Pop culture? I'm totally out of it and have been for 30 years.

I didn't own a microwave until 7 years ago. I'd ask people what they liked about them, and they'd say they were good for heating leftovers. Big deal! But now that I have one, I love it for cooking fresh veggies, softening butter, scalding milk for yogurt making, cooking oatmeal, a quick cup of tea. But my 82-year-old mother still won't use hers; it's been sitting out on the back porch for 15 years.

I'm not really a troglodyte: I love computers & electronic gadgets and read current events. I always have an mp3 player & flash drive on hand.

laxsupermom, cell phone cameras are great! We had a wonderful bottle of wine at a restaurant the other night. I knew I'd never remember the name, so we took a picture of the label. You can take a picture of where you've parked the car too (for those of us who space out on things like that, LOL!). The recording feature on a cell phone or mp3 player is handy for things that pop into your mind, like, "Get more tomato soup at the store." Gadgets are wonderful.

The Office

It was always on during the week when something else we watched was on. I never watched an episode. Occasionally flipping through the channels IâÂÂd see bits and pieces and I thought it looks so dumb. DH felt the same. I couldnâÂÂt figure out what all these people I knew were raving about.

My BFFâÂÂs parents have a crazy huge movie room and have over 6,000+ (& growing) dvds. (IâÂÂm not exaggerating. They actually have a scanner and scan them in before anyone borrows to keep tract. ItâÂÂs cool.) One night while browsing I grabbed season 1. Totally hooked and it's my favorite show.

WeâÂÂre now on season 4. If any of you watch it please donâÂÂt give anything away. WeâÂÂre not watching the current season because we want to catch up.

So far IâÂÂm still refusing to watch the Twilight movies but I should probably give it a whirl.

I have a basic cell. I donâÂÂt want one I can launch a rocket from. I also got rid of fb, refuse to twitter or use the actual phrase âÂÂbeing greenâÂÂ.

AWM, great ideas about using the cell phone's camera and recording feature . . . thanks!
The best use I've heard of yet was by my younger brother several years ago. He was at a downtown restaurant, which is about 50 miles from his home, with friends from work when he spotted our BIL snuggling (etc.) with some woman that wasn't our sister. BIL was supposed to be out of town on business . . . the jerk! My brother snapped several incriminating pics of them with his cell phone camera. They were undeniable evidence when (#*%^*!)BIL tried to deny it to Sis and to the woman's husband later. They also came in very handy during the subsequent divorce proceedings ;^D

Shee, my DS and his wife, and now her parents, are The Office nuts! I've tried and tried watching it but I just cannot get into it. I think it's one of those Seinfeld kind of shows where you have to watch several eppys to get the hang of it.

I haven't read or seen Harry Potter. I guess that's another movie I need to record from the very beginning.

This was funny. I've had the same cell phone which I only use to call someone if it's important when I'm driving, or when our regular phone goes out. Yes, we have the standard phones, no cordless here! lol.

Anyway, I got my cell phone in 2004. It's a Cingular, which is now owned by AT&T. That's how "old" it is, but it works out in the country which is great.

The doctor's office asked me what my cell number was and I have it taped to the back of the phone because I have NO idea what it is! They looked at my poor phone (which works great) and said, "boy is that an old phone!"

Good grief, I can't even read one of those tiny cell phones without getting my glasses out! lol

I used to be a Nintendo fanatic, even the Champion of the family...until they got the fancy controllers. Pfffft! I haven't played since, and I sure miss Zelda. :)

Cable TV. We had it in the Fla. panhandle where I grew up, because antennae didn't get you much. Once I left for college, though, I was always too cheap to get cable. What I could get via rabbit ears on three (later four) networks and PBS seemed to work fine for me. It wasn't until DH came along that we called out the cable man. I was 36. DH is a techie and I couldn't tell you all the gadgets we have around here now. My life was so much simpler way back then!

Oh, and I still haven't seen any of the Star Wars movies.

Same here with technology.

Hardly use my very old cell. No ipod, ipad or any other device.

No text, no facebook or twitter.

Old computer, old regular TV and phones.

Like a very few TV shows.

Speaking of Nintendo, I remember when my kids were growing up we had the super nintendo console with Super Mario. I loved playing the games with the kids. I actually just got a Wii, and 3 new SuperMario games for myself. I just love Mario and Luigi.

