A few months ago I bought an Android phone. I switched from my land line to my bottom-of-the-line cell phone a little over a year ago. I thought having an Android would help me stay better organized. However now I can’t just push a button to hang up the phone but I have to slide a bar to do this. It took me about three weeks until I became adept at answering it without disconnecting someone in the process.

I need directions written down or I don’t remember them and unfortunately, the instruction manual isn’t very specific. I’ve been to the cell phone store so many times to ask questions that all the salespeople know me! I’ve had three different folks write directions down for me in my Android book. My problem now is organizing the book so I can find what I need when I need it.

The store offers hour classes once a month for Android users and I went to one soon after I got the phone. There were enough employees there so each person worked with someone one-on-one. I didn’t know enough about the phone yet to ask the right questions so my session lasted only 20 minutes. Now, I’m keeping a list so when I go again I’ll get the help I need.

I can load an application for just about anything. I don’t even know what applications would be useful for me yet and browsing through them is mind boggling. So I’m starting out slowly. I’m trying to use the calendar for all my appointments but the one that came pre-loaded didn’t have a place where I could write notes. So I searched through the applications trying to find a more complex calendar. The problem was I didn’t need all the other bells and whistles. Someone at the store finally showed me a note app that I think will work. I can use this app for all my notes which I’m constantly writing to myself and then promptly losing. I hope I don’t lose the Android!

I downloaded a timer app since I often use a timer when I’m “resting my brain.” It downloaded easily enough but when I tried it, it crowed like a rooster. I couldn’t figure out how to shut if off so as it crowed my dog began howling. After several minutes of crowing and howling, I managed to get the thing turned off. After fiddling with it for a while, I was able to change the sound to a ring which is much better.

The problem is the ring isn’t very loud. One day, I set the alarm and put my earplugs in. After five minutes, my dog came running into the room jumped on my lap and looked at the phone. This got my attention so I took the ear plugs out and sure enough the alarm was ringing. It vibrates when it rings so next time, I’ll put it in my pocket.

I’m going to try this phone for a while and see if it works for me. This is something I have learned. Some things work and other don’t. I can’t be afraid to give up something that isn’t working.

Have you tried doing something now that’s difficult if not impossible? How does this make you feel? I don’t know about you but I get frustrated and angry when I can’t learn something the first few times. Sometimes keeping with it makes it easier and sometimes I realize it is something I just can’t do. Feel free to comment here or email me directly at