FaceTime Friends

Me in front of my computer where you'll usually find me when I'm home at Casa Tipton-Kelly

Well folks, things have finally settled down (somewhat) here at Casa Tipton-Kelly after the Computer/Internet Connection Disruption of the past few days.  I have the new modem-router hooked up but it's not perfect.  At least I have WIFI, even though it keeps defaulting to my previous, now defunct WIFI, thus screwing up my Bose Wave radio Internet settings.

But folks, life has returned to somewhat normal. The Comcast Service Guy is schedule to pay me a visit this Tuesday.  Hopefully we'll resolve the remaining connection issues and life can get back to normal here at Casa Tipton-Kelly so we can enjoy our usual quiet Christmas sans Christmas tree.

This morning I had three FaceTime calls.  One (as usual) to my Friend to the North (Toronto, Canada) Mr. Pat.  Always a joy talking to Pat and his little bear friends.

Pat and "Jimmy"

I didn't talk to my very first FaceTime Buddy Larry today but I am including him on this list because he was The First One.  Larry and I used to have much more FaceTime before I met Pat.  Both good friends and both enjoyable to talk to but just not enough time in the day (I'm ashamed to admit).  

Larry on FaceTime at his home (taking a quick nap)

A few weeks ago I was in Philly (as regular followers of this blog know). The day I left Philly Larry took me to his hometown of Claymont Delaware for their annual "Blessing of the Christmas Twig" Christmas parade.  I took loads of photos and videos which I have yet (be patient) to share with all of you.  Below is a selfie I took of myself and Lar at said parade.  Most enjoyable was the parade and Lar, I WILL post those videos . . . . I promise.

Larry and I, friends since 1951 and of course you see who is the Star. 

We actually were in the parade.  The last time I was in a parade was when I was playing the Sousaphone in my high school marching band.  Most enjoyable!  I LOVE being in a parade, as long as I'm not paraded naked.

This morning my Blogger Friend Dr. Spo called.  Always a delight to hear from wise, witty and wonderful Dr. Spo.  Unfortunately he and Someone won't be joining us (Pat and I) during our vacation in Los Angels in a few weeks (so soon?).  Much to both of our regret.  Maybe next year.

Dr. Spo breaking the bad news to me this morning.  Isn't he a handsome chap?

This is Harper, the Main Pet in the Spo Household. Spo is the Other Pet. The last time we were on FaceTime Harper wanted to see me. She wasn't impressed.

I called my longtime friend Don McK. in Philly to see how he was doing with his new iMac.  He's coming along.  A few bumps in the road to acquiring massive knowledge of how to operate an Apple device but he's coming along just fine.  Don's a smart guy.  Methodical, deliberative and smart unlike me; manic, go to fast a easy to frustrate. I'm glad Don is one of my new regular FaceTime friends in addition to being a real life friend in person.

Lately I've been wondering what my life would have been like now if I had all this digital treasure at my disposal when I was a young man. Can you imagine?  I would have literally millions of photos and videos and TONS of friends.  As it is, I am quite happy these days as I enter the Final Phase.  I am content knowing that I won't be forgotten because I will leave this digital trail behind, manic as it may be.

Moi in a rare reflective moment. 

Digital Communication

Communication by FaceTime

These days it's fashionable in some quarters to denigrate the new digital way of communication with friends.  The hairs on the back of my neck always bristle when I hear someone suggest "We should put away all the smart phones and go back to the way we USED to communicate with friends."  

I get it, that criticism assumes that using smart phones to check our various forms of communications in this Digital Age (e-mail,social media, et al) is replacing the old fashion face to face communication.  WRONG.  Not so.  

I will never apologize for using my iPhone in public. Whether I'm checking my e-mail (so I can keep up on my communications with my friends, neighbors, co-workers and others) or I'm checking the latest stock market activity or the latest news bulletin.  Leave me alone.  If you want to ditch your hand held electronic device that keeps you up with the world then go for it . . . . for yourself.  As for me, I'm taking advantage of this new Digital Age and the communication revolution.  Just as I get in my car to drive to the local supermarket instead of my horse and buggy, I'm taking advantage of the evolution of our civilization. Excuse me while I live in the modern age.

