BY COURTNEY MURPHY

HERALD DEMOCRAT

Until recently, I would have testified that the iPhone GPS system, otherwise known as the standard application "Maps," was very accurate and always helped me to get where I needed to go, whether that be down the street or 200 miles away. However, when I was sent on an assignment to Bonham last week, things surely took a change.

I approached the assignment without fear because of my iPhone that I then so trusted to lead me in the right direction. I looked up the Fannin County Sheriff's Office online and typed the address into the Maps app. It was about 1:05 p.m. and the event was at 2 p.m.; knowing that it took 30 minutes to get from Sherman to Bonham, I was on my way in a flash.

I didn't encounter problems until about 20 minutes into the trip, when my phone told me to turn away from the city of Bonham. Confused, I reluctantly followed its directions, until I arrived at a field.

It turned out, my iPhone had mischievously changed the street address, leading me to a county road of another number. I entered the correct number again, and of course was led directly back to the same spot. Seeing that time was short, I called one of the lieutenants at the Sheriff's Office who led me to the right place; that is, after I called him back three times for fear of being further lost.

Since I have lived in Sherman all my life, it was embarrassing to not know a town only 30 minutes away, especially so easily accessed from State Highway 56 and U.S. Highway 82. It occurred to me that many kids from my generation don't really use maps, relying heavily on GPS and Google Maps for directions.

Though I am thankful for advances in technology (for without them I wouldn't be typing on this computer), I believe I will stick to learning things the old-fashioned way first. Anyone want to sell me a map?

Happy birthday Wednesday to Rev. Lowell Howard, Jade Nichole Braxton and Randall Dawson, all of Denison; Priscilla Mask, Pam Moore, Dano Walker, Charlie Myers, Loretta Niblet and Bob Abbott, all of Sherman; Crystal Henson of Van Alstyne; Rita Garretson of Bells; Patricia Riley Garrett of Plano; twins Tommy Lee Perry of Allen and Johnny Dee Perry of DeSoto; Gwen Anderson Rickerson of Fort Worth; and Eli Mahan.

Happy anniversary Wednesday to Bobby and Mary Lou Thompson of Sherman, 59 years: John and Erna Elkins of Luella, 59 years; Don and Sue Williams of Tom Bean, 48 years; and Wilson and Sylvia Wynne of Sherman, 22 years.