Month: January 2025

Microwave Dependency

Last week our built-in microwave oven broke. Since we live in an apartment community for retired seniors, most repairs are the duty of the maintenance department. Within a few hours our maintenance man, whose name is Radar, (no pun intended) showed up and examined the appliance. “Yep,” he said, “This oven is broke. I’ll put in an order, but it will take three weeks to get another one.”

“You’ve got to be kidding,” I thought to myself. “How can we survive?” My thoughts raced as I imagined an average day in our kitchen. My husband uses the microwave to make instant oatmeal for breakfast. Our granddaughter loves microwavable macaroni and cheese when she visits us for lunch. Every afternoon I heat a cup of water for tea. And how will we prepare the standard bag of popcorn in the evening while we watch a movie? At this point in my life I honestly don’t know how to make popcorn any other way.

The microwave dilemma influences the choices I make at the grocery store. Today as I pushed my cart through the frozen food aisle, I noticed Healthy Choice frozen meals were a BOGO. I paused for a minute, then realized I wouldn’t be able to cook them.  I could store the meals in the freezer but it’s already full of frozen vegetables, which by the way, I usually cook in the microwave. I sighed and proceeded to the checkout thinking, “With this wave of modern convenience I have been greatly inconvenienced!”

Who is responsible for my dependency? None other than self-taught engineer, Percy Spencer. As an employee of Raytheon Laboratories during World War II, Spencer noticed a candy bar had melted in his pocket while working with a live radar set emitting microwave signals. He accidentally discovered the radar’s compact cavity magnetron tube generated heat.

Spencer experimented with heating foods by directing the magnetron tube toward popcorn and eggs. That must have been messy until he created a metal box to contain the magnetron tube. Once the box was created, a rough model of the first microwave oven was patented by Spencer in 1945. Surprisingly, Mr. Spencer only received a $2.00 bonus for his invention, and never collected any royalties.

The early appliances were huge, practically the size of a refrigerator, and expensive—costing $5,000 each, so initially microwaves were used only by industrial kitchens. In 1967 a residential countertop model was manufactured by the Amana Corporation and sold for under $500. During the 1970’s cheaper parts and advancements brought prices down. Today microwave ovens are considered a standard built-in feature in most American kitchens and have transformed modern cooking. 

Our microwave was brand new when we moved into our apartment in 2021. Wouldn’t you think it would last longer than three years? An old saying rings true, “they just don’t make things like they used to.”

As far as my microwave dependency I guess we’ll have “cold turkey” for dinner tonight.

The Allure of “Alone”

My favorite television program is “Alone.” If you’ve never seen it, ten individuals compete in a contest for a prize of $500,000. Each contestant camps alone on a tract of land. The object of the contest is to survive living in the wilderness by relying on their own skills. Most of the programs I’ve watched take place in northern Canada during the late fall and winter. The contestants are permitted to bring ten items which can be used to construct shelter and procure food. Every contender is supplied with cameras to film their experiences.

I like the show because the producers choose beautiful wild settings for the contest. As a viewer, and someone who enjoys the outdoors, I feel drawn into their world when I hear the rustle of leaves and rippling water. I imagine the fragrance of the pines and the smoke of the campfire.

Each episode follows the various characters through their struggle to survive. Some people decide to build a shelter right away while others decide finding food is their first priority. Each setting includes access to a lake. In order to insure it is free from bacteria, the water must be boiled.

Contestants collect edible plants, fish, and hunt for food with primitive tools. Guns are not permitted. After a successful catch or kill, the meat is sometimes stored for future use. This too, is a challenge, since food caches draw scavengers like pine martins, bears, and wolves. The contest is not only among contestants, but with nature itself.

Anytime during the contest a participant can “tap out” by using a special phone. Some contestants tap out after a few days due to injury or illness. Gastro-intestinal issues are common when a person eats something deadly. I would not enjoy eating some of the animals the contestants eat. But if you’re hungry, anything’s game! The last man or woman standing earns the prize money. I have watched episodes where the winner of the contest survived for 80 days.

The real test for every contestant is overcoming loneliness. Everyone misses their family members. Some contestants focus on winning the money and how they plan to spend it. This goal keeps them going for awhile, but loneliness eventually consumes even the most introverted person. Some contestants have created dolls and statues to talk to. Everyone talks to the camera, because eventually the show will be produced and their loved ones will watch. The contestants pretend they are actually talking to someone—but no one talks back.

One contender remarked that that he understood why prisons use solitary confinement to punish people. It is difficult to be alone with your own thoughts and stay positive. Love is a force which empowers humans to live. Relationships change our objective from physical survival to living for a higher purpose. In addition, working cooperatively can accomplish more in less time.

The author of Ecclesiastes speaks to the benefit of friendship. “Two are better than one, because they have good return for their work. If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls down and has no one to help him up.” Eccl. 4:9 NIV

The contestants on “Alone” are allured by an idea of rugged individualism. But each season of the show teaches the same lesson. People need people. The program makes me appreciate the life I live, and my relationships which make life meaningful.

When I compare my outdoor skills with these survival experts I know I wouldn’t stand a chance of lasting more than one night. What would you miss most?