Watch out Tiger Woods
After a fabulous omelet at Hearth and Kettle, we played the obligatory round of miniature golf. My wife hit a solid hole in one and we enjoyed some laughs from my ten-shot holes.
Then we experienced the new "Easyshop" technology at Stop 'n Shop. When you walk into the store, you check out a hand-scanner. You scan in your goods as you purchase them throughout the store. Then at the checkout you simple scan in the bar code to signal "End of Purchase" and it totals up your purchase for you to pay at the self-checkout.
The benefit to you as customer is that you only pack you goods into packets once, directly into your shopping cart, and don't have to unpack everything to scan them at the checkout. Also, the checkout only takes a few minutes as you pay for the goods already scanned in. "Easyshop" is a far better solution than RFID, if you ask me.
Strangely, the children are more open to using "Easyshop" than parents. We noticed another family shopping where the two little girls were adeptly using the hand scanner while mother was cautiously trying to follow what they were doing. In my case, I am embarrassed to admit that it took a few minutes of my son's "Daddy, can I try this?" before I conceded to use the "Easyshop" system. I did not want to be the guinea pig for a technology "experiment". Been there, done that, spent the long nights, too often with computer upgrades over the years. "Easyshop" was a good experience for us and we will "Easyshop" again (even without my son's prodding). The lesson here is that we all need to be willing to invest a few minutes trying new systems, trusting that we may benefit from the improved system. "No Risk, no reward" comes to mind.
It is ironic that in 2001 we risked everything when we left South Africa to start a new life in the USA, yet I am hesitant to try a new shopping system. (And eternally grateful that my wonderful wife did not publicly point out the irony to me)
We wrapped up the morning with an hour-long walk on Nauset beach. It is overcast this morning with a thin fog on the water. By noon the fog was clearing and the beach started to draw the sun-seeking families. We did not see any of the seals who were just 50 yards offshore yesterday. Lifeguards were training this morning and one lesson we overheard was "Don't hold onto the swimmer in distress. Give the person the float and let him or her hold on. Take care to get yourself separate from the distressed swimmer and keep control of your own swimming".
Walking in the waves, I recalled that our trips in the 1990's to the South African beach always ended with us collecting sea water to take back to our servant. In South Africa our servants believed that sea water holds magical properties and would drink a teaspoon a day for months after our vacations. It seems such a foreign world as we walk along the Atlantic ocean on Cape Cod in Massachusetts in 2008.
This afternoon we returned to the beach for some sun. What is it with the tattoos? When I was growing up, only sailors and low-class workers sported tattoos. Now, self-mutilation appears to be a status symbol. I accept men's earrings as self-expression, but don't understand the fascination with tattoos in the world's wealthiest nation.
Then we experienced the new "Easyshop" technology at Stop 'n Shop. When you walk into the store, you check out a hand-scanner. You scan in your goods as you purchase them throughout the store. Then at the checkout you simple scan in the bar code to signal "End of Purchase" and it totals up your purchase for you to pay at the self-checkout.
The benefit to you as customer is that you only pack you goods into packets once, directly into your shopping cart, and don't have to unpack everything to scan them at the checkout. Also, the checkout only takes a few minutes as you pay for the goods already scanned in. "Easyshop" is a far better solution than RFID, if you ask me.
Strangely, the children are more open to using "Easyshop" than parents. We noticed another family shopping where the two little girls were adeptly using the hand scanner while mother was cautiously trying to follow what they were doing. In my case, I am embarrassed to admit that it took a few minutes of my son's "Daddy, can I try this?" before I conceded to use the "Easyshop" system. I did not want to be the guinea pig for a technology "experiment". Been there, done that, spent the long nights, too often with computer upgrades over the years. "Easyshop" was a good experience for us and we will "Easyshop" again (even without my son's prodding). The lesson here is that we all need to be willing to invest a few minutes trying new systems, trusting that we may benefit from the improved system. "No Risk, no reward" comes to mind.
It is ironic that in 2001 we risked everything when we left South Africa to start a new life in the USA, yet I am hesitant to try a new shopping system. (And eternally grateful that my wonderful wife did not publicly point out the irony to me)
We wrapped up the morning with an hour-long walk on Nauset beach. It is overcast this morning with a thin fog on the water. By noon the fog was clearing and the beach started to draw the sun-seeking families. We did not see any of the seals who were just 50 yards offshore yesterday. Lifeguards were training this morning and one lesson we overheard was "Don't hold onto the swimmer in distress. Give the person the float and let him or her hold on. Take care to get yourself separate from the distressed swimmer and keep control of your own swimming".
Walking in the waves, I recalled that our trips in the 1990's to the South African beach always ended with us collecting sea water to take back to our servant. In South Africa our servants believed that sea water holds magical properties and would drink a teaspoon a day for months after our vacations. It seems such a foreign world as we walk along the Atlantic ocean on Cape Cod in Massachusetts in 2008.
This afternoon we returned to the beach for some sun. What is it with the tattoos? When I was growing up, only sailors and low-class workers sported tattoos. Now, self-mutilation appears to be a status symbol. I accept men's earrings as self-expression, but don't understand the fascination with tattoos in the world's wealthiest nation.
Labels: Vacations
posted by Wayne Botha @ 7:03 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
Links to this post:
Create a Link
<< Home