It may surprise you to know that – despite happily adopting most forms of technology as soon as viably possible (well, except for Snapchat cos ain’t nobody got time to work that shit out) – I only used GPS / Siri iPhone maps thingy for the first time a few weeks ago.
I was in Brisbane for the weekend and took the opportunity to catch up with a couple of my very dear old friends. They’ve both got kids, so it’s easier to do it at one of their places and one of these friends lives on a large property with features galore.
The only problem is, it’s kinda on the outskirts of town. And I get lost every time I go there. In reality it should be a 30min drive but I usually arrive after an hour or so, having pulled over to check a map (hard copy or on my phone) and practically in tears.
However, I FINALLY got my 20yr old niece to show me how to use my iPhone maps / GPS function (via Siri’s voice I assume) to direct me there. (It’s here I should confess I’ve never ‘spoken’ to Siri / the iPhone voice activation thingy, cos I don’t really get the point!)
Naturally – cos I’m a control freak – I checked the route as well, but set off for our lunchtime gathering with the directions ready on my phone . All I needed to do was press start.
And it worked! A woman – presumably Siri’s – voice kept telling me when I’d have to turn and how far I had to go and so forth.
It was a weird experience. Surrendering control. Something I really didn’t consider until my trip home.
My phone you see, decided the shortest route would be different to that we took to travel there. It took me through outer suburbs with which I was not familiar and was far more complex than the freeway and tolls I used to get to my friend’s.
By the time I realised this it was too late to change the route so I had no choice but to follow the dulcet tones of my phone and manoeuvre my way through town. I was – I confess – slightly on-edge the entire time… nervous about where I was, and where I was going. I realised that I essentially had no control over my journey (unless of course I turned the bloody phone off).
After some deep breathing at lights in the middle of nowhere I decided I had no option but to follow the voice. So I did. I surrendered control. To a freakin’ phone.
But, it was constantly proved right. The streets it predicted, appeared. I turned left and right as instructed and before I knew it, I was in familiar territory… not far from my brother’s place.
I’ve been struggling with some work stuff lately and worrying a lot about things that are – mostly – out of my control. Or rather, stressing myself in an attempt to micro manage things that are the responsibility of others, lest the task at hand fail and it reflect badly on me. I think I figure if I can do everything I possibly can – if it still fails – I won’t struggle with the ‘what ifs’ and the guilt.
But, surely there comes a time when we have to step back and let others do their bit. Am I right? Is surrendering control often a good thing?
PS. I attempted to call this post ‘Surrendering control’ but obviously I’ve written about my control-freak tendencies so much on the blog I’d already used that title!
I’m linking up with the Lovin’ Life gang again this week.
June 22, 2017
I only use it if overseas or in another city. I’m more of a read the instructions or look at the map kinda girl. Partner uses it all the time…must be brain wiring….
June 22, 2017
I’ve looked up directions on my phone but wasn’t entirely sure how to use it to ‘guide’ me places. (Also I had the mobile data turned off for that function which would explain any trouble I’d had previously!)
June 22, 2017
Much as I love using Siri for getting me places I’m not good at surrendering control in other aspects of my life!
Ingrid
http://www.fabulousandfunlife.blogspot.com.au
June 22, 2017
I need to get better as the work stuff (and other stuff) really got to me the other week. It helped clarify some stuff in my mind though – if that makes sense!
June 22, 2017
I only started using Google Maps when I moved to the US. Before that, I had no clue how to use it at all. And I never use the “OK Google” feature to ask it questions. I prefer to look things up myself. Maybe it’s a generational thing.
I’m glad that Siri got you where you needed to go and that you trusted her to get you there! It can be a bit scary when you don’t know where you are.
June 22, 2017
I’ve accidentally held the button down and had a Siri prompt or voice question from my phone and push buttons madly to stop it. But I’m a bit of a convert on the directions thing. I used it locally when taking some backroads to a friend’s place locally last weekend. I would have otherwise had to look it up or go the long way (which I know).
June 22, 2017
I’ve named my map lady Rhonda – mainly because when we were in Britain & using it I couldn’t keep saying stuff like “for F$%&% sake, map lady!’ So Rhonda she is. Every so often we argue ‘I don’t care that you want me to go this way, but I’m going that way – you can flipping well adjust.’ Yes, I talk back to it.
June 22, 2017
I’m assuming this is Siri… think you can change the voice though – but hers was fine. I must admit that when I got close to my brother’s I realised I needed petrol so I defied her instructions to veer off to a service station and then shut her down completely!
June 22, 2017
GPS – love it and hate it. It can be fantastic if it takes you where you think you should go – but sometimes it steers you into weird and wonderfully odd directions. Mine took me into no-mans land a while ago because I hadn’t updated it and there had been a change to a roundabout and the exit wasn’t the one I should have taken – as I drove into the wilderness I decided I’d better turn around and have another stab at it – scary but it’s good to be scared now and then (apparently??? – I’m not so sure!)
