By Eilene Lyon
When I go on one of my “Dead Ancestor” tours across the country, I take along a micro-cassette recorder. I see a lot of interesting things as I’m driving around and don’t want to forget them. It’s also helpful for remembering where I went and what I did there. Later, I transcribe the tapes into a Word document.
Perhaps if I had a traveling companion, scenarios like this would not happen.
Actual transcription from Tape 1, April 2017:
“Looks like Siri’s taking me on another wild goose chase again. I should have been going on Route 7, probably, but okay, I’m going the way I’m going, because Siri wants me to go on this route. Anyway, the forest to my left is a wildlife refuge, despite all the hideous fencing.
I just passed a town sign that said, ‘Correct.’ [Laughing] I said, ‘Okay, I guess I’m on the right route!’
I think it’s possible that the route that I’m on right now is kind of following Barry’s Trace. I saw a historic marker back in the little town of Napoleon. I don’t know if that has any significance whatsoever, but I have to just say, ‘Eilene, you’re going where you need to be going. Just go with it.’
Eilene: I have no idea what you’re talking about. [Chuckling]
Siri: Turn left onto west Washington Street.
Eilene: No.
Siri: Turn right onto North Ireland Street.
Eilene [emphatically]: NO.
Eilene: Siri’s making me mad. I want to go back and take a picture of this courthouse clock tower. It has a tree growing out of it. This is unbelievable.
Siri: Turn right onto North Jackson Street. Make a slight left turn onto Michigan Avenue.”
Feature image: Decatur County courthouse, Greenburg, Indiana. (E. Lyon)
Good thing Siri doesn’t understand my accent 🙂 Sorry you had troble with her too
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Her voice irritated me, so now “she” is an Aussie male!
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That’s my favorite road trip voice! My roommates & I named him Jack on our last trip.
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Thanks. I do need to give him a name, though we’re technically not that intimate.
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I shudder to think what words I’d be saying as I drove along, irritated by Siri and confused about where I was going. I don’t think I’d be able to share my transcript on my PG-13 blog.
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Believe me, that was a mild quote – I have some pretty harsh words in there, too!
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All is good until Siri takes you to the point of no return…..
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I much prefer maps!!!!
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They know when to be quiet, much better travelling companion!
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Love this!! Made me smile
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Oh good! That was my intention.
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😀😀
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Oh we’ve all had our heated moments with Siri. 🙂
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Really, I am a rational, sane person who knows Siri isn’t real. I just don’t act that way in private. 😉
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Recording everything during genealogy trips is a really great idea–I’ll have to start this for my research too!
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Be careful. The transcribing process (at least my low-tech version of it) is quite tedious!
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That tree is incredible! 🙂
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They’re mulberry trees and they’ve been growing there since the courthouse was built. A strange, but true, story!
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Nice Eilene, so now no trips are solo. You and Siri =us. I don’t think I’ll ever get happy talking to synthetics
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I rarely do, but it can be helpful when trying to find a place in a city I’m unfamiliar with.
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Bahahaha! Wow, can I ever relate! :o)
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Why argue with a computer? It’s nuts! But we sure do it.
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Fight the power!
And the tree growing out of that clock tower is wild!
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Today’s memory will be of the tree growing out of the clock tower!
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