One of my favorite places to visit at the national conventions is the exhibit halls. I love wandering the booths and spending a dollar here or there in the hopes of winning a raffle for something I might otherwise never afford or think of purchasing.
I happened by the Independent Living Aids table and happened upon a travel alarm clock. I started thinking about the dinosaur talking clock perched on my nightstand and thought I’d speak with one of the representatives about purchasing a shiny new replacement that wouldn’t intrude as much on the lifestyles of my family and neighbors.
Unfortunately, the independent Living Aids table seems to be one of the most popular booths at the conventions because it was packed with people four deep waiting to ask questions and acquire new devices to make their lives easier. I wondered how many were waiting to ask the same question as I.
My clock is functional enough. It tells the time and wakes me at the appointed hour when requested. At first glance, you might think my clock to be a handy device that does its job well, has lasted me over 20 years and will continue to chug on for many years to come. That’s probably true.
There’s only a couple things wrong with my talking clock. It’s LOUD and setting the time or alarm are ponderous. Individually, these might not be an issue but together, they cause no end of problems.
I sometimes have trouble sleeping. I wake and wonder what time it is. My hand hovers over the speak button of my clock. I gently press the button and cringe as the time echoes throughout the house, “THE TIME IS 4:05 AM!” It isn’t bad enough that it has to shout, it has to pause between 4 and 05.
Jostled out of a sound sleep, my boyfriend turns to me and asks if I’m having trouble sleeping. A kitten snuggled happily at the top of the cat tree stretches and I feel his resentful glare. I’m sure Gizmo thinks I woke him on purpose. I imagine our neighbors turning in their sleep relieved to know they have a few more hours of rest ahead of them. Coyotes in the desert beyond our subdivision plot my death as their prey scurries into the darkness having been startled by the fact it’s now 4:05 AM.
Setting the alarm is an event that is planned well in advance. If I forget to set my clock until my family falls asleep, I risk the wrath of all as it booms each hour and minute as I feverishly press the buttons in hopes of ending everyone’s miserly as quickly as possible. Of course, pressing the buttons in rapid succession accomplishes nothing but a carpal tunnel flare up. The clock insists on calmly and loudly proclaiming each minute and hour in succession preceded by a bong in which Big Ben would take pride.
I silently weep if I need to awaken at 5:30 AM and my alarm is currently configured for 6:00 AM. I’ve tried covering the speaker but it seems as though the little fellow with the booming voice just gets annoyed and shouts all the louder.
Standing at the ILA booth, I imagined myself acquiring a new alarm clock with an adjustable volume. I just knew they’d have the box I needed sitting behind the table and would hand it to me with a flourish. A shaft of sunlight would shine down on the package and everyone in the vicinity would turn and stare at me in awe and wonder, wishing they had acquired the perfect talking clock.
Alas, it wasn’t to be. I never made it through the throng of people. I’ll have to wait until the next convention. Until then, I continue to schedule my life around setting the alarm mid-day so as not to disturb the delicate ecosystem that is Southern Arizona.
Hi there! I bought also from ILA., an atomic clock. It’s easy to set, not as loud as some. As a rule I’m not crazy about talking clocksor watches, so usually wear a braille watch. It’s easy to check my watch in the middle of the night or in a meeting or private session with someone without that ridiculous noise! Too bad more of the talking clocks or watches don’t have a volume control.
Its been 10 years since I last had a talking clock. I don’t m iss the little radio shack model I had that did much the same as your “big ben”. a loud bong, at max volume. and this was a travel talking clock at that. They never seem to build in a volume control for these things. now I use a standard clock radio (the alarm is very hard for me to set as it doesn’t speak) and manage to get it set close tom where i want (usually 15 minutes early).
btw, do they make a braille version that can be set that makes a loud buzz when the alarm goes off? I know there are windup models, but i always forget to wind those up.