👋
An #introduction. I'm Jessamyn (she/her) an #ExtremelyOnline #GenX #librarian and #technology educator. I care a lot about the #DigitalDivide and #accessibility
I live in #rural #vermont am a #civics #nerd and an elected #JusticeofthePeace
I used to own #MetaFilter and help run #MLTSHP
I like #moss #wikipedia #trivia #birds #scrabble #antiracist librarianship and practical #anarchism
- Reading list
https://glammr.us/@jessamyn/113766073892948771
- Wikipedia work
https://glammr.us/@jessamyn/113755586410070454
Just happy to be here
As I am speedreading these websites, Steve is telling me about his diabetes ("the sugar"), his old job as a janitor ("nice people") or his all black cat who likes to snuggle with him in his easy chair. I know this is how old timers make friends and I am both honored and a terrible multitasker. This takes longer than I'd prefer, but the %$&$#&^ thing FINALLY gets wiped and then we get to go through the mind-numbing steps of typing in the numbers from the Tracphone activation/minutes hokey-pokey.
Steve has a shaky hand and can neither type the numbers in nor read them to me because he forgot his glasses.
Despite this, he is delightful company and when we finally make his FIRST CELL PHONE CALL EVER (and set up his voicemail, and write down EVERY password) we're both making too much celebratory noise for the library.
Earlier, Pat from last week dropped by with a loaf of cinnamon bread as a thanks for making her Windows laptop faster last week and I send Steve home with some.
The guy who was waiting, politely though fidgety, was Steve. Recognizable as an old timer, he had a Tracphone from Walmart, minutes he'd paid for and no idea what to do next. Somehow his new phone had a PIN on it ("How?" "Don't know.") and we spent the next 30-40 min trying out PINs and also trying to get the phone reset. I am not Android-native and this took longer than I would like as I tried various websites' advice (manufacturer's website no help, even Reddit was only sort of useful here).
As I am speedreading these websites, Steve is telling me about his diabetes ("the sugar"), his old job as a janitor ("nice people") or his all black cat who likes to snuggle with him in his easy chair. I know this is how old timers make friends and I am both honored and a terrible multitasker. This takes longer than I'd prefer, but the %$&$#&^ thing FINALLY gets wiped and then we get to go through the mind-numbing steps of typing in the numbers from the Tracphone activation/minutes hokey-pokey.
Offered to take it home and try a few more things--there was someone waiting--but she said her partner might not like that and she'll come back next week and in the meantime I'll do some research, suggestions welcome.
No shade on Ann but it did remind me of the time a teacher at the school where I used to work asked if I could get stuff off of a thumb drive he always wore around his neck on a lanyard. Later he lost his job b/c of some not-appropriate pictures he had on there. Happy I failed!
The guy who was waiting, politely though fidgety, was Steve. Recognizable as an old timer, he had a Tracphone from Walmart, minutes he'd paid for and no idea what to do next. Somehow his new phone had a PIN on it ("How?" "Don't know.") and we spent the next 30-40 min trying out PINs and also trying to get the phone reset. I am not Android-native and this took longer than I would like as I tried various websites' advice (manufacturer's website no help, even Reddit was only sort of useful here).
I no longer help people buy cell plans (I try very hard to not get involved with their money) but I did give her the rundown on some cheap options--Mint, Visible, Consumer Cellular, TracPhone--and which networks they were on which is a thing that matters a lot around here.
Ann showed up with a thumb drive that has "important stuff" on it but whch was unreadable in a "You need to format this" way on both her PC and my Mac. Tried a number of different things, but it's a bit outside my wheelhouse.
Offered to take it home and try a few more things--there was someone waiting--but she said her partner might not like that and she'll come back next week and in the meantime I'll do some research, suggestions welcome.
No shade on Ann but it did remind me of the time a teacher at the school where I used to work asked if I could get stuff off of a thumb drive he always wore around his neck on a lanyard. Later he lost his job b/c of some not-appropriate pictures he had on there. Happy I failed!
This is Marlys and the tortilla bag she keeps her phone in. Marlys is pretty down on technology but a friend gave her an iPhone XR and she wanted to know how to best get it set up as a phone. Her mom has a landline and no tech so none of the usual "Eh you don't need a cell plan" answers were going to cut it. She's also starting a job as a high school teacher in a few weeks and thinks having a cell phone might be helpful.
I no longer help people buy cell plans (I try very hard to not get involved with their money) but I did give her the rundown on some cheap options--Mint, Visible, Consumer Cellular, TracPhone--and which networks they were on which is a thing that matters a lot around here.
Ann showed up with a thumb drive that has "important stuff" on it but whch was unreadable in a "You need to format this" way on both her PC and my Mac. Tried a number of different things, but it's a bit outside my wheelhouse.
Feeling like maybe I only post about Drop-In Time at the library when things go well. Today was an in-between day (and I have pictures).
You remember Tom from a month ago? He's been helping my friend paint his house a few doors down. He saw me outside and shouted down from the roof that his email wasn't working. I said we could work on that, but not now. This is him checking his text from me so that he can be sure I'm in his phone. Totally safe behavior.
This is Marlys and the tortilla bag she keeps her phone in. Marlys is pretty down on technology but a friend gave her an iPhone XR and she wanted to know how to best get it set up as a phone. Her mom has a landline and no tech so none of the usual "Eh you don't need a cell plan" answers were going to cut it. She's also starting a job as a high school teacher in a few weeks and thinks having a cell phone might be helpful.
Feeling like maybe I only post about Drop-In Time at the library when things go well. Today was an in-between day (and I have pictures).
You remember Tom from a month ago? He's been helping my friend paint his house a few doors down. He saw me outside and shouted down from the roof that his email wasn't working. I said we could work on that, but not now. This is him checking his text from me so that he can be sure I'm in his phone. Totally safe behavior.
👋 An #introduction. I'm Jessamyn (she/her) an #ExtremelyOnline #GenX #librarian and #technology educator. I care a lot about the #DigitalDivide and #accessibility
I live in #rural #vermont am a #civics #nerd and an elected #JusticeofthePeace
I used to own #MetaFilter and help run #MLTSHP
I like #moss #wikipedia #trivia #birds #scrabble #antiracist librarianship and practical #anarchism
- Reading list
https://glammr.us/@jessamyn/113766073892948771
- Wikipedia work
https://glammr.us/@jessamyn/113755586410070454
Just happy to be here
Jessamyn