I reached the technology saturation point long time ago. Very rarely use my cell and it's hardly ever turned on. Have no desire to stay connected all the time. As far as remembering something (the bottle of wine, pick up tomato soup) I keep a small notebook in my purse.

Have an iPod and iPod shuffle. Have had both for years ... they were freebies. Never been used. But I do have an extensive CD collection organized in a 400 disc changer. Wonder how long before that will be obsolete?

Like some of you said - I will probably have to say new technology. I like the simple things in life - not something that is going to make my head pound trying to figure out how to use it. I want my cell to send and receive calls when necessary, really love the fact that I can easily save phone numbers, etc. Don't facebook, twitter, or text - but know how to text:) don't want an Ipod.

Need to get use to a laptop - but dont want to. Eventually will invest in a good one upon retirement for travel, etc. (with regular keyboard and monitor for the house). Sometimes I would love to curl up in the recliner with the computer, but then again, I like to go to the "home" office and have peace and quiet and not fill guilty about hanging out here.

Books, movie and TV trends - nope - don't get caught up in the Housewives....., etc. I can't believe I am admitting this, but I did read the Twilight series last winter when I had flu/pneumonia and was about to crawl out of my skin from steroids because DD talked me into it. They were OK.

Haven't watched many current movies (I'm talking the last 3-4 years) but I love good old feel-good movies - some not so old. Shame on you Lynn - you HAVE TO WATCH THE TITANIC! I could watch it over and over!

Fashion - I don't like trendy, new fashion! But my DD (28) says I USUALLY dress tastefully. I'm a classic Talbot, Ann Taylor, Liz dress wear; an Eddie Bauer, LL Bean, etc casual. I have khakis that are 8 years old or black dress pants and they don't look dated. Or a good cotton sweater.

I never make it to the party on trendy, home decor items anymore! Never had a star, never had anything teal and brown, or pink and brown, don't have any scrolly iron stuff on my walls (but won't rule that out if I like it), don't have any mercury glass, haven't painted anything black (yet). By the time I make up my mind if it like it, it's out of style. Guess that's good.

Tuesday

I guess I'm fairly "with it" technology-wise....BUT...I was "I-pod-less" until my B-day in Sept.!
* DD (mainly) & DW figured I'd need it for my (then) upcoming Hernia-surgery recuperation.
* Now...I'm loading CD's into I-tunes and "synching" periodically now!

Cell-phones.
Wellllll...I don't have one, but DD & DW do. They ARE handy and sometimes lifesavers. Especially up here with our "winters-from-he!!" occasionally!
* What just floors me is groups of teens/20-somethings standing in groups....just texting and/or dinkin'-around with their phones! Not talking to each other....just playin' with the phones!
* I CAN however send pix & text from a non-internet enabled phone!! Not exactly the fastest texter tho....!
* We briefly had a couple internet Blackberries last yr. They were damn cool, but then realized that the EXTRA $30/mo. PER PHONE was more than I wanted to spend on that. The phones can't be used without it...SO...back the phones went!
* SEVEN HUNDRED TWENTY dollars per year for 2 Internet phones...dear Lord...that's a LOT of $$$$.

Faron

Not much in my case, ; I find that I have more time now to be up to date on a lot of things, now that I'm mid fifties and the kids are grownup.

I'm late to the party as far as Lost is concerned; I watched the season finale last spring and I might get Season 1 this winter and work my way up.

Oak - Yeah I think itâÂÂs one of those shows you need to start from the beginning. I donâÂÂt know that IâÂÂd feel the same if I just watched a random episode.

I do like watching the series on dvd since an episode only takes about 20ish min. ThereâÂÂs also no waiting forever to see what happens after the season finale when you have the next one lined up!

Oh yeah, we have basic cable too.

Mitch, personal opinion ... I could have done without the final season. After watching five in a matter of months, it was a big disappointment.

OMG, I forgot about "Lost", "Survivor" and "Dancing With The Stars" . . . I haven't watched any of those either, and could care less. I guess that I'm not much of a tv person these days.
Tuesday: then you'll fall over when you hear that I'm probably the only female in the Western Hemisphere who has never watched all of "Gone With The Wind". I've tried twice, but got bored and fell asleep both times.
Lynn

Lynn, same here. Never made it through GWTW. I sat through Titanic once ... that was enough. My brother has the tape ... he still watches it. I tried watching Survivor this year for the first time, but quickly lost interest. Do enjoy DWTS. Never "got" the LOST mania until I watched the pilot online at the end of season 5. I was hooked!

