Aug 16, 2011

I'm Just Along for the Ride

Today, I was sending a personal (non-biz) email to an old friend. In the process, I found myself looking to insert a phrase that went something to the effect of "... and I'll pay for that ___cent postage stamp."

I was stopped dead in my tracks right there; because I don't know what the current cost of a first class postage stamp is! Now, how do you like that?

Upon further reflection, I concluded that I have not sent an old fashioned piece of snail mail in all of 2011. Zip. Zero. Never happened.

Furthermore:

- I am 100% certain I have not sent or received a FAX in 2011.

- I am 80% sure I have not made or received a call on a landline telephone, pay phone or otherwise, in 2011.

- I am 100% certain that I have not bought a physical format of music (CD, vinyl) in 2011.

- I am also 100% certain that I have not bought a digital format of music in 2011. (I use streaming jukebox services)

- I am 90% certain that I have not bought a physical piece of software in 2011. (I either use cloud-based services or download software installs)

- I am 100% certain that I have not bought an admission ticket to the many arts and sporting events I have attended in 2011. (I buy online in advance)

- I am 100% certain that I have not received a bank statement, utility bill, investment statement or insurance invoice in the mail in 2011. (It's all online)

- I have not used a Yellow Pages / Phone Book in 2011.

- I have not read the Classied Ads section of a single phyical newspaper in 2011. (Although I still, on occasion, read newspapers -- but no subscriptions are in place)

- I don't have an FM radio in the house. (I stream net radio thru the PC)

- I don't own a backup storage device. (I backup thru a cloud service)

- At least 75% of my income is paid to me electronically (PayPal, credit cards)


Enlightening, when one kicks back and thinks about it ...


7 comments:

Anonymous said...

It's funny, because I'm 100% certain that I've done most of those things this year, and some of them I just did today. Out here in the real business world every company still uses landlines, fax machines, paper checks, paper bills, servers and CDs for backups, etc. Even in my personal life I still need to write five or six checks a month, mail them, etc. Lots of places just do not bill or take payment online. I use the AM/FM radio in the car all the time.

Nanoburgh? said...

"...in the real business world.."

This raises a troubling personal question for me:

I wonder if I am in an alternate reality (like a Philip K Dick novel) or if it's more a Jerry Seinfeld Bizarro World kinda thing?

Now to get out my ouija board: this person is in the real estate industry or similar?

Just a hunch. I mean: vision from the spirits.

Seriously, friend: I am curious.

Come on, now: a FAX?

Anonymous said...

Yep, faxes every day, and no it isn't real estate. Keep guessing. In fact, just today I fielded a complaint from a customer because we didn't list a phone number as contact for something--he said he doesn't own a computer. In 2010 30% of households in the USA were still not connected to the Internet.

Nanoburgh? said...

You drift, my friend. Did this cause you problems in grade school?
To wite:

1. The need for a beez-ness phone does not auto-require a landline version. Check out the new virtual / digital / mobile enterprise technologies--it's the only way to fly. Hell, full blown Skype is only $3/month.

2. You write checks? Me, too (rarely, with Forever stamps I have stockpiled). I stated I didn't use them for specific needs (utilites, etc). Now concentrate!

But as said: rarely. It's called Bill-Pay. Noooo, you don't need those "lots of places" being willing "to take payments online". With Bill Pay, your bank will send them a snail mail--and they even pay that mysterious postage charge. Now ya see why I don't know the current cost? So tell me why you don't know about any of this stuff???? Are you one of these back-to-woods types?

3. Car radio? I guess we are forced to, huh? But lay off the AM: that's just right wing wackos and religion. It'll destroy your brain. FM? Recall I was referring to "no FM" in the home, right?

4. You didn't include your phone #? Now why are you blaming me for this lapse?

5. So your customers aren't online? Mime are. I just didn't know one group is 'real' and the other is not. But thanks for the bulletin.

Now I get another guess? Ok.
A: old school print publishing.

How'd I do? Explains a lot, huh?

Anonymous said...

You missed my point Tom Tomorrow. I use all of the digital wonder stuff too, but unless you want to ignore many potential customers and business partners you still need to embrace various stone age technologies, whether you like them or not.

Hrabek said...

Well thanks for that Dude! We would have never known.

Your suggestion only runs so deep. As Mr Nano points out, the need for a phone number as a means of contact does not translate into the need to go install a stone age technology (your words) landline.

Need vs Solution. You're a bit weak on the Solutions side.

Not to mention the "drifting" issue my friend Mr Nano mentions.

I'm joking!

Be well.

Nanoburgh? said...

Boring............

Next topic, please

Oh yeah: that's my job.



(Hey Big H, where ya been? Hit me at the e-m listed on the front page here)