Older and Better with Shelly

I'm not a big shopper, never have been. When I was a kid my Mom used to run to the store and buy stuff. Then, the next day, she would return it. I made a promise at a young age that I would not follow in her footsteps. When I bought something it wasn't getting returned unless there was a very good reason. Fast forward years later and along comes the mall. It was a wonderful place for people to meet, take walks, eat out and go to the movies. In cold-weather states it was great. You would park and go in, and you could be entertained for the day. Or, in the heat of summer, you could stay cool. You might just get a cup of coffee, wander around, and meet your friends. I went to my neighborhood mall today. I hadn't been in a few months. The big major department store that has been there for maybe 30 years, or more, was empty. I never thought that I would be so sad. I walked around and all of these sales people were running after me trying to help me. I'm ...

I have to admit the first time I saw Alexa she didn't look like she could become my best friend. In fact I couldn't figure out what she was at all. I was at my kids’ house and saw my son and my granddaughter talking to this thing on the counter in the kitchen. I thought they had both lost their minds. When she talked back to them I thought I lost my mind. I thought this was the stupidest thing that has ever been invented. Why do you need somebody to help you play your music? Has the world gotten so lazy that you can't put a CD on your CD player or turn the radio on? I forgot all about Alexa until my son, the main gadget guru in the family, got us an Amazon Echo Dot for Hanukkah, a few years ago. I thought what in the heck am I going to do with that round circle thing that when you plug-it in it lights up. I remember years ago when my brother and I got my mother a microwave and she refused to use it. She used it as a bread box for years unt...