Strangled by my connections

Book time vs. computer time
A recent Internet outage revealed how dependent I’ve become. I wasn’t always this way.

Back in the Dark Ages when I graduated from high school, I packed my belongings and moved to my first apartment. My father, who probably was more worried than he let on, insisted on paying for a telephone. These devices were actually rented from the phone company. It was the only way he could reach me. Problem? I wasn’t always home—and there were no answering machines yet.

I also brought with me my brand new electric typewriter. Throughout college, any paper I wrote had to be typed and then re-typed as many times as required for editing. No cut and paste--those words still had their original meaning.

Over the next 10 years our export business utilized many cutting edge communication tools: personal computer, fax machine, the “mobile” phone that weighed about 5 pounds. It seemed like each year brought new toys. Cell phones. Digital cameras. The Internet.

Now our phones have aps that can tell us where we are, what we should do, where to eat, and how much to exercise if we do eat. We can tweet, text, and post on Facebook all with a devise that slips into our pocket.

A couple days ago I pulled out my old typewriter.  Without it, I probably wouldn’t have graduated.  I ran my fingers over its hard plastic keys. The motor still hummed. I recalled how hot it would get from hours of work.  As I shut the case I couldn’t help but consider all the technological changes since I had last used it.

I thought about how much I had changed too.  Each new invention allowed me to do things more easily. Now I email rather than write letters. Accounting? Hours of freedom from how it used to be. But what am I doing with all of that extra time?

The very devises that have made my life “easier” have also sucked up my attention.  When it was just my typewriter and me, I wasn’t distracted by online news and activities, text messages, and 24/7 phone contact.

It’s never been easier for me to communicate, nor harder for me to focus. Double edged sword.  When I get antsy without Internet service it reminds me how connected I’ve become. That’s fine, as long as I don’t get entangled.

Popular posts from this blog

Dreaming the Dream

Image
Dreaming big dreams about the future is easy for kids. The only thing standing in the way is time.  Kid’s dreams are not about skills, or opportunities, or even practicality. Those things come much later.  My grandson hopes to be professional soccer player when he grows up. This week, a small piece of his dream came true when his Boys and Girls Club was invited to participate in pre-game activities with the Seattle Sounders Football Club.  He got to suit up in a real jersey and walk on the field with a real pro player. Imagine a young soccer player looking up to who he hopes to be one day. If you haven’t taken the time to talk to a child about their future dreams—you should.  They believe. As we get older we sometimes forget that dreams fuel our hopes—and that's something we all need. So, do you still dream? Or have you left those childhood thoughts behind?  S pending time with children will  inspire you to believe agai
Read more

Sexy Selfies: Posting for attention

Image
We’ve all seen the “selfie” pix on Facebook—those self-taken images in varying forms of dress (or undress). Usually they’re female poses taken in public restrooms, dressing rooms, bedrooms, and lots of what used to be private space. Thanks to selfies and social media, it’s open season on privacy—and modesty. Do you have a social media “friend” who has become a serial selfie? Most often selfies are young girls sharing their sexiness with the world. Serial selfies post hundreds of pictures, so it’s hard to ignore the display. The question is why do they do it. While I don’t approve of the sexy display of serial selfies, insecurity is at the root. Selfies collect “likes” to boost morale. The attention received is like a balm to their broken spirits. But the dark side of exhibitionism is feeling used—not unlike the girl searching for love and giving away her body in hopes of finding love. Selfies seek approval. They're locked in a perpetual cycle of posting pi
Read more

Wild or Tame? Which One Are You?

Image
Finally! Research that explains why I act the way I do. Columbia University’s Motivational Science Center studied people’s activities and what brought them the most happiness. Even more telling were how those activities changed as they aged. Twenty-somethings tend to equate happiness with high-energy activities. Words like excited and ecstatic are usually attached to spontaneous things—even risky things—and living life full throttle.  Researchers labeled this Promotion Motivation —the urge to take chances, including career moves that may not work out. Happiness comes from happenings—the more happenings, the more happiness. By age forty, adults associate happiness with things running smoothly at work and home. It’s also about feeling secure in relationships. Keeping healthy matters more too. This behavior is called Prevention Motivation —and people are more concerned with preserving and maintaining the things they value. It appears that time ofte
Read more