I've vented my frustration with 'things that beep' here but it's not just microwave ovens that are the problem.
I'm a distracted guy, usually in the middle of five things at once. I've gone into the kitchen for some orange juice, noticed there are no clean glasses, unloaded the dishwasher, loaded and started the dishwasher, put the clean dishes away, taken out trash, refilled the water bowl for the squirrels, started a load of laundry, fed the cat and eventually wandered back to the PC, wondering why I left it.
Right! OJ!
Except (son of a bitch) we're out of OJ.
So I set timers. Lots of timers. I set a reminder for anything might need one. But timers and alarms are annoying. Four or more alarms in a day are more than enough to get you irked right there. Thanks to my iPhone, I can set as many alerts as I like.
I do set quite a few...
Most alarms and timers have a very grating sound, by design - they need to catch your attention over whatever background noise or music or talking might be going on, and perhaps wake you from a sleep. Our house is very quiet - we don't blast music, and I don't have a house full of people making noise. It's usually me, Michelle, the cat, and we're web surfing, reading or watching TV.
We've reached a sufficient level of technology that any timer or alarm should have options for alert sound volume control and a wide assortment of different ding/ring/beep/klaxon sound effects from even a simple digital timer.
I've tried several options on the iPhone timers and alarms, and settled on the 'Harp' sound. It's actually soothing - I don't grit my teeth when it goes off - and the sound is different enough from the normal background noise that it stands out.
One feature I'd like with the iPhone that is not an option: the ability to record my own alert sound. How about my voice or Michelle's voice saying "Psst! Hey sweetie, don't forget your towel in the dryer. Love you!". Doesn't that sound like a scene right out of a kinder, gentler future - a place you want to live in? Sounds like it to me.
I'm a distracted guy, usually in the middle of five things at once. I've gone into the kitchen for some orange juice, noticed there are no clean glasses, unloaded the dishwasher, loaded and started the dishwasher, put the clean dishes away, taken out trash, refilled the water bowl for the squirrels, started a load of laundry, fed the cat and eventually wandered back to the PC, wondering why I left it.
Right! OJ!
Except (son of a bitch) we're out of OJ.
So I set timers. Lots of timers. I set a reminder for anything might need one. But timers and alarms are annoying. Four or more alarms in a day are more than enough to get you irked right there. Thanks to my iPhone, I can set as many alerts as I like.
I do set quite a few...
- Alarm - 5:30 (ugh)
- Timer - 10 mins - I dry my towel after a shower
- Timer - 5 mins - Pancake batter matures as stove warms
- Alarm - 30 minutes before I'm to leave for work
- Alarm - 15 minutes before I'm to leave for work
- Alarm - several weeknights - favorite tv shows
- Alarm - Monday nights - Call Mom!
- Alarm - Sunday mornings - Sunday Paper!
Most alarms and timers have a very grating sound, by design - they need to catch your attention over whatever background noise or music or talking might be going on, and perhaps wake you from a sleep. Our house is very quiet - we don't blast music, and I don't have a house full of people making noise. It's usually me, Michelle, the cat, and we're web surfing, reading or watching TV.
We've reached a sufficient level of technology that any timer or alarm should have options for alert sound volume control and a wide assortment of different ding/ring/beep/klaxon sound effects from even a simple digital timer.
I've tried several options on the iPhone timers and alarms, and settled on the 'Harp' sound. It's actually soothing - I don't grit my teeth when it goes off - and the sound is different enough from the normal background noise that it stands out.
One feature I'd like with the iPhone that is not an option: the ability to record my own alert sound. How about my voice or Michelle's voice saying "Psst! Hey sweetie, don't forget your towel in the dryer. Love you!". Doesn't that sound like a scene right out of a kinder, gentler future - a place you want to live in? Sounds like it to me.
Personally, I'm a Post-It note Kinda Girl....I DETEST ALL alarms...but that being said- I kinda wouldn't mind so much the harp sound.
ReplyDelete.....maybe.
What I REALLY want is a Smart House like Carter lives in on EUREKA!!!!! Only with either Paul's or Oded's voice instead of that damn annoying Sarah's.
And I want alllll the options too.
GAH! The idea of Sunny's voice telling me to do stuff when she's not here sounds like a nightmare to me.
ReplyDeleteFor me it wouldn't be Sunny saying "Psst! Hey sweetie, don't forget your towel in the dryer. Love you!" It would be: "Hey, HEY, HEEEYY! PAUL! Get your ass off the couch and do the dishes...no I don't care that it's a new episode of Warehouse 13! Now!"
Just for that, Paulius- you WILL be hearing that more often.......!!!!
ReplyDeleteI have a tape recorder you know....and I have a timer.
Paulius - yeah... Sorry to hear that. Some men need to be gently reminded, and others need to be strongly encouraged.
ReplyDelete