By Jerry Zezima
When you get to be my age (old enough to know better), it’s hard to remember things. At least I think so. I can’t remember.
So you’d think modern Technology would be helpful, but it isn’t.
There’s Artificial Intelligence. Let me tell you something: I was born with artificial intelligence. It doesn’t work.
Then there’s the calendar app, or the notes app, or whatever app on your phone that you can use to remember upcoming doctor’s appointments, haircuts, oil changes or anything else you have coming up. Unfortunately, I would need my grandchildren to help me, but I don’t see them every day.
So I rely on the best device ever invented for (with apologies to Marcel Proust) a remembrance of things fast.
I refer, of course, to Post-it Notes.
The little square sticky pieces of paper, which come in lots of delightful colors, are my main means of keeping track of all the things I have to do every day of my action-packed life.
“I see you have all your events lined up,” said my wife, Sue, referring to the half-dozen Post-it Notes stuck to the bottom my computer screen.
“I have a busy schedule,” I replied, noting (get it?) that I had a dental appointment on Monday, a Zoom meeting on Wednesday, a phone call and a doctor’s appointment on Thursday and several other things — including another doctor’s appointment, an out-of-town speech, a haircut and a car servicing — in the following two weeks.
“How come you don’t use Post-it Notes?” I asked Sue.
“Because,” she answered, “I have all kinds of pads.”
They are downstairs, on the kitchen counter, next to a small plastic container jammed with approximately two dozen pens, half of which don’t work.
The individual pieces of paper on the pads, which are larger than Post-it Notes, don’t have a strip on the back so you can stick them to whatever — computer, wall, refrigerator, mirror or, when I run out of space, forehead — you use as a bulletin board.
I’ll stick with Post-it Notes. I use so many, however, that I recently ran out and had to run out to an office supply store to replenish my office supply.
“Post-it Notes are among our most popular items,” said Dominick, the general manager. “They fly off the shelves.”
“How can they fly off if they’re stuck?” I wondered.
“Good question,” said Dominick.
“Do a lot of people my age buy Post-it Notes?” I asked.
“How old are you?” Dominick asked in return.
“I’m 71,” I told him.
“You look a lot younger,” he said.
“I credit immaturity,” I replied. “But if I didn’t use Post-its, I wouldn’t remember anything.”
“People of all ages use them,” said Dominick, who’s 25.
“Does that include you?” I inquired.
“Yes,” he said. “I have a bunch in my office. They’re for tasks to be completed.”
“I can’t figure out how to put notes or appointments in my phone,” I confessed.
“Neither can I,” Dominick said.
“What age group uses Post-its the most?” I asked.
“Believe it or not,” said Dominick, “middle school and high school students. It’s on their supply list.”
“My oldest grandchild just turned 12. She’ll be in middle school this fall,” I said. “She’s a whiz on all kinds of devices. She shows me how to use them.”
“When she gets to middle school, you can buy her Post-it Notes,” Dominick suggested.
“And I’ll show her how to use them,” I added.
“We have pens,” Dominick said.
“Do they work?” I asked.
“Of course,” he said. “They’re new.”
“Great,” I said. “I’ll buy some for my wife, too. Most of hers are out of ink.”
“You can also buy her Post-it Notes,” Dominick said.
“Good idea,” I said. “I’ll write it down on one of mine so I remember.”
Copyright 2025 by Jerry Zezima
Originally Published on http://jerryzezima.blogspot.com
