Wonderland Burlesque's Left To Your Own Devices Quiz

Wonderland Burlesque's 

Left To Your Own Devices Quiz

While they don't necessarily rule our lives, our devices serve as an integral part of day-to-day existence. 

How attached are you to yours? Why have you chosen the ones you own? 

Today's quiz is an opportunity to take inventory of the devices which populate and inform our lives.

And I apologize in advance for all the sub-questions, but, in this case, one question seems to beg another.

Let's dig in.

--- ---

1/ What kind of phone do you have? How long have you had it? Do you like it?

I have a Droid Maxx 2 Blue, housed in a black Otter Box. I got it four or five years ago and it still seems to be working. Honestly? I don't pay much attention to phones. I don't need the latest technology or the latest version of anything. As long as it continues to work, that's all I care about. 

I like it just fine. It's a little slow, sometimes. But then, I think that has to do more with my impatience at the time than the efficiency of the phone. 

The Otter Box was The Boyfriend's idea. He's a smart cookie.

2/ Your phone: how much time do you spend on it? Talking? Texting? Internet? Apps (which)? Taking photos? Do you take selfies? 

I don't spend much time on my phone. I'm not married to it. These people who act like its attached to their hand? I don't get that. I'm much more interested in life as it takes place around me. And I do feel superior to people who walk around talking on their phone constantly. You don't need to do that while you're driving. You don't need to do that while your walking your dog. Get your face up and out of that thing or you'll miss what's happening around you. 

I guess I just don't understand the mindset. I can see spending time on the phone if it's business related, but I avoid doing even that. Better to send an email or a text. Then it's documented. 

I don't talk on the phone anymore, though I do text; typically, only when necessary. My youngest sister and her husband and The Boyfriend are an exception. We have a line of texts about anything that strikes our fancy. But that's the only on-going thread of that nature. 

I don't give out my phone number unless I absolutely have to. 

I access the internet to map my way to places I've not been, to learn about the weather and, when stuck someplace - like the mechanics or a doctor's office - I will then read the news on my phone. 

I don't take a lot of photos. My phone doesn't have that great of a camera, so it's never become an obsession. And, no, I don't do selfies, except when I need to update my pics on my apps. 

The only time I am a bit phone obsessed? When on Grindr or BBRTS or Scruff or A4A. I do tend to become the monkey pushing the button for a food pellet when on those apps. I've become adept at recognizing such behavior and putting a stop to it. It's not healthy. 

But... when horny? What you gonna do?

And I never listen to music on my phone. Never. I don't know why one would. 

3/ What brand of laptop/PC do you own? How long have you had it? Do you like it?

I currently have five Dells. It's what we use at work and when they run their life course (according to the workplace) they're given to the employees to do with as they please. Sometimes people don't want them and they would end up at my desk. I've donated a number of them and also given some to a couple of kids in the neighborhood to help with school. 

They work great and are maxed out as far as memory and speed. The only thing lacking is a great video card. They're not the greatest when it comes to video game graphics. 

4/ Your laptop/PC: how much time do you spend on it and what are you doing? Has the focus of your usage changed over the years?

Not a day goes by. I am constantly on my laptop - except when working out, at the prairie, gardening, visiting my Mom, cooking, playing piano or watching a movie - you get the idea. I spend way too much time on them.

Why five laptops? One is for work and only work (though I will check the news on there and do my personal banking). One is for this blog and playing video games. One is for a program called Noteworthy composer. It sits beside my spinet piano - in the event I am feeling inspired and want to create sheet music. One is strictly for porn, though I don't watch much - only when that itch can't be scratched any other way. And one is a back-up.  

I used to spend tons of time on sites like Adam4Adam, Manhunt, etc. I don't even remember the names of some of them. Ever since the day I discovered that you could hook up that way? Well, it became an obsession. Now? Not so much. I've relaxed a lot when it comes to sex. I used to view it the way some do internet shopping (and I did go through an eBay phase). However, not only do you miss out on life when that's your focus, you also expose yourself to all the rotten things people can do to one another on the internet. 

That's why I don't do social media - save this blog. No Facebook. People treat each other like crap on there. People in real life are rude and thoughtless enough as it is - I don't need to expose myself to the crazy belonging to others.

5/ Do you own a television? Brand? How old? 

It's a Vizio. Five years old? I had to turn it on in order to find what it was. A big flat screen thing I bought for The Ex when he thought he'd broken the one I'd previously bought him. He phoned me and was all upset, because he didn't have the means of replacing it, so I ran and bought him a new one and set it all up for him. He's a television addict. On all day long. Two weeks later, he calls me and tells me that the old one still works - that he did something weird to it so thought it didn't work - and since it had a bigger screen and was more expensive than the one I bought to replace it, would I mind coming and getting the new one and setting up the old. 

And that's how I came to own a flat screen television. 

It is rarely on.

