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Ordinary everyday things I no longer know how to do

(234 Posts)
Vintagejazz Sun 10-Apr-22 09:27:27

I just realised today that even if I was minded to look for a job I wouldn't have a clue how to go about it.
When I was job hunting jobs were advertised in the paper and you sent in your CV or requested an application form, filled it in and posted it back. Then you waited for a letter saying you had or hadn't been called for an interview.

That all seems to have changed.

What other ordinary things would posters not know how to go about in this digital age.

I'm not even 60 yet shock

Kim19 Sun 10-Apr-22 13:49:33

Thanks everyone. Best laugh I've had in ages. No, please don't be mad at me. I empathise completely. I used to be quite the office techie whiz kid and now I'm completely flummoxed by a smart tv. Huh! Trouble is the technological scene has speeded up just exactly when I started to slow down. Double whammy! I didn't think I was alone but this thread has given me a huge fun boost. You're all terrific.

Barmeyoldbat Sun 10-Apr-22 13:58:11

I also teach technology to older people at our local library

saltnshake Sun 10-Apr-22 14:10:48

I didn't know how to work my daughter's new television. My 4 year old granddaughter taught me. She and her big brother, all of 6, make little films on a phone. I haven't a clue. But could they work a CD player, sewing machine or other technology from previous years?

MissAdventure Sun 10-Apr-22 14:21:23

Oh yes.
My daughters TV would pop up and inform me it was going to switch off as I hadnt done anything to it for a while.
I hadnt done anything to it because I was watching a programme!

JackyB Sun 10-Apr-22 14:52:31

I can't sing an E flat. ? We have been practising for Easter in our choir and my voice goes all wobbly around E- D, at the transition point. It's very annoying as I sing alto and most of the repertoire hovers around those 3 notes. I hope it's not old age but just lack of practice during the pandemic and that once we have been singing regularly for a while I will get those notes back.

Granniesunite Sun 10-Apr-22 14:55:36

So so funny. Cheered me up today. ?

Floradora9 Sun 10-Apr-22 14:56:32

My DS looked round our house one day and said that he never thought the day would come when we had more technology than he did .

nadateturbe Sun 10-Apr-22 15:11:15

Handwriting is a matter of practice.
I recently started writing letters again as my eyes can't cope with laptop screen for long enough atm. (post concussion). My handwriting is much neater. My friend in England, who is quite ill, loves getting the letters.

shysal Sun 10-Apr-22 15:12:00

I have never learnt how to do video calling, mainly because I can't bear to see myself on screen!

In my old age I seem to have lost my ability to spell correctly. I used to sure of myself but now have doubts and have to check the dictionary or on line quite often.

nadateturbe Sun 10-Apr-22 15:15:15

I'm very proud to say I can use my mobile phone for parking.
My OH is very impressed. The only problem is I sometimes forget to pay and I get a message at home telling me my parking is coming to an end. ?

Audi10 Sun 10-Apr-22 15:15:35

Well I don’t know how to get the blooming voice off our sky Q, I didn’t put her on, every blooming programme she spoils talking over the storyline! “ she turns her head slowly tilts head and gives a coy smile” etc etc! Enough to make a parson swear!

nadateturbe Sun 10-Apr-22 15:21:15

I think * Barmeybat* is right. A lot of the time we just think we can't do it.

Welshwife Sun 10-Apr-22 15:28:42

So good to see we are not alone! DGD tv is very difficult to find any ‘normal’ programmes and you can’t just change from BBC to ITV without going back a few steps! We have a smart TV at home but don’t really use the ‘smart’ bit!
We needed to get a new sat nav - don’t have an integrated one - I still haven’t discovered how to do some things which were easy on the previous one.
The one thing new I do like is when I go for my cancer check up at the hospital I can just show a small machine a bar code on my appointment letter and it recognises me and spits out a piece of paper to tell me where to go next.
I print off our travel documents such as the ferry booking and Covid passes - it is much easier when checking in and everything is ready to hand over.

kittylester Sun 10-Apr-22 15:44:17

I consider myself fairly it literate but, apparently, we have to turn the tv and sky off in a certain order or sky talks to itself all night.