I have a couple of dear friends that I talk to on FaceTime almost every day. One lives in the north of this state but we only see each other in person usually only once a year.  That's when he comes down for his birthday in June and we get an old time photo taken. My other good friend, as regular followers of this blog know, lives in Toronto Canada.  We of course do not see each other in person but maybe twice a year (if we're lucky).  All the other times we communicate and share our friendship on FaceTime.  What would our friendship be like if we didn't have FaceTime? If I bowed to the retro shaming of those he eschew using modern hand held electronic devices to communicate with friends? Telephone calls, that's what.  And I probably wouldn't do telephone calls anyway because I hate talking on the telephone.  Always have, always will.  So impersonal.

The famous "Lar" of Claymont, Delaware
a HUGE Joe Biden fan

For me, the new "personal" is my electronic communication.  So if you see me walking down the street with my face glued to my iPhone or see me in a restaurant checking my e-mail on my iPhone (more likely you'll see me in a medical waiting room checking my e-mail on my iPhone but I digress), you'll have to excuse me for not joining into the Greek Chorus demonizing our new form of communication. 

Greek Chorus chanting "Oh don't use your iPhone!  Whatever happened to face to face communication?"
Answer: Miles - when you live miles apart from friends you talk FaceTime - just like being there

FaceTime

Talking to my friend "Lar" on FaceTime

One of the many pleasures of switching over to an Apple computer, after years of frustration and expense with Windows based computers is the use of FaceTime.  Oh sure, I know about Skype.  Skype sucks.  I used it and I found it difficult to navigate, cloudy images and all too frequently invaded by big breasted Russian escorts soliciting me for their services.  WTF?  I'm on Skype and all of a sudden I see cleavage from some woman who I don't know?  

An image not welcomed on my computer (not that there is anything wrong with boobs)

A few years ago I finally gave into the entreaties of my friend Larry and another friend and switched to Apple products after my new Dell computer crashed, the third Dell computer I had to crash.  Enough was enough.  Even though my Apple computer cost more up front, I haven't been putting out ANY money for bringing in my Computer Guy to figure out the latest freeze on my Windows based computer.  

Shortly after I set up my iMac a friend suggested that I try FaceTime.  I was reluctant because I didn't want to be bombarded with Russian cleavage again. My friend assured me this wouldn't happen with an Apple computer.  

Reluctantly I downloaded FaceTime.  Guess what?  It was easy (as are all Apple products and functions) and NO UNWANTED BOOBS.  As a matter of fact, my life is enriched by FaceTime.  Now I can stay in touch with good friends like Lar, Dr. Spo, the Cajun and Pat.  I love it!  

Pat making a point on FaceTime

Who says the Digital Age contributes to being out of touch with our friends?  I say functions like FaceTime increase our communications and staying in touch with friends.  

Ron's Sick!

Me at Brandywine Hospital April 14, 2002 after a kidney stone attack (with my Mom)

Hey folks!  I'm feeling a bit under the weather.  I feel my annual cold coming on.  I think I caught it yesterday from my FaceTime friend Larry.  He was sneezing and wheezing and coughing the whole time I was talking to him yesterday on FaceTime.  I just KNEW I would catch his cold!

My Friend Lar spreading his germs to me yesterday during out FaceTime session

Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to have some chicken soup for lunch and take my afternoon nap.  

I'll be back when I'm feeling up to my usual ornery self.  Hang in there.

Jolly Good

Guess Who?

Just as I was finishing my lunch of a roasted red pepper hummus wrap I hear the harp ringtone on my iPhone.  I go over to the granite countertop where my I always put my iPhone at rest when I am in the house and I see the handsome visage of Dr. Spo on my iPhone!  Yes folks, it was Dr. Spo of Phoenix Arizona, known far and wide for his beloved blog "Spo Reflections" making his virgin FaceTime call on his iPhone (or his 'iPrecious" as he calls his loved iPhone).  Now talk about a Pick-Me-Up!  Be still my heart (and nether regions).  

The famous Dr. Spo of Arizona (wow) 

First thing I thought was "How's my hair?"  "How do I look?"  Yes folks, I am one of the many Spo Fans. Yes, yes....I know.  I am in a long term relationship as is Dr. Spo.  He is TAKEN but hey, I can fantasize can't I?  Dr. SPO WAS CALLING ME!  