Mostly I'm out of touch with newer TV shows. Have never watched DWTS, American Idol, Survivor, Jon/Kate + ?, or Lost, and only one episode of Mad Men. I do watch way too much HGTV and DIY, especially when housebound while sick/injured. Dh & I tend to wait to rent/buy the dvd instead of going to movie theaters, and then end up watching only two or three new movies a year so we miss the chatter when they're first released. I guess for the most part, we're not late we just miss out altogether.

I've never in my life subscribed to cable TV. If I had it, it's because someone I lived with wanted it. Likewise, i've never owned a dvd recorder, TiVo, DVR, or Apple TV. If I want to record something, I have a VHS VCR. I remember the guy at the electronics store trying to sell me a Tivo. It cost $350, plus a $25/month subscription fee. I told him my VCR has a $0 subscription fee, I already own one, and I already know how to use it. If I want to watch or record something nowadays, there's always Hulu and other online sources - or my friends' houses. I did finally get a DVD player a few years back.

I got in early on many TV shows themselves though. Saw Seinfeld and Friends in their first seasons. Actually saw Seinfeld doing his stand-up routine on the old Tonight Show before he got his own series, even - I knew he'd be big someday. I even stayed up late to watch SNL in its first season (then called "NBC Saturday Night" - the "Live" came later, since there was a like-named show on ABC at the time).

I've never owned a home. Shame on me.

If there's a new dance craze, I didn't learn it. If there's an old dance craze, I never learned it either....

I'm sticking with my "dumbphone" for now. It makes calls, texts, and takes decent pictures. I may suppliment it with an iPod Touch soon, which does most of what an iPhone does (if you're in a wi-fi hotspot) without the $75/month data plan fee. Haven't figured out internet calling yet. At least I gave up my landline 9 years ago.

Since I studied computers in college, I got into that stuff early. I used the internet for the first time in high school. 1981! You dialed the phone, then physically put the handset into the modem so it could communicate its beeps to the phone so you could get online. In 1983 I sent my first IM (very popular amongst students with computer access), as well as my first electronic mail (if you called it "e-mail" nobody would know what you were talking about). I actually took a college-affiliated job so I could get a Facebook account in the early days, when they required a .edu email address to register. But I rarely use it now. I prefer "social networking" the old-fashioned way - going to town and mingling with live, three-dimensional people. A whole generation is growing up that thinks being "social" is sitting in your room alone staring at a computer screen.

Twitter? I got an account early, but quickly got bored with it. I really don't need to know my friend is in line at the 7-11 buying a Big Gulp.

I'm terrible with movies - I can't make myself sit still for long enough to watch one. I have yet to see "Titanic" the whole way through.

I'll not be at the party when it comes to tv shows and movies. Right now there is not even one tv show that interests me.

I think I'm pretty up-to-date with technology too - afterall, I work part-time on a college campus! LOL I do understand the feeling of not needed to be connected at all times, but in our case we have a few older relatives (parents and one grandparent) and really need that connection.

I'm pretty up-to-date fashion wise also, but I'm another who never made it to the trendy home decor party!

tina

Tina, I never had trouble staying connected with my mom and all she/we used was a simple land line.

awm, those are great tips for the cell-phone camera. Maybe when my contract is up. My previous cell had a camera on it and DS1 took a picture up DS2's nose and saved that as my wallpaper. I had no idea how to change it so lived with it for far too long before my friend fixed it for me. That phone died in a coffee related accident. When I got my new basic no frills phone, I reupped my contract, so I have 10 months to go before thinking about a new phone.

Faron, my dh and I are always shaking our heads about kids and their constant use of cell phones. Heck, even adults! The last time I used my cell was last December after a blizzard when I pulled over while driving and called someone saying I couldn't make it.

WTH is so important that people need to live on their cells when they're away from home? When I paid my kid's cell bills, given to them when they went to college, it got expensive if they went over the limit. We even took one of my son's cell phones away. lol.

This old biddy finally jumped into the land of FaceBook, and I have to say, I just love it for so many reasons. I love hearing what my friends and family are doing for the day, and all the pictures they put up. If I can learn to use it, anyone can.

