I’ve had a lot of questions about how I employ various technologies and sources of information to facilitate my ease and experience here in the city. Of course the iPhone has been a life saver on multiple occasions (though from time to time it does completely drop signal, and one entire afternoon it was basically a useless brick in my purse). It does not stand alone though, as applications I’ve installed on it are used just about as often as those inherent on the phone.
Quick disclaimer – this is going to be a bit of an uber geeky post, and I do want to be clear that I can function and have functioned completely devoid of technology in my past (there were those years of hitchhiking pre-cell phone age you know!). However, because some people are interested and because it has actually been a lot of fun figuring out ways to make current techy stuff work for me I’m gonna share the joy. Do let me know what you think, even if a lot of what I say sounds like gibberish – I’ll do my best to be clear.
Now, with that said, on with the show!
Below is a simulation compiled from a few different days in the life of Jill. Keep in mind that when I’m not in transit, I’m usually close to a computer.
3:30 – text message arrives by iPhone, it’s a reminder from gcal (google calendar) that says – “remember to stop at the farmers market on the way home, bread, jam, apples, garlic and mushrooms”
I lean over and double check my purse to confirm that I’ve brought my fabric grocery bag for the trip, which I have, so all is good in the world.
3:45 – email from a friend letting me know that we should definitely meet for a beer before I head back to Brooklyn for the evening.
Quick mental assessment, I woke up and worked out this morning, so a beer is no problem to add to the evening agenda. None of the farmers market stuff needs refrigeration, so it can come along for the ride.
Go to google maps (maps.google.com), check the location of said bar, (which has an awesome happy hour and brews on premises yay!). Pop over to yelp.com and read raving reviews of both beer and food there. (double yay!)
A quick aside – Google just incorporated public transit into its maps, making hopstop.com obsolete, also making my life a lot easier as it even tells you when a bus will do the job as well or better than a train. I kind of like city buses, since they can often take you right to the front door of your destination. Plus, since they’re above ground you can twitter though twinkle (go to twitter.com and look me up -liquidjill of course!) and text and stay ultra geeky plugged in while you ride. More fun!
4:30 – text arrives from another friend who wants to know whats happening this evening. I email him a link to yelp.com’s review of said bar, tell him to meet us there at 6.
5:00 – leave work and walk out into another glorious sun filled autumn afternoon in nyc. Walk 3 blocks to the farmers market and find everything I’m looking for, cheap and fresh and lovely, even make a new friend, fellow Mario Cippolini fan and cyclist.
5:15 – Hop on the 4 (running express) to the upper west side while trying to avoid getting all my earthly possessions completely crushed. The train is insanely crowded at this time.
5:30 – Pop out of the station, checking my iPhone map to be sure I’m walking in the right direction, doing my best to navigate around the mass of rush hour people.
5:45 – Early to the bar, but no worries, brought a fabulous book and grab an outdoor table to bask in the city while I wait. Also have time to use another helpful application called “Now Playing” to confirm the location and time or the new indy flick I’m planning on catching Sat night. I check twinkle and note that The Godfather I and II will be at the Ziegfeld Oct 17th. woot! I send an email to a friend, reminding them to keep that Friday open.
6:00 – Friends arrive!
7:45 – after 2 beers and some great conversation it’s time to head home. Check me2sub.com on the iPhone to be sure all my trains are running. They are, so off I go!
8:45 – Home with plenty of time to unwind, write in my journal and prepare for tomorrow (with the help of my tried and true circa 2003 powerbook).
10:00 – Plug in everything to recharge and lay down for some recharging of my own.
*******
I do know that all of the above is completely doable without the aid of google, or an iPhone, or even a computer – but it does make it fun and has helped me to dodge a mishap or two. Once again there is a balance to be found somewhere in that space where common sense meets technology. I’m in the business of finding that space, identifying it, and having some friends over to visit me there for a drink, a bike ride or a chat anytime.
Look for a bit more organic of an entry next time. Just felt the need to share the geeky joy today!
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No related posts were found, so here's a consolation prize: daylight savings time arrives.
You know…it doesn’t stop at the city either, yet I want you to know that you are right on point with that. Chip and I went to Napa this weekend, and with the aid of my sidekick and google maps, we easily found directions to the Silverado Trail…without which, we’d have to “organically” get our asses to the Tourist and Visitor’s center and somehow figure it out through some analog world of a printed map.
Huh? Those still exist?
Great entry.