Pop-Ups and Banana Bread

Technology seems to have offered us equal doses of satisfaction and frustration. A bit of a love-hate relationship- as we have been thrust into this whole new world quite abruptly and often without choice. There are the hold-outs, folks living off the grid, folks preferring person to person phone calls, handwritten notes, envelopes and stamps and banking in person, hailing cabs, 35 mm film and cable TV complete with commercials.

There are days that I know I cannot bear one more computer popup. I may be trying earnestly to access an article, a recipe, a new autumn fleece-and one popup after another prevents entry. I wonder how much are we to tolerate before x-ing out and retiring the search.

If I were king of the forest-trying to sell my goods-I would definitely try to make the path as simple and clear as possible- one-click shopping. And yet there is a clutter of pop-ups coming at us from every angle-like a mini-assault on our consciousness.

Then the passwords and verification codes sent to some unknown device which you’re still trying to locate. I have found that the technological life that is perhaps meant to simplify our lives-in other ways has created a whole new immensity of stress and frustration.

I don’t want to start a Sunday or any day with more frustration-I suppose we are at a time when they (whoever they are) are trying to figure out just how much technological frustration we can tolerate before shutting down our devices and heading to the great outdoors-the novel on our nightstand, the mini-mall or the inside of our eyelids.

In this new age of computer consumers, we must be the guinea pigs for advertisers, scammers, sellers, promoters, organizers, influencers, marketers, developers, agents, criminals-and you know…. all the rest.

Having gone through college without ever setting eyes on a computer-this of course has been a relatively new trend for us ‘baby boomers’ and perhaps some ‘Gen-Xers’ as well-who make up about 40% of our country’s population. And meanwhile there may be toddlers with more computer prowess than some of us will ever possess.

I have sometimes wondered: If all our possessions had to be consolidated into one item - if a tornado or tidal wave were approaching - what would we grab?

The photo albums? Videos? Important documents?

I have come to believe that it might very well be our phone or computer. For all intents and purposes, so much of our lives is stored there. And, in addition, we would be able to call for rescue - or at least an Uber.

Of course, we might have to leave behind our jewels, gold bars and family heirlooms.

One day, I wonder if life as we know it will become obsolete. I think we are already witnessing that frightening trend. First there were wooden toys, then plastic toys, then toys that talked, walked and jingled -and now there are devices that do the thinking for you.

Gosh, and this all started with popups.

Perhaps it is a sure and true warning sign to head down to the Wharf Shop for wooden trains, Breyer horses, cozy stuffed animals and jigsaw puzzles- or the 5 and 10 for some yarn and a crochet hook, a kite and some kite string.

Plan a weekly trip to the library and hold tightly to the latest picture book, remembering the feel, the smell and the enchantment of that shiny cover in your hands. Then go to Mashashimuet Park for swings, climbers, teeter-totters and ball games.

Get out the rolling pin and bake some sugar cookies. Use those leftover bananas for banana bread.

We could begin our own “back to the future” revolution.

We could remember the touch, feel and magic of life itself - gardening and birdsong, fireflies and falling leaves, sandcastles, tree forts and snowmen.

I have often thought that, in order to move forward, we must first be willing to take a step backward.

Leave room in the yard for a swing set, a sandbox and a tetherball.

Perhaps the next time one pop-up too many appears on my screen, I will take it as a sign - not to keep clicking, but to close the computer for a while and return to the tangible world I love: birdsong, books, banana bread and falling leaves.