Technology's Dark Side

Life was a lot less complicated before technology took over our lives.

Don't get me wrong, I really do love technology, but, some of the things that are supposed to simplify our lives can make things a lot harder and a lot more stressful.

I have a checking account that I use to pay all of my normal monthly bills. For a long time I resisted using any sort of debit card. I just wrote checks and had cancelled checks sent to me along with every account statement. That gave me assurance that all was well and every check payment was cleared for the proper amount. Mistakes happen and I found a few tiny errors in payment over the years where a bank teller entered the wrong numbers by "fat fingering" something. A penny here or there was not worthy of pursuit and I let it slide, but I updated my records to reflect the actual amount paid due to their error. I was meticulous about it.

Then along came electronic fund transfers and payments. After a while, banks stopped sending cancelled checks. Now, they don't even send monthly statements, I have to go online and print them myself. See, I like balancing my checkbook the old fashioned way.

My wife is a freelance copywriter and marketing consultant. She runs into timing issues on occasion. She's waiting for payment when a bill comes due. On those oddball occasions, I've stepped up to the plate and let her use my debit card from the checking account to make a payment on time. That's where the trouble with this great technology begins.

For MONTHS afterward Netflix kept deducting payment from my checking account rather than my wife's account because they now have my debit card number on file.

On February 21st, Time Warner Cable deducted $52 and change from my account to cover my wife's internet service bill because she used my debit card in January for a one-time payment since she was awaiting a payment from a client that was dragging their feet (clerical issue on billing payments).

Today, if my wife does not deposit money into MY account first thing this morning (to make up for the Time Warner deduction that I did not discovery until about thirty minutes ago) a check I wrote yesterday afternoon will bounce. 

I don't keep a lot of extra money in this account. I use it, as I said, just to pay the basic monthly expenses.

The thing that really annoys me here is the fact that all of those online payments take place without notification. I don't receive alerts on my phone. The less information that filters in and out of my devices, the more secure my bank accounts will remain. If I lost a phone that had access to bank accounts, think of the possible repercussions. No, I don't want that.

The dark side of online banking and bill payments is the fact that information is often retained and accounts are sometimes used over and over without your knowledge or approval. If you are not checking on bank account activity constantly, you could start bouncing checks and racking up some really nasty late fees and overdrawn penalties.

I don't like it. Life was a lot easier and far more secure before electronic bill payments and checks actually being sent from bank to bank for issued payments. Sure, things took longer, but, that was the reason things were more safe and secure.

In the blink of an eye, you can go from "life is good" to "OMG! What happened?"

Can I have things the way they used to be?

No?

That's too bad. Things were so simple in the good old days.

Carry on.

Plans Are Important If...

Plans are important IF you want to get something done.

Right now I am planning to use an old analog multi-track studio recorder to record a bunch of songs I wrote long ago. I loaned the unit to my younger brother and when he returned it to me he forgot to give me the power supply, a microphone and cable, and a brick of tapes that I will need to do my project. My brother never used the equipment, by the way.

See, I plan, but, my brother pretty much lives in the moment. That's why he still has all of the other stuff and I have the recording unit itself. Sigh...

Most people are like my brother. They live in the moment. They don't plan and they don't think very far ahead-- if  at all.

When I sit down to record a song I have everything I need at my fingertips. I even have a cup of hot tea or coffee to sooth my throat when I start to record vocal tracks. If you walked into the studio space in my home you would see an acoustic guitar, a bass, a keyboard, drums, and a few other instruments lying around. I am ready to use each one in its part in the creation of the song. It all takes planning.

Life is like recording a song. You either plan your path and travel from where you are at the start to your destination or you simply meander along without any definite plans and just react to whatever events unfold. I prefer the former, not the latter.

A song needs a foundation. The drums and bass guitar (or string bass) tie everything together. The rest of the composition is built on that platform.

The rhythm guitar sets the melody. Lead guitar licks are just window dressing-- they add flash, but, they are not really necessary if the rest of the song is compelling. The vocals tell a story and help make the song dynamic. Harmonies help build drama and excitement. They are icing on the cake.

Your life is a song. All of the elements are there. With proper planning and execution, you'll have a hit. But, fail to plan and you plan to fail.