So I was a child of the late 70s to early 80s and when I think back to those glorious days of Jelly shoes, PacMan and Trapper Keepers I start to remember my favorite gifts that I got from my parents. See if you can guess what all of these things had in common.
- Cabbage Patch Kid
- Rubik’s Cube
- Big Wheel
- Play Doh Fun Factory
- Shrinky Dinks
No, the answer is not “thing’s in my pervy uncle’s basement”. The answer is that none of them used batteries. I’m not saying we didn’t have any toys that needed batteries (remember that slapfest called Simon, or the creepy possessed-sounding Teddy Ruxpin that still haunts my nightmare’s to this day), but we seemed fully capable of making it through the day without any battery powered assistance and still having fun. Of course once I realized just how much fun my “me” time can be with a little battery powered assistance I never looked back, but again I digress.
So let’s not let it get too weird by talking about a battery powered “portable companion” instead let’s focus again on all the toys, games and gadgets our families use in their daily lives. And unless it’s a crappy little flashlight keychain which won’t even light up my keys it’s probably going to take multiple batteries. Awesome, so when said gadget craps out we are tossing (or hopefully recycling) at least 2 batteries even if only one of them is a dud…hooray progress. Do your mama Earth a favor and save those blameless batteries by picking up an inexpensive battery tester. It doesn’t have to be hi-tech and covered in numbers and symbols. I managed to find one that has a needle which swings between good and bad when I connect the battery to it and I instantly get my answer. Even if you’re not of the eco-persuasion, batteries ain’t cheap. Sometimes the batteries end up being more expensive than the gadget they’re running.
Trust me, when you have to change the batteries in something at the most inopportune time, the last thing you want to do is start testing them. If you have to set them aside (or throw them angrily from the bed) and check them later, I’ve found that to work too. You’ll find your battery stash lasting longer and you can spend the saved money on a fine bottle of wine.
I love my simple new battery tester. I may try connecting my husband to it, but I have yet to decide which way I want the needle to swing.
