Andy Williams?

[Eamonn]

I must be a creature of habit.

I get up at the same time, have my own little AM ritual, leave the house at the same time and listen to the radio on my way to work.

The car radio is set for an oldies station.

The day before Thanksgiving it stopped playing oldies and went to Christmas music.

One drive to work was enough! 18 minutes of Christmas music nearly sent me over the edge.

I was having a little moan about this darn Christmas music to a co-worker an inmate was near by and joined in the conversation. I mentioned that when I was younger I thought that Andy Williams was kinda cool and had the best Christmas TV specials.

The inmate an African American guy in his early 30's had no idea who Andy Williams was/is.

Yesterday the same inmate was talking to the same co-worker from before. I was passing by when they stopped me to ask me what my favorite Play-Station game was?

I had to admit that I'd never played on a Play-Station, but had bought a couple for my son. Both guys found it hard to comprehend that anyone had never played on a Play-Station.

Someone who earns a lot more money than I do in our central office came up with the bright idea that our emergency response teams no longer needed pagers and we would go over to sending and receiving text messages.

I just don't "Get" Texting.

If you have a message for me just call and if I'm not able to answer your call leave a message and I'll call you back or follow what directions you leave. Having to stop the car and play with my cell phone sending text messages? Just seems daffy when I could just talk with or listen too the message.

I was in OJ's car last night with him driving. His phone went off 14 times in less than 20 minutes. Most times he just glanced at the phone and did nothing.

I'm having a hard time coming to terms with the fact that for a great many of our Scouts and their parents, the Internet has always been there, they were born with it and just accept it, same goes for lot of the "Toys".

I'm not silly enough to not be able to accept that this is what it is.

I just wonder if old guys like me are able to understand the thinking and mindset of these younger people?

While it is a surprise, HWMBO has bought me an I-pad for Christmas.

Maybe the hope is that this will help nudge me into being more 21st century friendly?

Maybe it will just be a waste of $700?

Ea.

[BS-87]

Forget Andy Williams, this column makes you sound like Andy Rooney

[skeptic]

So, just for fun, what Christmas or holiday songs or singers make it seem like the season to you? KLOS this morning ran a top ten list of songs by particular artists which was somewhat surprising, though number one was not. It was of course, Bing Crosby and "White Christmas"; and Nat King Cole's "Chestnuts Roasting" (cannot remember the actual title) was there as well. Andy Williams was not, which came as a bit of surprise to them, and frankly, to me.

 

I grew up with the Bing Crosby Christmas music, as well as Nat, Gene Autry (Rudolph), and traditional carols. But also enjoyed some later versions of old titles by Johnny Mathis, Pat Boone, Dean Martin, and of course Karen Carpenter (what a gorgeous voice), Amy Grant, Beach Boys, and Brenda Lee. Boy am I old.

 

Then there are the not to be forgotten classical pieces of tradition, always done with big choirs and lush orchestration. At the other end are the Spike Lee pieces, Chipmunks, and barking dogs, among others. Even sort of enjoy a couple of the really recent odd ball pieces, though cannot name them.

 

 

[Eamonn]

"Forget Andy Williams, this column makes you sound like Andy Rooney"

Wow!

That would be my dream job.

A 3 minute work week!! -I'll take it in a heart beat.

 

I enjoy a good carol service, where I can belt out a few carols, but Christmas songs 24/7 for an entire month?

Too much jolly is hard to manage.

Ea.

[Tampa Turtle]

Andy Rooney,

 

There is an opening. Of course he wrote his own material; I am sure it took more than 3 minutes.

[scoutingagain]

Somewhere, sometime there was probably an Eamon that said the same thing about the telephone. If they have something to say, why don't they just write me a letter.

 

Way back when someone probably said something about the written word, why do they write it down? If they have something to say I'm right here they can tell me.

[CalicoPenn]

I'm glad you said Andy Williams and not Perry Como. Andy's specials were great. But I would put him at #2. John Denver and the Muppets are my #1.

 

This week at work, we're installing a nifty new gadget to our computers that allows us to dial our phones by just clicking on the phone number in our contact list or an e-mail. No more having to press the buttons on the phone. Too much work, I suppose.

 

It got me thinking that just as those perennial lists of things that new high school graduates don't know or do that we did when we were younger oftern include "use a rotary dial phone", in 20 years, the list might say "use a touch tone phone". I expressed my opinion that within 2 years we won't even have phones on our desk - we'll be making phone calls right through our computers (our phone system is already a voice over internet service) and speak into a microphone that's on our monitors. I had only one person disagree with me - and that was on timing - he said 3 years.

 

 

[moosetracker]

Sounds like I'm in about the same generation as you Eamonn.. I can relate to everything you said.. And I'm a programmer..

 

But :

 

Never got the textmessage thing.. So much easier to call!! Although I do like my email, but not on a phone.. A phone is a phone.. No internet, text messageing etc.. It is just too small! Don't like Instant Messenger either, in the same bucket as textmessaging. If I have your attention I want to talk to you, it is easier.. If I want to send you something you can look at when it is convenient for you, then Email.

