i bite the bit (m)

Lyn raved and raved about her Fitbit.  Even my level-headed friend Susan agreed it sounded great.  I bought the Fitbit thinking it would, I don't know, help me lose weight.

The Fitbit arrives two days after I order it on Amazon. com.  I know Lyn thinks Apple products are the greatest inventions in the world, but Amazon has changed my life.  I can shop without leaving the comfort of my home and get the product fast.  Oh, and that One Click feature is the best.  So easy.

Fitbit arrives and I follow the instructions.  I plug it into my computer, follow the step by step instructions, input my height and weight (I looked over my shoulder to make sure no one in the family was around) and then it told me to press and release the button on the device.  I do this and nothing happens.  A message blinks on the screen.  "Try again."  I do and nothing happens.  Same message again.  I try four times.  Then I go into the instruction manual online and try to figure out what happened.

The Fitbit was supposed to show a five-digit number for me to input into the computer.  There was no number.  I stop the program and exit.

I re-start the program but, halfway through, it says that the program is running.  It isn't.

Lyn tells me to shut down the computer.  I do that and re-start.  I'm in the same loop.

I decide it's too nice a day to waste with this nonsense.  I should be outside. As I get ready to leave my house, I go to retrieve my car keys in the glass bowl on the kitchen counter.  There, right there all along, is my old Timex pedometer.  I clip it to my underwear and head out down the field and walk 3 miles on the high school jogging track which is padded.  A beautiful sunny day, a long walk. Perfect. I check my pedometer.  It's working beautifully.  Tells me miles, steps and calories.

I get back up to my home office and the Fitbit is still telling me to Try Again.

I pack it up in a box and tell Amazon I'm sending it back.

Next time, I won't be so quick to bite the bait.