Instant Gratification

Following, we list some things we can’t live without. There are many more, of course, but these come to mind instantly, much like the way they perform.

Patty:

Online dictionary. For someone who has been called a wordsmith more than once, I have been pitifully lazy about looking up new-to-me words. But with my phone’s Merriam-Webster app and my Kindle’s built-in dictionary, I have learned the meanings of hundreds of words in recent years. Remembering them is something for which there is no app (and, thanks to my handy-dandy online dictionaries, almost no need).

Smartphone GPS. Anyone who has gone as far as across the street with me knows this is my number one app. Better than any anti-anxiety med could, it enables me to travel locally, nationally, and no doubt globally with (relative) calm and confidence.

Smartphone, period. I still wasn’t taking the marvels of my laptop for granted, when voila! I could hold all the ways I could research, proofread, and promote our books in the palm of my hand.

Roz:

Uber. I live in a suburb of a big city. There is no public transport to speak of, and although we do have taxis, Uber is faster and cheaper—a real godsend for getting to the airport at four thirty in the morning.

Whatsapp.  My whole family lives in England, so free communication to learn what my sister is watching on TV, or to get advice from my brother-in-law on what paint is best, is both instant and invaluable.

Alexa. What time do the Astros play today? What’s the weather going to be tomorrow? And how tall was Napoleon? Alexa, or Siri, as the case may be, are two smart chicks.

What are your top must-haves, instant or otherwise?