Technology and Me

Today was quite the day for bachelor-me and technology.

I went to the gym and brought with me a new nike armband containing a discreet pocket for my new ipod nano. It's pretty cool and comfortable... the ipod sort of morphs into the armband well-padded and all. It really did look like the neo-workout getup that has recently hit gyms over the past few years and with the dawn of mp3 technology. Ironically, I found myself on a cross-training (hybrid elliptical and ski-type arm trainer) machine that malfunctioned and apparently couldn't take my weight. It was also squeaky and rocking a bit. The lady on the machine next to me looked like frightened, as if I was about to fall sidewards onto her tiny frame. What can I say? My gym is dingy, old and somewhat trashy complete with the hot pink neon signs. The owner bought out an old motel along one of the popular NY parkways and didn't do much of a good job reminding his patrons that the place used to be a motel. Let's put it this way, the outside view was, well, the kind of view you'd get if you were looking outside a motel window. I also didn't mention the fact that my head is just millimeters away from hitting the ceiling each time I run on a machine.

On another note, after the gym, I went shopping for a car auxiliary cord for my new ipod at Best Buy. On my way there, I remembered my car dealer telling me months ago to press the "info"button on my car so that I can talk to a Teleaid operator for some sort of orientation (if you don't know what Teleaid is, read on). I pressed the button, and WOW. The digital console that was once showing music became a telephone screen, and then suddenly, after a few rings, a woman's voice came out of the speakers...in surround sound. So we had a conversation, and she basically congratulated me for buying the car blah, blah, and then outlined the different Teleaid services after first telling me that she could see where I was at that point in time through satellite tracking (scary). Can I tell you? I love this country. First of all, there's a 911 button in case of emergency. If my airbags deploy, the car will dial 911 (I hope I NEVER have to go through that again). Then, there's a help button for roadside assistance. I thought that was alright, but then she told me that the assistance included running out of gas. WOW. I run out of gas and some dude comes to me in the middle of nowhere to fill my tank up at no charge except for the fuel. Finally, she told me about the info button. I could call up the info operator for just about anything, from directions to questions about my account. But the best part of the info service was the concierge option. Mother of God. With the concierge option, the operator can reserve restaurants and buy you tickets to concerts, games etc. She even said that you can order flowers for the ladies. Haha. RIGHT.

Ipods, hi-tech armbands, malfunctioning cross-training machines and a 24/7 help desk in my car. Ah, the life. Now only if Teleaid could help me with other things...