New Addition To Our Family

This is our new addition: HP iPAQ rx5915 Travel Companion with GPS pocket PC. Rhett budgeted in the school funding to purchase a palm pilot type thing for when he starts rotations next year, but began researching early. Some students recommended getting them early so you have time to get familiar with using a handheld computer, so that was the rationale in the early purchase. After hours of research this was Rhett's choice. It is a pocket PC with the Tom Tom navigation system he has been drooling over for over a year. The day he got this, he literally hopped out of the kitchen exclaiming: "This is the best thing I've ever bought in my life!" Rhett is usually pretty "neutral" in his emotions, it takes a lot to get him excited to where he is jumping around, unlike me, so this is a huge thing.

So to my point. Rhett's new child got us in some trouble today. Since he got it, Rhett has been testing the TomTom navigation system with the full mounting equipment in his car. Yes, that's right. The TomTom tells him how to get to school, church, Wal-mart. Obviously the limits of living in a small town and never having an errand beyond 6 miles was not

testing the new toy's abilities. Thus the trip to Nauvoo was greatly anticipated for Rhett.

He programmed the shortest route between our house and Nauvoo. It took us out on Hwy 6, a common route we take. After about 15 miles, the voice directed to "turn Right onto county hwy 12"...uhhh, this is a dirt road. "I don't know about this Rhett. We're going to be late." I cautioned doubting the PC. "Don't worry Jess. TomTom probably knows a shortcut no one else knows about. I looked at the route, in the end it will be faster." After driving for miles on dirt roads, TomTom lead us to a no through road. We were in the middle of rural Missouri trusting a robot to get somewhere we already know. I was frustrated. "Rhett, this shortest route doesn't mean it's faster. We aren't going to make it." I continued to joke about the PC and ridicule it. Rhett was patient and agreed he wouldn't take anymore dirt roads TomTom suggests. He was patient until I crossed the line (at this point we were back on paved roads on a route we have previously taken) "Rhett I don't know why we waste our time with this. Just go the way we know!" He calmly responded. "Jess your complaining and negativity is getting on my nerves and starting to annoy me...pretty bad. You've made TomTom nervous now and so now he is all confused and we're both not enjoying this ride with you." I knew he was serious about being annoyed, and kidding about flustering TomTom, and worse, he was right about my whining. After my thoughtful pause he added: "Jess, lay off TomTom....he's just a computer." That was it: "Rhett do you know 'TomTom' is just a computer?" He started laughing, enjoying the whole adventure, and I tried to conceal my chuckle at the whole mess.

We finally did make it and we weren't late, and I have to give TomTom credit for finding a short cut on the way back through Keokuk, IA. Maybe TomTom and I just started out on the wrong foot and we'll become friends after all.