I never thought there was anything wrong with my TV until my friends started joking about it.

“How can you see anything on that small thing?” or “Is this TV from 1980?” That’s some of the ridicule I’ve endured for having what I call a normal television. It’s from 2000, for the record.

I even had one friend try to convince me my TV was too small to get digital cable, and I almost believed him.

Well, all those who have mocked me can be proud — I finally caved and bought a new TV last weekend with all those features I was told my other lacked — a flat screen, high definition and size.

I’ll at least admit to one thing, it’s definitely a lot easier on my eyes.

But as I was enjoying my new toy, I couldn’t help but wonder — how long until this TV’s outdated?

It’s bound to happen sooner or later. I mean, I remember when old trusty was brand new.

And aside from not being able to see the words on the screen clearly, that TV has served me well.

Heck, it even managed to miss my head one time when it fell off my dresser.

The TV’s not the only technology I’ve upgraded in my short years of owning technology.

I’ve gone from my first cell phone, one of those standard Nokia phones the size of a brick, to my Blackberry I have now. And there were countless others in between that I’ve either broken or lost.

There was my Dell desktop computer that broke, making way for my new Macbook. I used to have a portable CD-player. Then I got an mp3 player and then had to have an iPod, which also broke.

With my phone’s numbers peeling off, my laptop battery dead and my iPod unusable, I can’t help but think what’s so great about having the newest things if we’ll just have to get newer ones soon after.

I also can’t help but think that perhaps technology is at a speed that makes me question how long we’ll be able to keep up with.

I might have shrugged this thought off if it weren’t for what I consider the greatest technology glitch I’ve ever experienced. It happened just a few weeks ago.

It was time to renew my driver’s license, which is something I’ve been eagerly awaiting since my last picture.

I headed down to the Pike County Courthouse, updated my information and smiled big for what I hoped would be an improvement.

According to the probate worker it was.

Just when we were about to finish up, she looked up at me concerned and said, “I’m sorry, the computer says it has low confidence that this is really you. You’re going to have to go downstairs.”

I had to make sure I heard that correctly.

Well, I thought, I come to the courthouse every day. Surely they know that’s me.

I asked the probate judge for a little help, but he told me, much to his surprise even, they couldn’t override the computer.

Now, I’ve often said things like “my computer just won’t do what I’m telling it to do,” but I’ve never believed that. I thought computers were always controlled by the user. I guess not this time.

As much as I am disappointed when technology breaks or accuses me of being an imposter, I still enjoy it.

I’ll keep on using my phone with the scratched keyboard, buy a new computer battery and replace my iPod. Then when those things get “old,” I imagine I’ll upgrade to whatever it is that replaces them.

I imagine most of us will fall into these same habits, but one thing I just can’t imagine — why?

Holli Keaton is news editor of The Messenger. She can reached at holli.keaton@troymessenger.com.