Improve your marriage with technology

Disclaimer: Listening to me give relationship advice is like hearing the captain of the Exxon Valdez lecture on navigation or following Jeffrey Dahlmer's cooking tips. The Demotivation poster that reads, "Dysfunction: The only consistent feature in all of your dissatisfying relationships is you." was written just for me. - Doug

After many, many years, I discovered the very best thing a husband can do when he gets home from work is to pour a large glass of wine, sit down, and make sympathetic sounds for about 20 minutes while his wife relates her day. No advice, no reading the newspaper, no grumbling about one's own day. Men, repeat after me: "Oh, that's too bad." "Well, that wasn't very nice." "I am sure it wasn't anything you said." " People just don't always show their appreciation." and the always popular, "Uh huh." Eye contact required.

I call the LWW (Luckiest Woman in the World) morning and evening when I am on the road, trying to be a supportive spouse. No problem in the US with cell phones and calling cards. But being overseas is more problematic. Even short calls from hotels can be very expensive and I find it difficult to be empathetic while charges mount on a hotel phone bill. Enter Skype.

I am not one to give many product endorsements, but Skype has allowed me to be both cheap and understanding. The last trip I took overseas, the LWW and I prearranged times when we would both be online and used Skype's free computer to computer calling system. (Matching headsets with the cool microphone built in.) OK, but sort of a pain.

This trip I went out on a limb and purchased a whole $10 worth of SkypeOut which allows me to use my Internet connected computer to call any phone in the US from anywhere in the world for about two cents a minute. I'm at my computer and the LWW can talk on either the home land line or her cell phone. It's a miracle. We've had about five relaxed calls and I still have $8.46 or something left. I think even in the States, two cents a minute is pretty cheap calling time.

So men, technology doesn't have to wreck a relationship - it can actually improve it. Take it from me, the Dr. Phil of technology.

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Thanks to all the librarians and techs who attended today's workshop here at the EARCOS conference in Bangkok. You were about the feistiest bunch I've worked with and you made my day fly by.  You were great!

Comments

[Joyce Valenza]

"So men, technology doesn't have to wreck a relationship - it can actually improve it. Take it from me, the Dr. Phil of technology."

Even Dr. Phil knows better, Doug! :-) Why would you choose to aim you final advice at men only? Women initiate Skype too.

[Doug Johnson]

Because I'm thoughtless and sexist?

Point well-taken!

Doug

[beth gourley]

Since I'm not in China (and not blocked), I'll take the opportunity to post to your site. Agree with Joyce! I've been calling my husband via Skype since I arrived at the conference.
So you think,
"You were about the feistiest bunch I've worked with"?
I appreciate that you allowed us to bring up some issues that need to be addressed.

[Doug Johnson]

Hi Beth,

I hope you realize that "feisty" is high praise. I love people who are thinking!

Thanks also to the link for the ebook article. Sony's not perfect, but evolving. I wonder how satisfied any of us would now be with an IBM DOS desktop computer today?

I had a wonderful time at the conference. Thanks for your participation!

All the very best,

Doug

Switched-On Book: Is the Sony Reader the library of the future?
by David Skinner

http://www.weeklystandard.com/Utilities/printer_preview.asp?idArticle=13447&R=112B5EEE1