No G49, I was too busy learning my trade and earning a living in my youth to go on marches and the like and I can't say that I agreed with many of them anyway. My world was one of grimy overalls and to-tecters (nobody had thought to provide ear defenders and goggles I those days). I didn't have much time for hush puppies, jeans and corduroy jackets favoured by what I saw as the trendy liberal lefties. The men I worked with/for were tough individuals who took no prisoners, but that didn't mean I let them get away with supressing my natural desire to usurp authority.
Although I do sit here now and blush a little at the irritation I must have been to those who undertook my education on "the tools" as a part of their responsibilities. When you are a member of a team welding or plating, or working at height without any harness, nobody tolerates a jackass, but people still have to learn to respect you. I have worked with and been taught by some wonderful men who will by now be long gone and hope that I will be remembered as kindly by those whom I have taught. Like those before me I tolerated genuine attempts to be individuals with their own thoughts, but I was always right of course.
Like you, I do not use a smartphone because, in this world of ubiquitous smart devices, a small, simple, single purpose device suits my needs. I do use Skype as our daughter lives in the USA and my sister on the Outer Hebrides. I have invested in a large smart TV and a special camera for this purpose, so that we can simply sit on our sofa and chat as if the distance between is were no more than a few feet instead of many miles. I think Facetime is a similar system for iPad users. I still buy books and also frequent our local library, in fact I have been there today, but when travelling a ready source of reading material can be a godsend.
Firenze. Being naturally argumentative I always try to prove myself right, but happily admit when I am wrong (but don't tell my wife that
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M.