Being Watchful

On the Face of Things

My kids gave me an Apple watch for Christmas. When I talk into it, I feel like Dick Tracy, who wore a two-way, wrist radio, making him far ahead of his time. The face of my funky, new watch shows me the time, date, outdoor temperature (could do without that one), calendar events (very few of those nowadays), messages, and steps taken per day.

I’m also reminded to “Take a minute to breath.” It’s unclear how that reading is determined, but supposedly the timepiece can detect your stress level. The message makes me laugh, which, I suppose is stress reducing. (I later read the watch is set to suggest “breathing” every 5 hours, which seems a little infrequent to me.)

You’ve Been Buzzed

My new watch buzzes my wrist to inform me that I should stand up and walk after sitting at the computer for hours. I obey, well, most of the time. It also features music, maps, a vital signs monitor, calculator, list maker, photo finder, podcast, radio, clock, timer, emergency help alarm, and more I’ve not yet explored.

Siri is a Know-it-All

But the feature I enjoy most is chatting with my wrist pal, Siri. She’s a know-it-all, tell-it-all leprechaun, who lives inside the black square on my arm. She rallies from her slumber, when I whisper, “Hey, Siri” followed by my question of the moment.

I put her to the test sometime and she seldom lets me down. For instance, I was watching a clip about Dolly Pardon. She looked doggone good, so I lifted my Dick Tracy watch and asked: “Hey, Siri” (she won’t respond unless you address her properly), “How old is Dolly Pardon?” Before I could bat an eyelid, she said, “75.” I politely responded, “Thank you.” 

Kitchen Friendly

Having such vast knowledge at my finger tips is something I never dreamed possible. As a kid, looking for answers, I had to  scour our set of Standard American encyclopedias (one volume missing). Today Siri’s my go-to gal.

Yes, Siri’s I.Q. is incredible. But I need her to be more household friendly. I want Siri to help me find my glasses, keys, and lost socks. I want to see recipes on my wrist, so I can immediately tell what goes into a dish. I want a recipe monitor to show if I’ve included all ingredients in the proper amounts—a feature that would vastly improve my cooking outcomes. If Siri could preheat (and clean) the oven, keep carrots from burning, inventory my larder, and place an order for needed groceries, she’d become my BFF.

Siri, Dick Tracy, and Apple are a formidable team. They should work on this. I’m available for consultation.

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