I touch my forefinger on the "Accept FaceTime" display only iPhone and viola!  There he was.  Perhaps the most handsome and adorable face to grace the FaceTime feature on my iPhone yet.  Sorry Don and Larry, I love you guys but Dr. Spo is SO GOOD-LOOKING AND SEXY! 

Looking at this comparison picture I feel real old and ugly

I congratulated Dr. Spo on making the connection.  Shortly into the conversation I told him how to take a picture with FaceTime and I took his picture which is what you see on this post.  Dr. Spo immediately said "How's my hair?"  HA!  He said the same thing I thought when I answered his call earlier.  He told me this was a family joke.  He said one of his aunts, after every time she got her picture taken (or was it before)? would ask "How's my hair."  Well Spo, you hair was just fine as were you (you handsome devil you). In fact, if I was twenty years younger, single and lived in Phoenix I would give Dr. Spo a go.  I would give Someone some competition.  Yeah, I said it.   

Dr. Spo shows me how my shirt will look finished - looks good on him doesn't it?

Dr. Spo then showed me the progress he had made on the shirt that be was making for me.  He posed with the pieces of the colorful material that I had sent to him a few months ago from eQuilter.  I have also posted those pictures.


Them I showed Dr. Spo some of the features of the iPhone like how you can reverse the camera and I took him on a tour of my back deck and to the front of my house and showed him my tulips.  Yes, 'my tulips."  I bet no one has ever used that come on line before..."Why don't you come home with me and see my TULIPS?"  


Well folks, all I can say is that I started out in a 'fowl' (to use my friend Lar's spelling of 'foul') mood this morning.  However that mood quickly evaporated when my Blogger Buddy Spo called me using FaceTime on his iPhone.  


"Jolly Good!"  

Dr. Spo in all his adorableness

FaceTime

Brother John on FaceTime this afternoon

Check out these two old dudes will you!  This is me (the tired looking dude with the beard in the smaller picture lower left) and my 'little brother" John who lives in Greenville, South Carolina.  We were talking today on Apple's great new....what do you call it?....'feature' FaceTime.  I love it!  John loves it!  His wife Barbara loves it!  Oh, the reason we look so tired is that I just got up from my afternoon nap (I'm 69 years old) and John needed his afternoon nap (he is 67 years old.)  


John has lived in Greenville for about 35 years now.  The only time I could see and talk to him face to face was when he would come up and visit us (and our Mom) in Pennsylvania about once every five years.  All the other times we talked was on the phone which was always frustrating because he has a bad connection in his home.  The past several years we have been talking on our cell phones but you know how that goes...scratchy and hit or miss.  Now that I have been introduced to FaceTime by a friend, I can talk to my brother just like he was right here.  Again, Apple has vastly improved my life.  


I also have an iPhone (which has FaceTime) and the iPad2 with also has FaceTime.  So as I waltz into my Golden Years, my life is made immensely easier and more comfortable by Steve Jobs and his wonderful Apple company.  


I thank my friend Don V. for giving me the final push to go 'all the way' with Apple.  Thanks Don!

My longtime friend Larry of Claymont, DE on FaceTime yesterday.

Now if I can just talk some of my other brother Isaac and my other longtime friends  to go 'all the way' and get an iMac, iPad or iPhone.  You hear that Bill B., Bill P. and Don McK.?  Let's go guys!  Be cool!  Don't be afraid of the new technology.  You can do it!

FaceTime

Last year my new Dell computer crashed.  I purchased this new Dell computer because my old Gateway computer was ten years old and would eventually crash.  I wanted to get ahead of the game for once in computer crash horror stories.  To paraphrase Ben Franklin, there are three certainties in life:

• Death
• Taxes
• Computer crashes

My first computer to crash was a Dell.  I paid $4,000 in 1994 for that sucker that had a grand total of 30 MB memory.  I lost all my photos and genealogy program which I had to rebuild.  

