Thursday, October 18, 2007

The Age of Beep

What is it with appliances that continue to beep at you until you pay them some attention? They're worse than nagging children. My microwave oven just won't let up after it's finished heating my food to a fireball until I fetch whatever it is I put in there. Does it think I'm going to forget that I was starving? The intermittent beep beep drives me nuts. I've scanned the manual that came with it to see if there is some way I can turn this off but it appears that I'm stuck with it. I now think twice before placing anythng in it but when I do I feel like giving it a good stern talking to just like I do to Henry, Maya and my husband. I want to tell it that if I don't respond immediately it's because I've been distracted by the need to pee or answer the phone or wipe up a major ice cream spill. I want to ask it to please be patient because I won't forget that I stuck an exploding potato into it.

I find myself wanting to go over there and unplug the thing and hurl it out the window. Ben obviously feels the same way because he's been known to slam his fingers on the door release so hard that it almost breaks the springs. Maya and Henry, well they just wait until someone else prepares their food and places it in their lap.

I am fortunate enough to have a non-electronic version of washing machine but I have friends and relatives who do. Those things do the same thing. The constant beep beep that reminds you your washing has finished and you should be paying attention to your housekeeping duties more closely has been known to drive them insane also.

Is it just that the electronic age uses this option because they can or do they truly believe it's an added "feature" that everyone wants? Why don't they just make them sing a pre-recorded message that says something like "hey stupid, you who believes that your life is so much better off with me, why don't you get off your fat butt and get over here and deal with me. Go on. I dare you

2 comments:

Churlita said...

My cell phone does that when I miss a call. Most times, it's because I didn't want to answer it in the frist place and I don't want to be reminded how rude I'm being by ignoring the person who just called.

Anonymous said...

my dang FRIDGE does this when you leave it open. nice if you've forgotten. but when you're unloading the shopping and WANT it opened for longer than normal, it drives me nuts. says more about me than the fridge, but i'm ok with that.

my microwave does three sets of 3 really looooooong beeps after finisheing.

AND my new electric kettle makes this funny reminder sound for a few minutes after it's finished boiling.