I did open a Twitter account last year but never learned how to use it. lol!!

Ten bucks I'm the only one here who has only land-line phones in the house? We have one in every room!

We have a land-line phone in the garage - kept it because it will work if the power goes out. A phone in every room?

Natal - I'm sure there are different situations for different families. If I were home/work all the time I'd never use a cell phone, but I'm not. I originally got one for emergencies. But in our recent situation with my mom, she needed to feel she could get hold of me or my sister at any time. Plus my sister travels with her job and my brother lives a couple of hours away and the cell phones were invaluable when we needed to discuss the situation. I recently had to place my grandmother in assisted living. I'm her POA and emergency contact. So, if I'm out and about and there is an emergency, I feel better knowing they can get me pretty quick. Of course, there are times/places when I feel it's not appropriate to have my phone on. And most who know me, know I will not talk and drive.

tina

When I was in the same situation as tina with ailing parents, I had a cell phone, I wanted to make sure if either one of them needed me they could get me. Now that they have passed on, I gave up the cell phone and have a landline. It was just two expensive to keep, I was always going over the minutes.

We have land lines in our kitchen, MBR and study, with extensions in pretty much every room in the house. We even have one in the master bathroom . . . but it's NOT in the toilet closet, just on the counter of my dressing table (LOL!).

laxsupermom, sometimes I use a cell phone camera when shopping, like when looking at furniture -- I took a picture so at home I could better visualize how the piece would look in the room. I take pictures of fabric samples too sometimes. I'm a little surprised how often I use the camera feature.

I got the idea to use cell phone cameras & voice recorders from an ADHD magazine. My #3 son has ADD. No hyperactivity, but much disorganization & forgetfulness. He would lose a notepad or pen in a heartbeat, but he's good about his cellphone (and if he does misplace it, we can call the number so he can find it when it rings).

Landlines here too!

I'm fine on IT stuff. I am late to the party on "Etsy" type merchandise. When I opened my store I did not want anything crafty. At all. I made an exception for my 79 year old mom's kitchen towels with the crocheted tops. I made the exception because, well, she's my mom! They are one of my best sellers. Who would have thunk? Customers from 20 years to ? love them. My daughter informs me her friends in college make their own cheese. I believe having basic nontechnical skills is a good thing, but cheese?

Uhh, how do you have internet unless you have a landline?
I have landline phone service - the home phone- and dh and I each have a cell phone plastered to our hip.

Glad to see other land liners out there! Talking on a cordless is so uncomfortable, especially if I'm having a long and juicy chat with a friend. lol.

Lynne, we have two jacks in the LR with one phone, but I have another I may put on the desk. One in the kitchen, and the other's in the bedrooms. I hate walking from one room to another to answer the phone.

The best part about land lines is we can decorate the rooms with the phones if we want.

I went back to my teenage years and got a pink princess phone for our bedroom. On my side of the bed or course! :)

Oh yeah, I love the phones with the larger numbers to punch and a caller i.d. I can actually read without my glasses!

I do wish we had a jack in the bathroom though, for when I'm alone in case I fall and can't get up, which has happened before!

Oakley, corded or cordless ... they both use a land line.

Bumblebeez, we have internet service through our cable provider.

Another "late-to-the party" gal here. I am still using a cell phone with no data package. Have no idea of how to take a picture and only learned to text when DD went off to college.

I do have a FB page. SIL set it up for me when she and BIL were here for DD's graduation from HS. It sat for months and I have only recently reaped the benefits of same.

I never watched real time episodes of many television shows, like The Office, Two & Half Men, DWTS, etc.

I buy classic clothing and never follow trends. I buy/wear what I like, and that is flattering on me.

I guess I'm just really not concerned with what time I get to the party. lol

Also, have a landline in the house!

Good thread Oakley.

I'm pretty up-to-date on pop culture (thanks to the internet) but I've never watched Survivor, Lost, or any of those serial shows. We don't have HBO or Showtime, so we can't see the series they show. The only one I ever watched was SATC...I'd rented the videos for that.

Never seen Avatar, any Star Wars, Twighlight or Harry Potter movies (read the HP books tho).

