The other day I went to Wendy’s to grab lunch for my children and french fries for me. We had gone to look at a a place for us to rent in The Village (kind of like a suburb of Sedona, if you can have a suburb for a city of 10,000 people) Anyways, it seems that ‘kids’ will always be kids! I mean really The Village of Oak Creek (which they shorten and call it The Village or VOC) is a short drive approximately 6 to 10 miles from Sedona but it can be a little longer with tourist traffic and my URCHINS insisted they needed something to eat. I said it had to be quick. My URCHINS are not a fan of quick anymore. They have developed a taste for RESTAURANTS and would have gladly stopped and ate but nope, it was WENDY’S!!
So, we pull up to order, it was a drive thru excursion and this is where the fun begins!
I order Nathan’s meal first. I am asked to repeat it. I repeat. I order Maddie’s meal. I am asked to repeat it. I repeat. I order me a FRENCH FRY and DIET PEPSI. I am asked to repeat it. I repeat. And then I am asked about the amount of Diet Pepsi’s I ordered. We repeat the number of Diet Pepsi’s ordered. And, then we have the order completed.
I said, “I never know if I am talking too loud, you know those speakers or MAYBE IT IS MY MIDWESTERN ACCENT?” Yeah, I know you think it is mean. But, you all were thinking it as you read the story, right? I just wrote it down!
Anyways, after I got the “MOOOOOM!!!!” And I did the “WHAT? I don’t see you or your friends working at a fast food restaurant?”
Sidenote: By the way I did work at a fast food restaurant and so did my friends way back in the day. It is the kids today that are TOOOO GOOOOD for it. WHATEVER!
Resuming story: After my children got over the astonishment ( they weren’t overly astonished they know me but they still have to be a little stunned and then giggle and shake their heads) of me stating a FACT because when we pulled up to the window the very friendly lady was not , hmm, how shall I say this, well, she didn’t have a midwestern accent or a southern accent or a northern accent or an eastern accent or a western accent, nor did many of the workers helping her.
So, my point, oh, what was my point???
That’s right! Maddie said, to her brother, ” Hey, Nathan I bet soon we will have touchscreens to do the ordering and won’t that be cool?”
I said, “Gosh, then they will say no cash, just pull up and swipe your card!” Nathan said, “Yep, and then they will shoot your food out at you!!!
I said, “Oh, my gosh it will be the JETSON’S”!! See, I was getting to the Jetsons!!!
Now, here is the sad thing. As I thought about this much later, I thought, that is exactly how jobs are lost. Technology. No, we can’t nor should we stop it but it does change the dynamics of living and jobs. I mean think about the above scenario. If that really happened two people at every store could probably be eliminated. If they go to Touchscreens and self Paying, you could probably eliminate at least one person the shoot thingy gets rid of the second person (LOL).
Technology has been eliminating jobs for centuries and it is going to continue.
Americans need to face the facts and figure this out!!!
{ 26 comments }
HA! We actually have machines to order our food at in some fast food restaurants around here. Not all of them, actually, not MANY of them, but there are several that have that…you don’t get your food through a shoot, though, you still stand around and wait for the worker to call your number, but you put your order into the machine…
Oh, also, you can pay with credit, debit, OR cash…you can deposit cash like in a vending machine.
See, we are getting there!
Definitely a love/hate thing with technology for that! (As far as anything phone related…it’s all hate. I just want to talk to a human.)
OMG!!! I hate those automated systems, hate them!!!
I loved watching the Jetsons!
But you are absolutely right… we will have fewer jobs as technology ramps up.
And I love what you said at the drive-thru…. I too would have thrown that out there. Embarrassing the kids is always a delight!
Meet George Jetson…. That is me singing (LOL) Anyways, the kids are forever rolling their eyes at my mouthy statements, like they are gems (LOL)
Hi! I am your newest follower from Follow Friday!
I’d love if you would visit my blog!
http://www.hislittlemrs.blogspot.com
A huge thank you and I will be over to your blog this weekend for sure to return the favor, thanks again!!!
here from ff
Take a minute an check my blog out if you haven’t already.
I have lots of great giveaways going on.
Thanks
ethertonphotography.blogspot.com
I visit blogs all weekend long, it is my favorite thing to do so I will be stopping by for sure!!!
I am your newest follower form the Friday Follow. Please stop by and return the favor. Happy Mothering!
http://motherhoodthetruth.blogspot.com/
A huge thank you and I will be stopping by your blog this weekend to return the favor, thank you , thank you!!!
Happy Friday follow! I am now following along. Hope you will stop by and do the same
PS…I love the Jetsons!!!!
I know the Jetson’s are too funny!
Thanks for popping in and I will definitely be by your blog this weekend!
Loved this post!
Stopping by from Friday Follow! Cute blog!
Hope you can stop by mine!
http://carissa8402.blogspot.com
Thanks a bunch and I will definitely be visiting!
