Mike's parents got him one of those Garmin GPS, "thing-a-ma-bob-a-jiggies" for Christmas.As you can imagine, having a talking navigation system in the car has proven quite magical for the boys. The other night we used it to guide us to the Stake Court of Honor for Boy Scouting, for Evan to receive his ranks of Tenderfoot and Second Class. The wondrous Garmin gave us perfect directions to the church building that is in our stake boundaries, but in a neighboring town.
Mike has used the Garmin a lot more than I have. I don't really travel many places off of the beaten path. I mean, not to brag about my glamorous life, but I already know where all the Wal-Marts and grocery stores are in this town without the help of a navigation system. As we traveled that particular night Mike wowed the boys by showing them all of the Garmin's features. He could make it speak in like a woman or a man and he could also make it speak to us in several different languages.
The boys were VERY impressed.
I told Mike he should make the Garmin speak in the female voice. The Garmin calls that voice the, "Samantha". I explained to him that if he has the Garmin speak like Samantha, then he could pretend I am always with him...nagging him as usual. It would help him miss me less when he has to travel to different places in the Stake on speaking assignments.
Actually though, I am not a nag. I prefer to think of myself as "verbally repetitive" rather than a nag. (I totally stole the, "verbally repetitive" title from somewhere else. I wish I was clever enough to come up with it myself.)
But anyway, enough about me...
The boys began to ask a lot of questions about how on earth the little box could tell where we were and correct us when we turned incorrectly...
I tried to explain that a signal comes down from a...and I was about to say, "satellite" when Brian interrupted me with wide eyes, mouth slightly agape and wonder in his voice as he asked,
"Is God signaling us?"
I explained that it wasn't God sending us the signal...but that the signal came down from a satellite.
He then asked, "Who puts the satellite up there?"
I wanted to say, "Oh, for pity sake child, I have no idea how these things are accomplished..."
But instead I answered, "I guess an astronaut puts it up there...right, Honey?"
Mike explained that the satellite might be launched into space by the GPS company...but that he wasn't really sure.
To this day I don't know exactly how it all works.
And Samantha is being very stingy with that information.
(Brian ~March 2009~ 5 years and 10 months old)
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25 comments:
*recalculating*recalculating*
My daughter needs to know to the second, "When will we be there!" The GPS is my friend.
"I already know where all the Walmarts and grocery stores are in this town..."
Lauren, you are too funny. Thanks for the laugh!! I always love reading your blog posts.
There has to be an object lesson in there somewhere....
I don't have one, but when I have been in a car with one, it is constantly saying "recalculating route..." Bugs the crud out of me. Wanna throw Samantha out the window. Mapquest directions are quiet.
Whatever you do--do NOT give your GPS a name and start referring to her as the daughter you never had, nor consider her the 6th in your 5 person family.Do NOT become one of THOSE people, please. I know those people, and they scare me.
I'm with Hannah, that line was too funny! Little kids are so fun with the things they say. Brain is so cute.
You're too nice. I think I would have said that it was in fact, God signaling us and He also fills me in on everything naughty all of my children do when they think I'm not around and noticing it.
That could have held them for years.....
You're awesome.
I so want one. They are so handy!!
I am totally stealing "verbally repetitive"...
Although Aric could really use this gadget, we don't have one. I too know where every Wal-Mart, Safeway, Target, Tj Maxx and Michaels store is and exactly how many miles they are from my house...so why in the world would I ever need one!
So are you going to find out if your little peanut is pink or blue?
I so want one! It would come in so handy in my life right now. I want to see this entire island without worrying about being lost lost lost. Hopefully it's more helpful than annoying!
"verbally repetitive" hee hee, that's my favorite new phrase!
I have one and still haven't figured out how to use it. I can't figure out how faxes work either. Is it like in Willy Wonka where they break into a thousand little pieces and fly through the air?
Hey Curtis,
Does your comment mean that you would think I am taking it a little too far when I call our Garmin Samantha my sister-wife?
Wikipedia has a article describing the development and operation of GPS navigation that Mike and the kids might be interested in or you could check out yourself and really impress your family with how smart of a mom you are.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_Positioning_System
She sounds so happy when she says, "Destination". I love her, it mean it.
I am also verbally repetitive but I'm totally nice at the same time. Gps has saved MANkind from having to ask for directions. It makes them look like they know exactly where they are going.
Awesome post! I miss you! Hope you are doing well! ♥ Hugs :)
Very funny! I need a GPS in my car. Let's just say that I make LOTS of u-turns.
You can totally "steal" that SNL commercial.
Hi! We named ours Julie and Julie has saved our marriage! No more fighting over directions.
We have the same one and my husband has it on mute. He doesn't like women telling him what to do...
We have ours set to the English woman's accent. Very calming. If my husband were to name her I think I would be jealous ;D
I totally want one of those. I suck at finding my way anywhere. I mean, seriously. It's scary how bad I am at that kind of stuff.
You're too funny, Lauren!
I skimmed and then read the last line and assumed you were having a little girl named Samantha. Twas very exciting there for a minute!!!
we named ours clarisse, as in the silence of the lambs. if my husband is going to listen to another woman's voice on a regular basis, i want him to be creeped out by it. a mental of image of jodie foster, followed immediately by a mental image of hannibal lechter in a "don't eat the humans" mask is appropriate.
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