All About Anecdotes

Any story will do for conversation, a speech, or writing, as long as it’s short and personal.  To qualify as an anecdote according to all-knowing AI Overview, it should also "offer a quick example that helps an audience process information, understand a complex topic, or feel a connection."  (My experience in Toastmasters International must have taught me that, so why did I have to look it up?  Rhetorical question.)

For example, I remember being in Wayne’s Barbershop on Third Avenue, Salt Lake City, when Russell M. Nelson brought in his little son for his first haircut.  So cute!  To this day, as President Nelson celebrated his 101st birthday, that scene is unforgettable.  I guess it was years later when Dr. Russell Nelson performed heart surgery to save my father’s life.  One of the Nelsons’ beautiful daughters was in my East High Seminary class.  Another daughter was in Kay Hinckley’s East High class.

For many reasons, I feel a connection to our dear Prophet, who lovingly leads and teaches by example worldwide.  He so blesses friends and members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  Kay & I are grateful for President Nelson’s good life.  Happy birthday!

An iPhone, Watch, and I

Incredibly, I made it through 17 years of school (not counting preschool) and 19 years of marriage without a cell phone.  How did we do it?!  Was life so much simpler?  (Fast-scan this to compare.)

One call I remember used the yellow wall phone in the lower-level recreation room in our big home on Northcrest Drive.  I carried the handset into the hall for privacy, as I gathered courage to invite a young woman to a high school dance.  Getting a date was a scary challenge for this shy boy, despite having freely enjoyed private group dances throughout 8th grade — unforgettable.

Big jump ahead, past the “brick phone” years, and past the smaller one I carried in my back pocket for business management.  Years later, I downsized to a favorite phone with a slide-out keyboard.   At some point, a cheap Cricket was my extra business device to avoid exceeding my minutes limit.

Then iPhone came and changed my life.  Several years ago, an upgrade deal got me an Apple Watch at half price and a Bluetooth JBL Clip Speaker; all three were life-changing.  Side note: by sliding a button on the left side of iPhone, I intentionally kept it on silent 24/7 since October 2018, and usually only answered calls on my Contact list — never telemarketing or scam calls.  Text messaging has saved me countless hours of conversation when I’m in a hurry.  Answering some calls on my Watch has been helpful when my hands are tied.  Unlimited Internet access in hand manages frequent “senior moments” and music; Personal Hotspot connects my laptop.  Notes files easily handle journals etc.  Frequent Copy-&-Paste is too easy.  Kay & I would’ve been lost without iPhones on our Detroit mission.  Google Docs and Google Sheets work anywhere while waiting in line, on hold, or in bed.   Have I mentioned my OC photography and photo-journaling?

With iPhone and Watch used conservatively, I stay on the path to “Simplify! Simplify!”