Cassandra: Technology frightens (пугает) me
Recently I’ve noticed that when someone forgets to get back to me (ответить мне (обычно по электронной почте)) they blame it on technology (они сваливают вину за это на технологию). “Sorry, I got your email on my Blackberry (самртфон – см. http://www.blackberry.com/).” What this means is they checked their mail while in transit, planned on responding when they were back at their desk but forgot.
But what they really mean is: "I’ve got a new excuse for ignoring you. (новая отговора/повод игнорировать вас)"
A Blackberry used to be special (когда-то/раньше был чем-то особенным) – only people with big lives and big jobs had one (он был только у людей с яркой жизнью и престижной работой). But now everybody has one - everyone except (кроме) me. My life doesn’t require (требует) a Blackberry. Not that many people need to reach me (и не сказать, что многим людям требуется связываться со мной).
I've noticed that once (как только) someone has a Blackberry they immediately assume (тотчас начинают полагать) everyone else has one too. The other day (на днях) I was expecting to meet someone at a specific location (в определенном месте) and once (как только) I had left the house, this person changed the rendezvous (отменил встречу) – notifying (уведомив) me about it on e-mail. I waited. Time passed (шло). When 30 minutes had gone by (прошли) I did the old-fashioned thing and called (я пошел на старомодный шаг и позвонил).
“I emailed you!” This person said, sounding annoyed (звуча раздраженным).
I pointed out (отметил) that once I leave the house, I don’t have access to (доступа к) email. She sounded even more annoyed. How did I become the rude one? (и как я превратилась в грубиянку?)
Technology frightens me. I’m ready to return to a quill and parchment (вернуться к перу и пергаменту). When I see someone now who has just a mobile phone I feel a bond (чувствую родство). We’re kindred spirits (родные души).
Technology is supposed to make life easier but in my experience, it doesn’t. For instance, a couple of years ago my (now ex) boyfriend gave me an iPod. What was particularly appealing (особенно трогательно) was, he’d programmed it for me.
He knew I wouldn’t do it on my own (сама этого не сделаю) so all I had to do was turn it on. At first, I was delighted (рада/довольна). Then I realised he chose all the music. I could tell the ones he put on there with me in mind (я могла угадать мелодии, которые он «залил», думая обо мне/с учетом моих предпочтений). Such as REM’s Everybody Hurts. But most of them were songs he liked. Such as It’s A Wonderful World. Also there were bands I’d never heard of – all of whom were cheerful (радостные) and upbeat (оптимистичные). Essentially (в принципе) it was an iPod for the girlfriend he wished he had (такой девушки, которую бы он хотел видеть рядом с собой).
I decided I would download (загружу) my own music. I set out (отправилась) to navigate this as though (словно) I was Magellan. There are times in the past where I’ve had to do research on MySpace or FaceBook and, unable to cope (оказавшись не в состоянии справиться), I’ll go to the library (я ша в библиотеку). So when people say I don’t challenge myself (не ставлю себе амбициозных задач) I could finally say: really? I went to iTunes and loaded my own iPod. It would feel good.
I went to iTunes with high hopes. If President Bush could load his own iPod, anything was possible. So actually, nothing was possible. And yet (и тем не менее), I still felt good.
The only thing better than being able to accomplish something technological is not being able to proceed because of a technological problem (лучше возможности справиться с технологической задачей может быть только неспособность выполнения задачи до конца из-за технологической проблемы).
Since the boyfriend and I were no longer together it was awkward (неудобно).
“Hi, even though (хотя) we’re not talking and I’m not in your life anymore, can I come over and have unlimited access (неограниченный доступ) to your computer?”
"Sure," he said. "And I'll leave you the PIN code for my bank card and the password for my email."
I took that as a no (я восприняла это как отказ).
The iPod is now in the technology graveyard (кладбище). Next to the digital camera that’s still in the box, the DVD player he bought me and the instructions for the printer /scanner/fax which has never been hooked up (подключен).
Maybe my technology anxiety (боязнь технологии) is genetic. My father looks at a telephone keypad (панель телефона) like it’s a control panel on a nuclear submarine (панель управления на атомной подводной лодке). And putting a quarter (25 центов) in a pay phone is an act of valour (мужества/отваги). One of the great moments in our relationship was when I showed him how to use a washing machine. I could tell he was filled with pride.
So it’s no wonder when someone asks me what I’m looking for in a man, the first thing that comes to mind is (первое, что приходит на ум – это): someone who can help fix my computer.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment