November 6, 2003
Dear Everyone:
Things are beginning to heat up in the records management world. Why? The year is nearly over and a lot of people are suddenly remembering that they were going to do something about their file situation. And coincidentally, some of them still have money in their budgets that needs to be spent before next year.
Consequently, our services are in high demand. For now.
In addition, a lot of electronic document management system folks want their rollouts “completed” before the end of the year. And the project managers evidently think PC training rooms grow on trees. So they honestly believe they can say, “I want all my documents migrated and all my people trained by next week.” And it will happen.
This is a variation on what I call “The Bibbidi Bobbidi Boo Syndrome”. People think a records manager comes into their work area, waves a magic wand and proclaims “Bibbidi Bobbidi Boo” and, presto! they have a complete file room ready to be used. (Hands, how many people don’t remember that “Bibbidi Bobbidi Boo” was the song from Walt Disney’s animated feature, Cinderella?)
Anyway.
“Jeannie” and I had a good time handing out Halloween candy last weekend. Also, we needed to replace her VCR, which was clearly on its last legs. Just by luck, I had a VCR sitting in my closet. I had picked it up at the grocery store a year ago last Christmas with the plan that it would be available to replace the next VCR that broke. And so it did.
Then, on Sunday, we visited various electronics stores. I’ve been noticing lately that the TV in my living room is beginning to dislike certain channels. It is, after all, the oldest TV that I have, and it may be time to hand it over to someone else.
So we were looking at possible new TV’s. We were amazed by the sizes of TV’s these days. And, of course, there are the new LCD and plasma models. We weren’t buying, just shopping and getting an idea of what a new TV might cost, given the plethora of makers, models and styles. This just might be the year that Santa brings me a new TV for Christmas.
Then back to “Jeannie’s” place so I could write down step-by-step instructions for her on how to use her new VCR to record shows. It is, after all, a fairly cheap system, so the programming is pathetic. It’s one of the kind that uses arrow keys to fill in dates and times instead of letting you simply key in the information.
But it’s clear from our visit to the electronics stores that VCR’s are becoming a thing of the past. DVD’s and DVR’s are the wave of the future. And the sales people in the electronic stores are frighteningly eager to help you buy something. Anything. The first VCR I bought was around $700 and required a special credit account to buy. The last one, I got at the grocery store for less than $60.
The same will be true of the expensive new plasma TV’s. Thousands of dollars now, mere hundreds in a few years. I’m just not sure that I can wait that long.
Love, as always,
Pete
| Previous | Next |