 

I may start Facebook soon for necessity of job hunting.. But I think I prefer the forums like these.. I just have had no interest in Facebook..

 

Games that you play with some unknown someone over the internet?? No interest..

 

I did get the xbox 360 with Kinnect, but I play the movement games, could care less for the ones that you just need a control stick for.. PlayStation?? Heard of it, never played it, and I thought it was a fad that came & went..

 

I am getting a Nook Tablet for xmas. I want the Nook basically for reading but can see watching a show on a car trip. I think things like the Nook or Kindle are the right size for reading.. The laptop is too large to snuggle up with, the phone way too small.. I also may use the internet for looking things up (as it's larger then the phone), but I don't think I will try to type into something like this forum on it as it's too small, and the touch keypad looks like a royal pain.

 

Just getting set in our ways I guess.

[skeptic]

Calico;

 

Was no Perry Como either; and I would agree that is a mistake too. But, it was a list most likely made by people 2 or 3 decades younger than us. Bing being on top though, is right I think.

 

Yah, I finally got my first cell June, 2010 when I was preparing to go to the Jambo. Have no text keyboard, so rarely text. Go days without using it, and sometimes simply forget I have it. But, it is good for emergencies, especially on the road. Been good for an occasional scout to parent contact too, which likely shortened wait times coming back. Also was good to have at camp this past summer, due to a couple of issues we had. Still discourage them for scouts. Do not want to see or hear them, unless absolutely needed.

[Eagledad]

You're ahead of me, I don't know what HWMBO is or means. I don't do facebook because that just too much information going out in public. I have to get a new phone only because technology has out run my 5 year old IPhone I. I hate that because my battery last two weeks, they me I can only get two days with new phones. I do text however, six text on last month's statement.

 

It's not like I'm computer illiterate, I manage one of the highest technical research labs in the country, but I can only handle so much information at one time. I am also a creature of habit, I still enjoy reading the newspaper, its comfortable.

 

I do enjoy the IPad, I know you will too Eamonn

 

Barry

[Eamonn]

"I don't know what HWMBO is or means"

Barry, Barry, Barry.

You and I joined the Forum about the same time.

We've exchanged emails and you don't know the HWMBO is Her Who Must Be Obeyed?

My Lady wife of almost 30 years.

 

CalicoPenn

I was a big John Denver fan, seen him live in London.

John Denver and Placido Domingo singing Perhaps Love never fails to move me.

When I first found out that HWMBO had cancer I played it over and over. So much so that I found myself singing it to the dogs when we went on our big long walk. (This week the poor dogs are stuck with Streets of London by Ralph Matell.)

Never was much of a Perry Como fan.

But the Peter, Paul and Mary specials were always good.

Seen them shortly before she passed. Drove to Cleveland, she came on stage wearing a mobile oxygen tank.

The poor dogs get subjected to a lot of Peter, Paul and Mary songs.

Ea.

[noname]

At the Jamboree in 73? Moraine state park the big nites entertainment was Danny Thomas! Last jamboree was the Ford salesman Mike Rowe(as I was told). Paradox of progress. Christmas oldies are the best...

[pchadbo]

Calico,

I work in a call center for a very large insurance company, while I have an actual "phone" on my desk, all of the call funtions (answer, transfer, disconnect, etc) are on the computer which is linked with the phones so when you put in your ID number in those ever popular automated menus I get your info on my screen when I answer your call.

[Tampa Turtle]

Andy Williams --ARGGHH--you make me feel old just remembering who he is. I remember watching those specials with my Grandparents. Was Nixon president? Boy he milked "Moon River" amazingly long. Was quite the crooner. My grandpa would make me listen to his 1930's-1950's collection of 78's. Sinatra, Crosby, etc. All the old folks would come over and sing along to Mitch Miller and Spike Jones records. My job was to change the record.

 

I will admit I love show tunes.

 

I wish the Clash had put out a Christmas album.

[HICO_Eagle]

Eamonn, there's hope for all of us.

 

Christmas season always started for me with my father's reel-to-reel tapes first thing in the morning every morning and the first song up was Andy Williams singing "Happy Holidays" so it never felt like Christmas until I heard him singing. Maybe that's why Christmas seemed so lackluster this year -- no music in the house!

 

I liked John Denver and the Muppets but that was just one Christmas special, Andy did new ones every year.

 

I like the Nook Tablet and the Nook Simple Touch. Having them is SO much better than carrying the 2 or 3 paperbacks I'd take on a weekend campout as a boy or the half-dozen or so I'd take to summer camp. I like having my merit badge worksheets, recipes and training materials at my fingertips in something I can throw down in my cargo pockets and being able to read in the tent at night without a booklight.

 

Yes, the boys now have never known a time without Internet but they DO know times when they're unconnected because we limit that stuff on activities. In fact, I'd say the adults are worse than the boys about this -- especially at summer camp. Thankfully, dinosaurs like us are around to see that their training includes being effective and enjoying life even without batteries.