June 22, 2017
I ‘think’ (because I’m using Google maps) it’s pretty up-to-date, though I’m not entirely sure about that. I remember when UBDs became obsolete… as it was impossible to keep up to date with road work and the like. Once upon a time my parents would buy one every few years and it saw us through but things change so quickly now!
June 22, 2017
I hear you Debbie but I hate Siri! LOL:) Everytime I ask for something she never understands me. It is like the advert on TV where the person is on the telephone with an automated prompt and she can’t make it understand what she wants – so frustrating. Anyway good for you embracing new technology I might sit this one out though. Have a great day!
Sue from Sizzling Towards 60 & Beyond
June 22, 2017
I haven’t used the Siri app for other stuff, but I guess I should try it one day. I don’t even know if I can issue voice commands to ‘call x’ and so forth. While I’m still capable of doing so it seems kinda pointless, though maybe I’m missing something!
June 22, 2017
I’m not an Apple user but I do love GPS and we use it regularly. We particularly love it when driving overseas. It takes so much stress away. And yes sometimes it is good to let go of control, not to say it is easy.
June 22, 2017
Ah yes, overseas it would be ideal. I even used it in my little hometown of Hervey Bay last weekend to take back streets to a friend’s house. There are a lot of little short streets and cul-de-sacs so I figured I’d see if my phone could get me there and it did!
June 22, 2017
I’ve only just embraced Google Maps on my phone. I’ve always been pretty good on directions and usually just look t the map before I leave to get an idea on where I’m going. My son uses Suri and it drives me mad. Perhaps I’m too much of a control freak to surrender to Suri? 😉 #TeamLovinLife
June 22, 2017
I was the same as you Lyndall – checked the map before I went and usually just pulled over to double check if I was worried. For some reason I used to have trouble with the motorway exit to my friend’s. I’d print off the ‘whereis’ directions and it’d tell me the suburb I’d need to exit the motorway on but not the road or vice versa and I’d end up way past where I needed to be and had to work my way back! I was fine with the inner city of Brissy, but anything 7km or so outside and I was screwed!
June 22, 2017
You’ve inspired me to take the first steps in embracing Siri. I’m getting to grips with the voice function for Google too. Exciting times.
SSG xxx
June 23, 2017
I’ve only gone as far as the map / directions thing so far. I gather iPhone 5s will be redundant soon so perhaps I’ll wait until I need to upgrade to proceed to the next step! 🙂
June 22, 2017
I use the GPS on my phone all the time, otherwise I would get totally lost! I love that we use technology to make our lives easier. I think it takes a while to get our heads around surrendering to technology, but it is totally where the world is at these days and will only continue to play a big part in our lives. 🙂 #TeamLovinLife
June 23, 2017
Oh definitely… I use it for everything else and generally have no problem with it, though it’s interesting I rebel in some ways (ie. using Siri for voice commands when I can open Apps myself etc…). Weird.
June 23, 2017
LOL. You and I are so alike. #teamlovinlife
June 23, 2017
🙂
June 23, 2017
Hey Deb! You’re blogging …yay. I never use Siri but I do use Google Maps on my iPhone which has a US voice and she is mostly good. Google maps do updates. The cars my hub and I have came with sat nav. That’s all very well but without us paying a fortune to get that software updated for each car, we do not trust those maps. Generally they are OK but specifically they are likely to take you a way you don’t want to go. Most recently in my anxious state (I was navigator) on our first foray into the city of Sydney via the Bridge after 2 years, I mis understood one of the instructions and poor B (who was being incredibly patient with his worried wife on the way to get diagnosis) ended up having to drive through the worst of Sydney where they are CONSTANTLY mucking around with the roads. I always tend to look at a version of Google maps on line, and print out the directions too then that’s in your hard in the car. My husband did a recent trip to the country and that helped. Oh my, I sense your frustration at the car taking you a different way out!
June 23, 2017
I’ve never had Sat Nav etc so hadn’t ever had to use it and then figured I’d just use my phone, though it took me longer than expected to actually find out ‘how’ to use my phone. I attempted to use the directions once ‘without’ the voice instructions – just looking at the directions but I realise later I didn’t have my mobile data turned on for Google maps so it couldn’t find where I was or where I needed to go!
June 23, 2017
PS. Just kinda blogging once a week, though am preparing something for your Monday link-up!
June 25, 2017
I long for the day when Siri screams at me through the speaker. Surely I drive her crazy enough to warrant it.
June 26, 2017
Oh, I would love a sweary Siri!
June 27, 2017
I loathe using the GPS, I wanna know where I’m going and plan my route beforehand, total control freak here. However I love Siri for taking notes on my phone or sending texts, as it saves me having to get out my glasses and type something in!
June 28, 2017
I’ve never thought about using Siri for that Janet. Do you have to check them before they’re sent to make sure ‘she’s’ got it right I wonder?!