Thursday, November 26, 2020

I Take Alexa Shopping

What I really wanted to post yesterday, before I got sidetracked with snow removal, was the best thing about Alexa.

Yes, I know that nobody who doesn't have Alexa cares or can see the point. I was also that way until I found the way, the truth, and the ... ahem ... got carried away there.

To reveal to all how dumb I am, this use eluded my pea brain for almost two years.

What use is that AC?

Thanks for asking. It's having Alexa make my shopping list.

You see with three versions of the dear lady (or whatever)  I can call out anywhere in my domicile, "Alexa, add carrots to the shopping list."

And she does.

Except I would probably never tell her to add repugnant carrots. I will buy them if my other and real lady so requests, but I think I shall make Sue be the one to actually add them to the list. Bluck, or is it blech to carrots? Actually bleach might taste better than carrots.

Yeah, so I got sidetracked again.

Say what?

Wherever I am, I can ask Alexa to add an item, and the sweet thing does just that. No searching for pencil and paper to howls of, "Where did I put that *^! list anyway?"

It's a great thing, and I ask you not to sneer. Yes you, sitting at your computer rolling your eyes.

Behold, I then go to the store, open the Alexa app on the phone, and there is my list.

As I shop, whenever I add an item to the cart, I tap to my phone check it off, and said item drops off the list. See that? Alexa declutters as I go.

In the good old days, like about three weeks ago, I would carry paper around the store, but I wouldn't carry a pencil, so the list never changed, and I could miss things. I really could. I am very adept at things like that. I am not adept at much in this world, but I do have some small talents -- such as missing items on a list.

So, it works out great, and as you can possibly tell by now, I am quite chuffed over this (using quite in the North American sense of very and not in the British sense of fairly).

The only caveat, and it is a small one, is that I can't organize the list the way that I would prefer. In the old-fashioned (as in three weeks ago) paper method, I would more or less write my list according to the store's floor plan, but I can't find a way to so organize Alexa. 

But I still gotta love that gal ... er ...robot ... app ... whatever.

14 comments:

Goldendaze-Ginnie said...

You are so ahead of me with this new techy stuff AC. I am the typical antiquated person who worries about allowing her into my house. (who else comes in with her? Hmmmmmm...)

Marie Smith said...

I smiled reading this. I often lose the list in the store.

I have a old cell phone which is being replaced with a newer one now. The Alexa, which I dislike, is going to do the shopping list for the phone. I suspect I will leave that thing among the vegetables too.

DJan said...

You are so techy now, AC. I have an app on my phone (which is always with me) that allows me to list my grocery items and I just open it when I'm in the store. But Alexa sounds great for you! Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours. :-)

Blondi Blathers said...

You're fancy!
I still make a list on paper stuck to the fridge with a magnet, and then half the time forget to take the list or to snap a photo of it with my phone.
I also keep meaning to organize the list according to the phone's floor plan, but never do.
And now I try to phone in my order anyway, and pick it up at the back door when they call to say it's ready.
Apparently it's time to get back to having one person in the household do all the grocery shopping. Scott complains about the produce I choose when I go into the store, and about the produce the clerk chooses when she fills my list, so ... it can be him. -Kate

MARY G said...

Wow. It might almost be worth the aggravation of learning how to use her. BTW, Nantes carrots are infinitely superior to the ordinary kind. JG will even eat them.

Margaret said...

I should use Alexa for more than I do. (which is the question of the day and enquiries about the weather) You don't like carrots?

Tabor said...

My pixel phone does that...do I use it..no...maybe I will try. Maybe there is a way to categorize the grocery items. My grocery shopping is limited to every third week as I have ordered mine for delivery.

Mage said...

I like thhis. I like carrots too...she says ducking.

William Kendall said...

I just keep a mental checklist in my head of what I need.

Joanne Noragon said...

That sounds like what I do with paper and pencil. When it's all checked off, I'm done.

Rita said...

I'd wish I could organize the list, too...but sounds like it works fairly well. :)

PipeTobacco said...

Nice! We have one sitting in a box unopened... maybe I will now eventually open it. A list would be nice.

PipeTobacco

Mara said...

I can tell you for a fact that bleach does NOT taste better than carrots. My science teacher and his assistant were also not amused when I swallowed a bit of diluted bleach either (accidentally) and I was allowed the rest of the day off. Bleach hurts my throat, carrots (or in my case mushrooms and broad beans) don't. Just an aside here.

Kay said...

Wow! I totally didn't know how to do this. Thank you so much! I've just set up my lists for different stores. Only problem is my iphone can't turn on since I'm wearing a facemask. Ah well... I still love this.