How Addicted are You?

I wonder if anyone actually realizes how addicted they are to their computer...I'm sure if you sat down and thought about it, you may be surprised at how much time you actually spend at your computer - especially if you have a laptop! I went to visit a friend's family recently, and instead of talking to one another, everyone sat around on their laptops and did their own thing while the TV blared on in the background.

I too, have fallen prey to the computer addiction - now I can't even watch TV without being on my laptop at the same time! However, I could argue that I'm exempt from any addiction statistics since I make my living off of my computer...but unfortunately, I am in way over my head, so I can't really excuse myself!

A few days ago my laptop refused to boot up, and if I had a Loonie for every time I went to go on my laptop in one afternoon, I would be a rich girl! (I was going to say "if I had a dollar, but I figured I might as well be Canadian about it!) We have certainly become a society that is dependent (and addicted!) to technology, and we like it! It is definitely a time consuming addiction though, and one that separates us from our loved ones instead of bringing us closer together.

This evening, break the routine of getting on the computer right away after supper. Spend time with your family or go to see a friend that you haven't talked to in a while. Let me know how your technology-free evening goes - I will be right here, on my laptop the whole time! What? I make my living on this laptop, and you are going to have to tear it out of my cold, dead hands before I'll let you take it away! ...ahem... did I say that out loud?

Who Has the Power?

It's amazing how much we are dependent on technology. If any one of us had to be transported 200 years back in time, I don't believe we would make it! After knowing what its like to have everything at our fingertips, and never having to wait longer than 3 minutes for anything, I think we would slowly go insane without everything we have become accustomed to.

The power went out at work the other day, and it surprised me how much I take it for granted. Even though I knew there was no power, I still kept trying to turn things on without thinking; things like the microwave, the stove, the computer and the TV. I knew the lights were out, and I never tried to turn them on, but my subconscious hadn't yet realized that everything else wasn't working as well.

Remember Y2K? Everyone was in a panic because if the computers were to go down, life as we know it would cease to exist. Scary, isn't it? I mean, if the world came to a sudden halt, just because some machines stopped working, who is running things? Us or them? (It's just a thought...)

My Gem of a Phone (Pun intended!)

I just got a new cell phone, and I must say, I never thought I could have this much love for an inanimate object! My lovely Blackberry Pearl is my new favorite toy. I've had it for a few days, but I think I'll still be finding new things it can do months from now.

It is basically a mini computer. I can download (upload?) Excel, Word or PowerPoint docs from my computer to my cell, work on them, save them and then email them - and all from my phone! Wow. I can't believe that just 20 years ago (in my lifetime) cell phones were called car phones and were bigger than some of the home phones we use today. Amazing, isn't it? In the last 100 years alone we have seen more technological advances than in the last 1000 years...

But back to my Blackberry...I have never been the type to read the instruction manual - that would be far too easy! Instead, I stumble along, discovering new things by accident along the way. Doing it this way takes a little longer, but hey, I get that "I did it myself" feeling. ;) If I had been born 600 years ago, (and born a man) I probably would have been the explorer who set the record for most miles traveled without finding anything!

So if you are looking for a cell phone that will give your life new meaning, pick the Blackberry Pearl - it is well worth the high price - I can say that because I didn't have to pay a cent for mine!

Hmmm, Blackberry ought to send me some free stuff for all this promotion!