Saturday, December 20, 2008

It's been a while, eh? A rant about technological addictions.

It is funny how you can get sucked into things, let it take over your attention, and then, POOF, it somehow disappears and you find something else to occupy your attention.
ADD does that.
For the past year, I had been dutifully writing in this blog with the newfound excitement of having a voice and preparation for a big trip. Work and family was full of inspiratation. I eagerly awaited the time I could slip away and write a few words.
And then something got in the way and pushed it out of my head-on radar.
That thing was Facebook! Uggggh.
I've heard all about MySpace and Twitter and wondered what was all the big deal. Couldn't figure out what all the big deal was. Then my cousin said something about FB and it was all over. I looked it up, but then you have to make an account to see anything of any interest. By then it was all over. Now I feel compelled to check it out whenever I can.
I am feeling a pattern here:
  1. When I first got cable, I felt that at any moment, I had to rush and check out if there was some obscure interesting show I was misssing that I had to find ---Net result: Waste of time, learned interesting but useless stuff. Ended up cancelling cable.
  2. When I first got a video game (for the PC, not a Nintendo TV attached game) it took up all my time too-- I would go upstairs in the evening and then play for lost hours until I realized I had to get up in a few) ---Net result: I tried to go cold turkey, but didn't work. I still play the same stupid game with all of the stupid same quests, but still enjoy staying up too late to play it. My kids have a second hand Play Station and I refuse to play it for fear of what would happen there.
  3. Cell phones: I got really frustrated the last time I went to buy a cell phone because all they seemed to have were all these really cool phones that did almost everything but make phone calls (that was probably an extra charge or an afterthought). I just want a phone, I don't want an iPod, MP3 player, 2inch TV, internet connection, little black book with Crackberry hints and overtones. Just a phone. (OK, once in a while I wish I could have an instant Google convenience when the occassion arises and I don't know the answer to something that will leave my short term memory the fleeting instant something else comes into my view. But hey, didn't we live for eons without the internet, antibiotic handlotion, and Underarmor? Come on! Egads, we only got a microwave because my mother was incredulous that we didn't have one. Can't you boil water on the stove? What's wrong with that? Oh, back to cell phones. My last cell phone had V-Cast, whatever that is, internet capability, other stuff I didn't need or know what it was, and several downloaded games that I ended up needing to constantly charge the battery for. The only thing I did with my present one is download 2 ring tones because I got caught up in the moments and bought them on impulse like some item you pick up at the dollar store that you really didn't need but thought "That's a good price." I have an MP3 player and it has a lot of my music on it. I believe in the Separation of Powers when it comes to electronics. If one thing has too much information of you and you loose it, well, you get the pic.

I could go on, but now I realize that I've spent too much time working on this when I should be installing a new faucet in my bathroom.