I love nuanced characters, and this book delivers.
Something I learned:
There’s a video on YouTube of a guy who saw Lincoln get shot
Calendar
Our next Ruthless show is March 25th. Check OUR website for more details.
Also, this week’s advice column was super fun to write.
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