6/ Your television: on average, how many hours of programming do you watch? What was the most recent program/movie viewed? 

I don't watch much. Only on the weekends.

I used to watch the early (3:30 am) news for a number of years, but stopped when they switched out the anchors with young, hip people whom I immediately disliked. So, now? It's rarely on. The only time I watch anything - and I have a Netflix account - is at The Boyfriend's, on the weekend. He has a Prime account, so we watch movies and the occasional series. 

The most recent thing I watched? A bad horror film; June. About a possessed little girl. Dumb and terrible. Casper Van Dien stars as the foster dad and, while handsome in a soap opera way, he's a terrible actor and the film sucked. 

That's how I like to watch movies. Hit and miss. Take a chance. Some are winners, but most are stinkers.

7/ Do you own a Blu-Ray player? A DVD player? A VCR? Brands? What is the most recent movie you purchased?

I own a Sony DVD/VCR combo. I actually have a spare one stored. I love VHS tapes. I don't know why. Adolescence? I very, very rarely watch anything, but I really like having one. 

I can't remember the last one I bought. I typically buy them used. I only pick up odd films you don't see listed on Netflix or Prime. I keep them because I think... what if civilization goes to hell and you're stuck in the bunker? At least I will have stuff to watch. But then, if that happens, the electrical grid will be one of the first things to go, so... yeah. That's why I own books!

8/ Do you own a CD player? A boom box? A radio? A phonograph/turntable? Which do you use the most? What is the most recent music you listened to?

I have this little round, yellow Sony CD player I play when I do my bathroom regimen. I love it. I used it back in the days when I would rehab houses. I simply love the design, very classic. So I won't part with it. 

No boombox, though The Boyfriend has one we use when we work out. 

I have a radio at The Boyfriend's place. I adore it. It's a little leather suitcase with travel stickers all over it. It had a cool tiny clock in it with hands, but I broke it. The radio runs on batteries only and I listen to it all the time when in the bathroom or sometimes when I garden. 

I have a turntable. A nice one. An old Technics model. The other components are Sony stuff, but it's all there - tuner, CD, equalizer - I even have a dual cassette deck. I don't know too much about it the equalizer. I move the knobs until things sound good. I love vinyl - in the same way that I love VHS tapes. I love owning them, looking at them and, on rare occasions, I will play an album while cleaning or getting ready in the bathroom. Nothing sounds like vinyl and I'm very nostalgic about it. 

Most recent thing I listened to? I am still listening to Kylie Minogue's Disco. I am obsessed. It plays non-stop in the car, which is where I listen to music the most. It's a feel good disc and puts me in a great mood.

9/ Do you own a camera? A digital camera? A video camera? Brands? 

I no longer own a regular camera. I went through a purge where I got rid of piano/keyboards, cameras, digital cameras, video recorders, recording equipment, amps, etc. Cleaned house. Regret some of it, but am mostly glad it is gone. Have already replaced some of it (keyboards). But not a regular camera.

I own a digital camera - a Vivitar. The Boyfriend won it at work and gave it to me. It doesn't have a memory card, though and, while I tried to buy one, I didn't buy the right one, so have never gotten it to work. I take pics with my phone, but I used to have a lot of digital cameras and was into taking nude pics of myself. I got out of the habit and now I put up with the terrible selfies I take of myself in the bathroom mirror.

I miss having a camera with a timer. 

And I own a Sony video camera; a small hand held. It's nice. But I have no idea how to use it and no need. So, it sits in the box. I take it out and try to figure it out, but am too lazy to read the instructions. With this kind of stuff? If it's not intuitive? I'm not interested in using it. 

10/ Do you own an X-Box, a PlayStation, an Nintendo or similar video game unit? What games do you play most?

The Boyfriend bought me an Nintendo something or other. It is a special limited edition Animal Crossing edition (I always call it Animal Planet - drives The Boyfriend crazy). Initially, I was into it, but my interest has waned, to the point where The Boyfriend wants me to give it to my youngest sister, because he thinks she would appreciate it more.

That's not happening. 

Sometimes you simply like owning something for the sake of owning it. 

Otherwise, I play vid games on one of my laptops. Civ 5, mostly. Or it used to be. I am no longer obsessed with that game. 

The Boyfriend, on the other hand? He owns every video game unit ever and plays games constantly. I can't. I can't sit there that long and I can't play first-person games (they make me nauseated), so that eliminates a ton of possibilities.

I like point and click games best. Less anxiety. Some of those vid games? Zombie games? Big anxiety producers. 

--- ---

That's all for now, kids.

Okay, it's your turn. 

Leave your answers in the comments section or post it on your own blog and leave a link here. 

I love hearing from you, and learn a little bit more about you every time you do. 

Thank you for reading and participating. 

Left To My Own Devices - Pet Shop Boys

Take Another Picture - Quarterflash