Technology

Television, Satellite, iPhones, iPods, iPads, Blackberries, Bluetooth, Internet, GPS, etc etc etc!!

There are so many gadgets that everyone and their dogs have nowadays! I went to a concert last month, and it seemed like more people were trying to capture everything on their phones and quickly upload it to their social networking profiles online... rather than enjoy the experience while it's happening, living in the moment... you know? Don't get me wrong, I like the idea of preserving a moment forever in time... but during the whole show?

Have we as people/society really become this disconnected from life, by the very items that are supposed to give us the tools to be more connected? Maybe I am just confused. But when I hear someone say "I can't live without my phone/ipod/internet" I just have to shake my head ... are you serious?

I personally don't have any kind of cell phone or TV/Satellite, and I think its for the best! I do have the internet, which seems to help keep me in contact with a lot of my friends out of town, it's a great research tool, and I love being able to share with all of you via Blogging! But it is also a huge time waster, and yes - I could live without it (the internet that is).

I cancelled my cell phone back in January, and it has really "free'd" me! I'm not using it as an excuse to fill my "spare" or "down" time. Instead, I'm finding real things to do, and might have even accomplished a few things. It has forced me back into the path of conversation, thinking on the spot, having patience, and even enlightened my creative side again! If I'm waiting for something somewhere, instead of staring at my little screen, scrolling though old texts and looking at pictures, I'm looking around where I am, observing, people watching (that is always fun!).

There is nothing more annoying then spending time with your friends/family, and they are playing on their phones the whole time. I do take it personally - that they must think I am so boring that they are trying to entertain themselves with their gadgets... but maybe its more of a dig on themselves. Maybe they don't possess the people skills to make conversation, and fill that "boring" time with real person to person contact.

Same goes for my iPod - yes I have one, but it stays at home on my stereo. I don't wear it while I walk to work, and I was thinking about it the other day while on my way home... if I was wearing my iPod right now, I wouldn't hear these beautiful birds chirping in that bush, I wouldn't have heard that kitty meow at me, I wouldn't hear that horse trot up towards the fence I just walked passed! It also makes me wonder, would I be able to hear if a vehicle if it was honking at me, what if the road was icy and they were sliding in my direction? Could it save my life?

I love music, and it would be nice to listen to it all the time. I listen to it all day while I'm at home, from the time I get up to the time I go to bed (on good days) but I feel that the time that I walk to and from work with no music is kind of like a treat. A time for nature and I to bond. You notice the small things, and appreciate them more.

Not too long ago, I had to find an address, and used the GPS, and it just made me wonder... how did we find people's houses before? I am typically pretty good with directions and remembering landmarks and such... but I just couldn't imagine pulling out a map, and marking out my route - it seemed so weird. I actually preferred the robot lady to tell me to turn right in 300 meters. Thank goodness I only rely on it once in a blue moon! But will these instruments eventually make us loose our intuitiveness?

I am aware that technology is a lot bigger than just my little opinion, and I'm not trying to get everyone to throw away their expensive (sooo expensive) cellphones and iPods... But maybe just think about this next time you grab for your phone to fill in a dead spot in your life. Is there a better way to entertain yourself? Maybe there is something amazing you'll miss while sifting around on your iPod. Life is full of wonderful things, how much longer are we going to ignore it before it starts ignoring us?