I am a cell phone techie...have an iPhone, which I consider the greatest invention of our time. I use it for work more than I use my old work cell phone (which barely takes pictures!). DH has a plain cell phone. We gave up our landline when our kids all went cellular. We're all on the same service provider, so we can call/text each other with no charge. I have a lot of the latest computer technology at work, so I'm up on that, but no where close to that at home.

Other technology we're pretty behind on...we've still got a big screen that does not hang on the wall. We don't have Tivo, a blueRay, any video game systems, NetFlix, or iPods. I had one, but never used it. Also we do have a GPS our son gave us, but never installed it in the car. I use the one on my phone instead. I still listen to the FM radio...not even satellite tv or cds.

For decorating...no granite, stainless or travertine. Probably never will, since it just doesn't float my boat. Give me terra cotta, old, dark oak floors and stucco!

Fashion, jeans & t's, that's me. I tend to be ahead of trend with jewelry, however.

Oh, ok natal. We have Direct tv so I wondered.
One thing I do want eventually is the watch instantly from Netflix hooked up to our main tv.

Lynne, I also hated the movie GWTW, but loved the book. I remember reading it when I was in 8th grade, couldn't put the book down, hid it behind my social studies book in class. The teacher would walk to my desk and close the book, and keep on teaching.

Tuesday

Reality TV, things that play movies (tapes,DVD, etc.) and home entertainment systems with a zillion speakers. I'd rather have a tractor.

I guess my computer monitor is way behind the times too. Tonight Max's girlfriend asked me if it was 'Old school'. Yes, it is an Apple flat screen but I bought it in 2000. It is one of the first on the market. Why buy a new one when this one works perfectly?

I have a very good understanding of technology. I'd better since I manage a lot of technology projects! I'm just not wild about some of it for my personal use.

It was kinda fun explaining to the cable company that I wanted broadband service for my computer, but that I really, really didn't want cable TV because I didn't have a TV and didn't want one! I didn't have a TV from 1984 until I moved in with DH 4 years ago. He loves TV; I don't.

I have zero interest in Twitter and Facebook. Serious security/data privacy geeks want nothing to do with Facebook.

Perhaps, it not so much that I'm late to the party as that I'm a contrarian.

I realize that Natal. I'm talking about the corded phones in the house.

However I do need to buy a new cordless so I can take it outside.

I'm just curious but why would you want a phone outside?

tina

Fashion- especially accessorizing. Now not that behind dont get that idea that I dress like a pilgrim :)

Party? There's a party?

Used to be an early adopter on most things, including tech and fashion (lived in NYC as a single person), but have turned into a luddite
slug wrt anything but a few areas.

pesky, you're behind the times with a big-screen that doesn't hang on the wall? LOL we still have our 1993 27" Toshiba CRT tv as our only one! We periodically shop for a larger new tv but we just can't seem to get rid of this one since it still works. Would be a shame to waste it. We figure when it dies, we'll get whatever is best (within our price range) then, as we did back in 1993. Don't think the new item will last as long, though :( -- that's what ticks us off about buying new technology these days.

Funny thing: I got a DroidX the day it came out (replacing years of free craigslist phones). I was looking at it one day recently at the gas station, trying to navigate my little corner of it, and the gas station attendant came up excitedly -- he'd just gotten a DroidX the day before and had it *completely* customized -- he'd downloaded wallpaper, put tons of music on it, had each home page completely arranged and connected the way he wanted it...his excitement at encountering a fellow Droid owner turned to disgust when he saw that I use *one* home page and only the very basics there...

Sometimes I take my cordless out to the garden when I am expecting an important phone call. Having a telephone with outside capabilities frees me up to do what I want to do and still take phone calls.

Flyleft you Droid poser! :)

Tina, I very often bring my phone outside with me. If I'm out at the pool for example, or out gardening.

Goldie and Gail - I stand corrected. Never thought of it that way. I would never think to have a phone outside.

tina

Our cordless is on the patio as much as inside, weather permitting.

Tuesday

I take one of the handsets outside all the time..and have ruined a few by leaving them in the rain.

Land-line user here too!
Can't imagine being without it..."cells" are OK, but sometimes sound too "swishy" for my taste. Bad signals are a PITA too.

(jeeezz!! I can type pretty fast with my I-pod headphones in! Jackyl's "Down on me" is blasting into my ears as I type! Next on my random-play is Tina Turner "Better be good to me")

Faron

LOL coop -- I'm an early adopter and a poser at the same time...