In bought a new Dell computer in 2001 with all the bells and whistles for which I paid $2,500.  Right out of the box that computer didn't work.  I couldn't turn it off.  Every time I turned it off, it came right back on.  I called my premium line (still had to wait a long time) for tech help.  The girl I got on the line, after much fussing around, told me I had "too much on my desktop" and had to reformat then computer hard drive!  What the hey?  I had a brand new computer and I had put nothing on the hard drive.  It was all their ads!  

I called again to get another tech person.  They couldn't help me either.  In the meantime, while I was going through the hell of tech help (which is an oxymoron with Dell by the way), I purchased a cheap ($1,100) Gateway computer.  I liked that computer so much (and it worked right out of the box) that I gave away my super, duper Dell to my friend Bob McC. who didn't' have a computer.  All he had to do was pay $100 to have the hard drive reformatted and reinstall the software that came with it.  

Fast forward to last year and I decide to buy a new computer.  My friend Lar had a computer crash around the same time I was looking for a new computer.  He told me he "had it" with the instability of Windows based computers and was going back to a Mac computer which he used to have.  He advised me to also get a Mac.  I checked and decided that I didn't want to pay that much ($1.600) for a 21 inch iMac so I got a Dell Dimension for $1,100.  Yes, I was foolish enough to go back to Dell.  I figured they straightened out their problems by now.  What I didn't take into account was the instability of the Windows Vista operating system.  Mr. Softeee was out to get me again!  

So I buy the Dell over the phone.  By the time the salesman was done with me my bill was $1,600.  Another thing I didn't account for was that Dell has a lot of "extras" that run the bill up.  Mac doesn't. I found out later that Mac's price includes everything.  They don't blindside you with a lot of extras that really should come with the computer.  So I got suckered in again.  I blame myself.

One year later my Dell crashes while my Computer Guy was trying to load my old Palm Pilot software into my new Vista operating system computer.  CRASH!  

That was it. I had enough with Dell.  I had a warranty on the hard drive.  I called and they sent a technician out to replace my hard drive.  My Dell now sits in the basement, unused. I don't trust it or its Windows based operating system anymore.  After you've been screwed several times, you stop bending over and grabbing your ankles.  I had it with Dell, Windows, Vista and Mr. Softee and their endless, annoying upgrades and anti-virus and maleware software that does nothing but slow the computer down to a crawl.  I had it!

Last September I took myself up to Best Buy in Dover and purchased a 27 inch iMac.  My friend Lar said his only regret with his iMac was that he didn't get the big screen.  I took his advice and didn't make that mistake.

Now my only problem with a Mac computer was the new learning curve.  I have to admit, it hasn't been too bad.  I've picked up a lot because Mac computers are much more intuitive that Windows based computer.  Has anyone ever tried an Address Merge function on Vista?  Need I say more?

So, since the time I went the Mac Way, I have learned just enough to send e-mails, store my photos and post my blogs.  I knew there was a lot more to learn.  

A couple of weeks ago my friend Bob C. advised me of his friend Don V. who was willing to teach this old head some new tricks on his iMac.  Don V. has been a happy Mac user for over 20 years.  

Monday he stopped over and he spent an intense four hours in the morning some really cool functions.  One I really like is FaceTime.  This is a function that makes phone calls to another iMac or iPhone user and you can talk face to face by video.  I had the Skype function on my old Gateway but this was much better.  REALLY COOL!

Don called me this morning to see how I was progressing.  He gave me some more tips.  We called our mutual friend Bob C., who is now in Florida, to see if he got the adaption for his Mac laptop computer so the three of us could hook up.  Unfortunately Bob C. spent four frustrating hours in the Tampa Verizon office yesterday with his new 4G setup that didn't work.  The woman in the office told him he had to have Windows on his computer because the 4G wasn't compatible with his Mac laptop.  What the hey?  But that's another blog posting, frustration with Verizon.  I have my own horror stories that would take up several blog postings.  

As you can see from the photos I've posted that Ron is having a grand old time with his New Toy.

Now for the next Toy, an iPhone.  I place my order February 3rd.  

I'll bet I'm the only member of my high school class that is "wired up" this way to the new technology.  I graduated from Downingtown High School in 1959.  I'm putting a call out there now to my former classmates: 

ANY ONE OUT THERE?