For two days (and after popping in fresh batteries from three days ago), Maw and I (with Paw looking on) have played with an R2D2™ Interactive Astromech Droid (© 2001). We kept saying the commands but noticed that the unit would shake its head back and forth in the “negative”. We joked that it was alive and understood us. But that’s only science fiction, where Maw wanted a better robot to play and talk with, just like the cartoon “The Jetson”, a family with a robot maid. So I video taped the “Dance Program” with my Samsung Epic 4G™ and uploaded the file via the Tumblr for Android app. As you can see I happen to work and play with droids.
But I don’t get along with droids that can’t keep up with fast changes in technological advances, like computers and cellphones or in spiritual concepts, like compassion and understanding. For example, Paw has spaced out and forgets things. Yesterday, he was helping with chopping ingredients for a meal. Later Maw had to take away a simple activity to speed things up. The old man stared at Maw chopping carrots. When it came time to clean up, he scooped up the items to discard and placed those into the freshly chopped carrots instead of into the trash! We had our giggles and the realization that we are all getting old.
Recently, I’ve noticed that I’m not focused and tend to forget my train of thoughts. (That’s why I’ve resorted to taking notes via the “Memo” app of my smart/cellphone.) I would forget what I ate or what I did in the past. Further, I’m not having enough energy and feeling weak. I’d find myself barely able to get out of bed and would drag my feet the whole day. Just this morning , I kept blowing a short fuse and snapping at little things. This was my severe reaction to the three cups of caffeinated coffee this morning and/or that I may have hypertension due to being clogged in the arteries with high cholesterol and high triglyceride levels. Or that I’m tired of taking care of two old people.
Whatever is happening, I’ve been slowly switching to the droid mode. Just going through the motion of living, eating and doing chores while dreaming, floating and taking naps. The sources of mental nourishment are my parents, the parakeets, the garden and, yes, my blog. I would suspect that inordinate amount of time using the electronic gadgets is burning my mind as I constantly check my empty emails and hope for anything from the online reader. There’s nothing else for me to do but keep looking for work that won’t be there anyway. And So I see myself as another useless human who is merely playing a supportive role to whoever needs my help.
Like any mechanical object, this human form will slowly wind down with age. It’s only a matter of time when I will have dementia or even Alzheimer’s disease — a condition of staring blankly at a person, not know who I am, where I am and not knowing what to think or what action to take without guidance. Hopefully, I won’t be a prisoner in my home and depend on others on how to eat and dress myself. At least for now, I can rest assured that I can go outdoors and know how to get back home (2012/02/11 22:47).
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