Interconnectivity

My wife has been observing me trying to command my Air Cadet Squadron this past year, as myself and my two key staff members all work shifts. I see my Training Officer only about once a month. It makes it hard to have those running conversations that really help get things figured out.

But when I came home from a tour of Toronto International Airport the other week, she with Daughter Number Two's advice and assistance, had purchased for me a low-end Samsung cell phone as a birthday present.

This caused great shock and amazement among my young staff, who all think of me as a lovable dinosaur.

It's not that I don't like technology, I just can't see the point of rushing out to buy an expensive item if it won't make my life better in some way (it's money that can be better spent on miniatures or dinners out). So far the home phone and answering machine have been working fine. Our old cell phone (complete with antenna) was good for emergencies when out with the car. Looked at flip phones and having to push the number 3 nine times to get the letter 'i' seemed like a waste of life span.I need a proper key board to text. Anything important could wait until I got home. If someone needed to talk to me they could leave a message.

Until this year.

And now to facilitate being connected to my cadets I have enabled Facebook (for real time posting to the Squadron Page) and Remind (an app used by teachers to send out class announcements) on the cell phone as well. Thus the tentacles of the Big Machine get more of a grip on me.

But my young staff officers are really enjoying being able to get hold of me more quickly when I'm not at cadets.

I think the present was more for them than me.