WOMEN AGES 50+ FOR AUGUST 2017

I just hate what cell phones have done to people in general. You are with a person, having a conversation with them then your phone rings or vibrates, beeps, etc. all of a sudden your person you are having a meaningful conversation with is gone. They are dismissed. A parent having to leave the supper table, a family out to eat and everyone is on their phone in some way. Chirldren are left on ire own when Mom and Dad are on the phone. I have seen what looks like single Dads with their kids for the weekend and they are ignoring the kids. You hear business dealings on the phone when you are out to eat, in the line at a store, etc. I know some calls are important. I carry mine in the choir with me in cas Charlie needs me. But it would be his number only that I would pick up. Well maybe my own kids since they know where and Why Mom is there. They have totally destroyed the intimacy of friends, a couple, a family life. And why text everyone when it is so nice to hear their voice? I could go on and on. Now my sister's husband has this rule of no phone calls after 9 PM. Her and I have figured out we can text each other instead of calling. So that is one instance when it does come in handy. If I were a nurse and had to monitor my staff and their cell phones, they would be turned into the head nurse so many times. I remind many years ago when kids had those electronic animals that had to be fed, played with, put to bed, sometimes cleaned up. If you waited to many hours, the animal lost its 'life'. Well when kids were in school, Moms had t do these duties. Oh, they were in so much trouble when we caught them. They are not paid up to $20 and hour to feed their kids electronic animal.

Allie, we are all rooting for you tomorrow. Some one said that we are your armor of women. Keep that thought in mind. On another forum I am on, if we are going through something, our forum buddies go along with us in our pockets. All you had to do was touch your pocket and feel our strength for you. Good luck. You have prepared for it, you have a good lawyer and she has prepared for it. Just stick to your guns and you will co,e through it on the other side smiling and taking a deep breath. Lots of love and strength going your way via this forum. Women from all over the world are with you. Who can beat that!!!!!

Joyce, Indiana school starts tomorrow so watch out for kids at the bus stop.mthat stop arm is there for a reason.

A slightly different perspective on the phone thing ...

I'm sure there might be people who look at my husband and me in restaurants, as we sit there on our phones, and wonder why we're doing that and not talking to each other. But they don't know what we've done in the hours leading up to sitting in the restaurant.

Quite often we've driven there from some distance away, and have been talking for some time in the car ... or cycled there, and we chat now and then as we cycle ... or we've been walking or hiking somewhere, and we talk when we do that. Prior to going to a restaurant, we've usually spent the day together, talking and experiencing life together.

Then, at the restaurant, we're taking a little break and catching up with our friends and family online ... for a while. Once the meal is served we're usually back to talking to each other. And even when we're on our phones while we're waiting for the meal to be served or during coffee after, we're sharing what we read and see with each other.

So from the outside it may look like we're a couple that wants nothing to do with each other because we're sitting on our phones ... but nothing could be further from the truth. All onlookers are seeing is just a brief moment in our day ... not the whole day.


That said, I do find it a bit irritating if friends or family have invited us out for a meal or over to their place ... and they spend time on the phone. If we have guests, the phones disappear.

NSV: I wore my size 18 capris yesterday! I have been living in yoga pants for about a year, because my size 18's got too tight and uncomfortable. Losing just 6 pounds in two weeks has put me back in them! I will try my jeans later this week or next (they always fit a bit more snug than the capris).
DD lost four pounds our first week and then a 1/2 pound this past week. She admitted she didn't plan her meals this past week and didn't make the best choices. She was a bit depressed about the fact that I lost more than her (and I think a little angry; she is very competitive). I simply told her, that I know that when she puts her mind to doing this and sticking to making good choices that the weight is going to fall off rather quickly. She has always been headstrong and driven and I think that can work for her.
NSV #2! I figured out why my MFP app wasn't working on my phone! For some reason, I would try to log in and it would never let me. So...I got rid of the app a couple weeks ago. Last night, I was looking through PlayStore and saw MFP for android. So, I installed that free app and BINGO! I now have mfp on my phone! That is going to make travel much easier.
See?! An old dog CAN learn a new trick!
Chris- You had your cake and ate it too! And you logged it! And you added extra exercise! Dust yourself off and call it good!
HeatherLove your pictures so far! I also think it is wonderful that your cruise offers lectures on the places you are visiting! I love those kind of tours; I think it makes a trip so much more memorable if you can tie events and people to places and cities/buildings! Enjoy, enjoy, enjoy!
Josephine- I know what you mean about people on phones. I had a hard time when I was traveling to Texas to visit my DD. Sitting in airports, train stations all day and everyone was looking at their phones. The one time I made eye contact with another person my age, who wasn't on her phone, she ended up being a Jehovah's Witness and spent some time trying to show me videos and tell me about the big JC. I appreciate what she is/was trying to do. A woman of conviction. But, I was just looking to talk to another human being about travel, airports, destinations, etc.
Cell phones and technology- My kids were already hs and college age when smart phones came out. I think because they didn't grow up with them, they weren't and aren't as attached as the younger group tends to be. They use them a lot; but they are able to put them aside and do things with out them. As most of you know, the effects of advancing technology on children's brains is something I am very interested in. I have mentioned before that new studies are coming out in regards to the connections that children's brains are making due to technology and the connections that aren't being made. They are finding that kids who spend a lot of time in front of screens, on tablets, on smart phones are in a constant state of stimulation. They are missing any sort of "delayed gratification" because everything is instantaneous online. The constant stimulation is addictive and when they don't have it, they sort of shut down or go through withdrawals because they don't know what to do with them selves. There is also a disconnect in personal interaction due to time spent on technology. I am a firm believer in no screen time before age two (includes tv) and limited screen time from then on. Kids pick up stuff very quickly. If tech use is delayed until school age, no harm will come to your child and he will not be "behind" the other kids. Oh well, that is my vent/passion. LOL! Sorry kind of intense for me.
Kids arriving soon. gotta get busy. Making slime today! Woo-hoo! KJ (Kelly)