Welshwife Sun 10-Apr-22 16:05:26

We have to turn the Humax box on which then turns on the TV - but to turn off it must be the TV which then turns off the Humax box!

Deedaa Sun 10-Apr-22 16:13:19

I was quite pleased with myself when I booked my train ticket to Cornwall on line. When I got to the station I had to play the old lady card and get someone to show me what to do with my peace of paper though. They did seem quite used to having to do it!

hollysteers Sun 10-Apr-22 16:32:56

I can’t sing my much loved operatic arias any more like Tosca and Butterfly ; high notes have deserted me. But there are still lots of lovely songs I can sing as long as they don’t have sustained notes. My voice now is like dealing with a wilful toddler, it gets out of control and does it’s own thing.
I have an array of ‘controls’, DVD, firestick (which I mistakenly kept calling firefly) etc. and it takes TWO of them even turn the blinking telly on…
I’m dreading the 12th when I change from Sky to TalkTalk and fix it up myself.
Oh I now have to lift up my left leg by my foot to put it in my trousers.

GillT57 Sun 10-Apr-22 16:34:34

I am really enjoying this thread! My problem is with technology for its own sake; yes I get that you can do it, but why? Keyless ignition is an example, just what does it achieve? Apart from an increase in car thefts. I desperately need a new laptop, but can't remember any passwords. On a more basic note, I can't get down to clean skirting boards, well, actually I can, but I can't get up again.

GillT57 Sun 10-Apr-22 16:37:06

I have developed a split personality too. I get very ruffled and indignant if there is even a whiff of condescension or patronising attitude aimed my way, but I have been known to pull the baffled by technology, please help me young man trick.

volver Sun 10-Apr-22 16:57:46

Keyless ignition story...

I was at a hotel with some people from work on a work event, one of them was dropped off by his wife, who then drove off in the car, which had a keyless ignition, as he waved her goodbye. She stopped on the way home to go shopping, 20 miles away. Got back to the car and discovered that the key was in her husband's pocket, back in the hotel, and she couldn't get the car started again. Had to get a taxi to the hotel and interrupt our meeting. grin

kittylester Sun 10-Apr-22 17:01:53

One of our cars is keyless. One day, I was driving but the keys were in dh's pocket. I dropped him, turned the engine off and he walked off whereupon the car started!!

greenlady102 Sun 10-Apr-22 17:04:33

nothing...and If I wanted to know how to do something I would go online and find out

Hellogirl1 Sun 10-Apr-22 17:09:07

My daughter has solved the watching catch up problem for me. She`s joined in her name, but it will work for me as well.

62Granny Sun 10-Apr-22 17:31:57

My daughter was telling me recently that QR codes were more or less been put out to grass pre covid, as not enough companies had embraced the technology but they have made a come back with a bang since.
I recently had to scan something and attach it to a document, something I used to do easily in my working days but I found nearly impossible to get right at home, I think because my laptop only has older software rather than the more updated version we used to have in work. It seemed so effortless in the office ?.
I often wonder what would happen if there was a cyber attack. I was in a local supermarket recently and some payment cards were not being accepted due to systems being down luckily I had another bank card which was ok but I did notice the supervisor with an old fashioned card payment machine, the type you put a paper sheet into and pull the handle across,to imprint the card details , I always called them a visa machine?

Kim19 Sun 10-Apr-22 17:59:35

Just doing some reverse thinking....... I had this iPad I'm using right now in the mail without a clue how to use it. I'm now pretty conversant without a single look at any instructions. Don't know how that happened. Maybe I just pressed every button to see what it did. Not rocket science, maybe, but I'm not feeling quite so stupid now. Every little helps!