Learning Curve

I knew there would be a learning curve. After all, this is not the first time I've upgraded my cell phone. I suppose I've had at least six or seven different phones in the past ten years, maybe more. And each time, there's a learning curve. Each time there's a period of adjustment as I learn to navigate the different features of the new phone. But honestly, I'm just not very good at learning curves. I like to be able to make things work right now. When they don't, I am easily frustrated.

This time, I decided to get a Droid. It was either that or the newest Palm, which would have been easier because I already had a Palm, but the Droid was appealing as well. Ultimately, Gerald found me an amazing promotion that allowed me to get my new Droid for just $19.99, so the decision was made. Droid.

The day it arrived, Eli put in the battery and charged it. The next day Gerald activated it and transferred over my calendar and contacts from my Palm. The next day, he got my ring tone, the sweetest Alan Jackson tune "Remember When." If you don't know this song, you should definitely google it and listen. It's hard core country, though (which Gerald abhors), so he told me if I choose another country tune for my text ring tone, I'll need to find someone else to download it. Lindsey? Nah, I'm pretty sure he isn't serious, but I haven't chosen a song yet, so right now, when a text comes in, it defaults to this low-pitched, drawn-out voice: "DROID."

The next day, Gerald transferred over all my music. The only major thing left to do is install an application that will allow me to transfer over my "memos" which include a variety of important information which I need almost daily. Then I'll be totally set. Well, except for the learning curve.

Yeah, about that. The first couple days I was totally grumpy. Like seriously in a bad mood. "I just need this to work. Right now. And I want to know how to do all these things, and I don't want to have to read about it in a stupid manual." In desperation, I went to the mall and bought a hard plastic case for the phone, so in the event that I threw it across the room, it wouldn't break. Thus far, I've exercised sufficient restraint, but the phone is in its protective case just to be safe.

There's a debate in the field of education about whether students learn better by trial and error, that is by making mistakes, or if they learn better by doing things right the first time. I'm pretty sure there's not one right answer to this question. It likely depends on the situation, the specific skill involved, and the individual learner. But I can surely answer this question for myself. I do not learn best by trial and error. I do not learn best by making mistakes. I just get angry. Really angry. I am a perfectionist; I like to do things right.

After a week, though, I believe I'm mastering the learning curve. I think I actually like this phone. It has many fun features. One of my favorites is the front screen which changes color depending on the time of day. In the morning, it's a bright blue with green grass blowing in the wind. At sunset (well probably at sunrise as well, but I'm in summer mode, so I'm never awake for sunrise), it's a lovely red/orange with the grass fading in the shadows. At night, it's a deep dark blue with white stars. I'm finally able to text okay, not with the speed and accuracy I had with my Palm, but I'm getting better every day, so there's hope. I'm still not fully adjusted to the calendar application (I'm just SO used to the Palm system), but I think I'll adjust in time.

Last week, when I was grumping over this thing, Shulamith said, "You are so funny. Why are you so grumpy over a phone? Can't you just remember that it's always like this whenever you get a new one, and you know you'll figure it out eventually?"

Sounds reasonable, I suppose, but I'm just not good at learning curves.