Following you from FF – hope to see you at Dropped Stitches!
xo Erin
Thanks for stopping by and I will be dropping by your blog soon!
I’m your newest follower via Friday Follow. Follow me back please.
Thanks a bunch!!
Happy Friday Follow! I am anew follower! It really is scary to think that someday we will lose our jobs to technology. I had to laugh when you said it was your Midwestern accent that made it hard for them to understand. I have been told that I have the annoying Midwestern accent before by people in my own freaking state. Loving your blog!
It is funny when you live your little part of the world to realize YOU are the one with the accent (LOL)
Technology really changes the life of everyone, from manual to mechanical, though there are consequences. Following you from Friday Follow, hope you can visit me too.
I will definitely be by, thanks for visiting!!
Hi there.
Stopping by from Friday-Follow to say hello.
Thanks for playing. Be sure to post our image so visitors know you’re playing.
Have a great day!
http://harrietandfriends.com/2010/06/building-friendships-one-blog-at-a-time/
I have it up now, it has been too crazy in Sedona and I meant to get it up last night, ugh!!!
I’m joining you as a new follower, courtesy of Friday Follow. Hope you can buzz by my blog soon! I agree about technology, but touchscreens would be cool!! To be honest, I thought we would already be living like the Jetson’s by now!
~B.B.
Buzzing the Day Away
Thank you, Thank you!! I will be over to visit you this weekend!!
I agree I thought we would be more like the Jetson’s by now too (LOL)
Hi! I’m visiting from Friday Follow. I signed up to be a new follower.
Why, thank you very much and I will be over to your blog this weekend!!
LOL I love the Jetsons!
I’m a new follower
~Victoria
http://ourlifewithjake.blogspot.com
Thanks! I love the Jetson’s too and I will be over to your blog this weekend!!
Hi I’m here from Fun Friday Follow – Great blog
Sandie lee
http://imaginationcafeblog.blogspot.com
Thanks a bunch and I will be visiting you soon!
Hmmm. While I do think if they ever had touch screens for ordering fast food a lot of people would be out of jobs – I still think it would be awesome NOT to have to scream my order and repeat it 15 times!
Yeah, I get sick of the screaming too!
New Follower from FF – hope to see you follow us back or like us on FB. Looking forward to your posts. ;0) http://www.SproutGear.com
Checked out your blog, very cool and went FB and Twitter.
You are an amusing blogger, Lucy:) I found you on Friday Follow! The sweet tiny flower background is beautiful! You’re invited to hop over to my blog, if you’d like!
-Lacey-
Well, I have been called many things BUT I like amusing, thank you (LOL). LiLu did my blog, so I thank her!!
I will be over to visit you soon!!
Hey! I worked fast food when I was 16. I lasted six months at Wendy’s. Fun Fun fun.
Ok: NOT fun. But I gained an appreciation for how much work goes into it. Yes, it’s easy to train people to do it, but I always left that job absolutely exhausted.
As far as touch screens are concerned: I think that could happen eventually, but to be completely honest, the technology is too expensive for that to happen in the short term. Maybe in 30 years. The company I work for builds software for it – it’s not cheap, and it’ll be a while. You’re right though – it is how people lose jobs. There’s a reason why my geenration is expected to switch careers seven times.
I know, I read that, at least seven times, ugh!
Okay, now I must tease you, six months, that is funny, too funny. I worked at mine for 4 years!! 2 High School and then 2 years of college!
love the blog. im your newest follower form Friday Follow.
Thanks a bunch!!!
I can’t remember if I already commented here or not. I am way too easy to confuse! Anyway … found you through FF and delighted to follow!
I think there will always be some sort of work for people to do although the nature of the work, and the effort required to accomplish it, certainly changes with advances in technology! Honestly I think that has a lot to do with why we, as a society, struggle so with our weight and health. We get too little exercise because we don’t do physical work anymore!
Nice to meet you!
Beth
Oh, yes we have become very sedentary and it has hurt us in many ways!
I will over to visit you this weekend for sure!!
I’m following you now… would love it if you stopped by & checked out my blog & follow me if u would like =)
Thanks
Thanks and I will be by this weekend!!!
I couldn’t help but actually laugh out loud when reading this one. My nephew looked at me crazy. Last night at Sonic I told the person I am sorry if it seems that I am yelling at you, but I don’t talk loud and to fast for yall here. and she giggled and said that is alright.
You are so right about technology taking away jobs, but I think that in some places it adds it too. But it only adds it for the ones that are educated or have the skills for those jobs and that is where it runs out because there isn’t enough people to fill the jobs because they do not have the education or the skills to do the job.
We have to shift our thinking and training, oh and it is those darn speakers, I know it is (LOL)
I want to quote your post in my blog. It can?
And you et an account on Twitter?
Please go right ahead, sorry I was out of town, so if too late I understand, thanks for asking and swinging by!
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