The Simpler Days

Everything is trying to become the tag-end for the ubiquitous phrase, there's an app for that. In so doing, companies are forcing its customers away from the desktop and traditional browser-based connectivity.

You can call AAA Motor Club and navigate an insane, computer-led menu or, you could download the app before you need help.

You could call a taxi and wait forever or, you could use the Lyft app.

You can call your local pizza shop and hope the order-taker correctly transcribes your request, or you could download the DoorDash app (or the one from Domino's, Pizza Hut, Papa Johns, etc.)

You could log into your bank from your browser or, you could pop open their app to see your balance, deposit a check, transfer funds to make sure you have enough for that pizza you just ordered.

Mobile phones make this drop-dead simple, once you get used to it. The last time I took a trip, I booked a train on my browser, but used my Amtrak app to show my ticket. When I got to my destination, Lyft took me the last 30 miles to my dad's house. 

Now, my dad is old-school. He only recently started using DoorDash from his ancient desktop computer. Prior to that, dinner was decided by which menus he'd had lying around!

So, despite the title's inference, the simpler days are here, now! Even a dinosaur like me gets used to the convenience of mobile phones.

I used to have unpleasant dreams where I'd run out of the house and gone shopping, only to realize that I had left my wallet at home. Yikes! Dream me never checks to see if he has his phone.