Tuesday, February 9, 2010

Technology Anonymous


Obsession.

Madness.

What separates the two?

Lately I feel like one of the famous Flying Wallenda's walking a high wire tightrope between those destinations. Here I sit at my PC, two windows of the new Internet Explorer, IE, (64-bit) open, one of the IE (32-bit) open because not everything is compatible with the new version, like Farmville on occasion. I'm toggling between Farmville, Facebook, Blogger posts and the post edit windows, my bank accounts, various research articles, Word documents and YouTube.

I have my BlackBerry sitting on the desk beside me. Its constant plink, plink, plink and shrill, shrill, shrill alert me to check my incoming e-mails, Facebook comments, eBay updates and voice mail messages.

Which moment gave me pause for reflection? The one in which I caught myself keyboarding with my right hand while simultaneously phone texting with my left. When did I cross that line? I didn't notice the blustering winds of madness or the drizzling rains of obsession until it was too late.

Thank goodness I'm not like my sister, T, jonseing for Craig's List. She's the one with the addiction problem not me. I can quit anytime I want. Really!

26 comments:

NanU said...

step away from the keyboard. Put the phone down and step slowly away....

Baino said...

Geek!

Mrsupole said...

Baino made me laugh. Mostly because I know how you feel. We are obsessed with these things. I mean I cannot even go to the bathroom without bringing my cell phone with me. Not so much because I care but because if hubby or my family calls, and they do not reach me right away, they get upset and you would think the planet is going to explode or something. And heaven forbid if we leave the house without a cell phone, OMG what is gonna happen to everyone.

I remember the good old days when people reached you when they reached you. Now it is like a 24/7 thing that is going on. I keep all alerts off on my cell phone except for my call ringers. I do not need to know when I get facebooked or an e-mail or a text. And since my cell phone talks and tells me who is calling, I do not even need to look at the damn thing if I don't want to take their call. That is the best feature I ever got in a cell phone. It says outloud who is calling and I can just let it ring and keep going potty if I want to. Oh yeah, that is the good life. I love this new cell phone.

Seriously, just turn all those alerts off on your BB and then who gives a crap. It is so much more relaxing.

Maybe we should just chuck the things and go out and enjoy life. Now that is a novel idea.

Gt 2 go bk 2 rtng on othr psts nd it jst strtd raing ere agn yipe ta rain gds r bk dng thr rain dnc agn. o so butfl hrng rain drps msic 2 r ers.

I need to quit texting so much, it is seriously messing with my spelling abilities.

God bless.

Stacy Post said...

I call it...connected-ness. :)

Using more than one device at a time makes me feel like a split personality. So I still take it one device at a time. But you go, girl!

Brian Miller said...

lol. back away fom the technology an find a good book to slow you down...smiles.

CiCi said...

Don't you think we all go through stages as to how much we want to communicate and how much we choose to be connected? A few years ago hubby and I each had a Sidekick so we could work on our blogs and go on the internet etc. I also had a Blackberry. We probably have some of the old gadgets in a big plastic bin out in the garage. I am talking with some of the neighbors and we are planning on having yard sales this spring, going to clean out the garage!!

Candie said...

lol,I have moments like those too,perhaps you should take a break for a while and go to see green?Try just a day ;)Enjoy your day Ronda!:)

Stephanie said...

We're all wired these days. My internet was down recently so I drove to the library for its wifi connection so I could tend my crops on farmville. Ridiculous!!

Nessa said...

You are the Queen of Multitasking (it is a real place.) I bow to your stateliness.

Dismal

Dorraine said...

All rather addictive, eh? I know the feeling. Both of our computers went down over the weekend and my hands felt a little shaky.

It is good to step away occasionally even if we must be forced to. I do now know where to find the best strawberry margarita's!

Ronda Laveen said...

NanU: Okay, NanU, I'm putting phone down and I'm stepping away from the keyboard...well, right after I finsh this one last little thing.

Baino: Thanks for the compliment:-)

Sherry: My land line phones talk to me and I love it but my cell phone doesn't that I know of yet. I didn't know I could turn off the alerts for individual items. I'll check it out. I am so impressed with your texting skills, girl! I'll have to study your technique.

Stacy: I think I kind of like that split feel. I didn't think of it that way until you brought it up.

Brian: Oh, you're one to give advice Mr. I-can-comment-on-every blog-in-the-known-and-unknown-universe. You've got some mad techno skills (addictions) too. Did I forget to mention that I usually do have a book to read while things are loading or if I have to reboot? I can do that simultaneously too.

TechnoBabe: Yard sale? Call me! I have a bunch of geek friends too! Yes, I do agree we go through stages of connection. I only got a cell phone a couple of years ago and only used it a couple times a month. Now I have to use my BlackBerry exclusively for work so that has caused me to be more connected. Thanks for the clarity.

Candie: Good idea but with all this rain, thankfully, I'll have to go see gray. You have a great day too.

Stephanie: Moving to the library when your internet is down is NOT ridiculuos! That is some GOOD farmin', Farmer Steph! We must not let those crops wither!

Ronda Laveen said...

Nessa: Thank you for my new title, Queen of Multitasking. I had no idea Multitasking was a real place. I always knew, deep down inside, I was royalty and somehow got swapped at birth with the pauper.

Dorraine: Yes, the withdrawls that come with the disconnect when internet or computers are down can be mighty taxing.

Ooo la la...strawberry margaritas? Hmm, I think I just get me a new addiction. Let's go!

JGH said...

Holy moley, I know what you mean, though I'm impressed at your use of the left hand! Next week we're headed to the Catskill mountains. No Wifi or even cell phone reception. Whatarewegonnado???

Gemel said...

Maybe you need a little holiday from all these things, even if it is for just one day.............

Skip Simpson said...

Good post! I especially liked the Vincent Van Gogh painting at the beginning! ;)

Ronda Laveen said...

JGH: I'm not nearly as good with my left hand as with my right, but being a massage therapist, I've had to learn bilateral (both-sided) dexterity. Wow! Whatareugonnado with no techno at all? You'll have to post about it.

Gemel: I have one coming up:-)

Skip: Oh, dear sir, I can tell you know your art! Actually that is a photo from last years big car show. There was a semi car hauler that had an all stainless, buffed rear door. Cool, huh?

tony said...

It's amazing how Our lives revolve around Machines & Suchlike.My recent computer problems brought home to me how much my life revolves around such things..........I,m looking for an online computer-addicts support group today! I might even open a facebook group on the subject!!!

Dave King said...

Yup, technology makes heaven and hell seem like the same place.

Anonymous said...

I know what you mean. I feel so disconnected if I'm offline too long. Even though I'm out participating in the real world, the online world is reality too.

Reya Mellicker said...

Multi-tasking is, in my opinion, one way in which we are preparing our neural networks for a jump in evolution, one in which we learn to really use all that grey goo in our heads. So you are engaging in evolutionary behavior. BRAVA!!

OK ... why aren't we friends on facebook? Will you "friend" me?? Please?

Together We Save said...

Wow - I thougt having 2 of my daughters's netbooks going at the same time was bad. LOL

Ronda Laveen said...

Tony: having computer problems can be so humbling. Will watch for your support group on FB.

Dave: Yep, it is a little bit of heaven and Hell.

LadyCat: I agree, our cyber world is every bit as real as the real world.

Reya: I can really feel my brain firing on many cylinders when I'm multi-tasking. Movements and concepts come quicker. I like the idea that I'm furthering of mankind's neurosynaptic evolution.

Together We Save: Nope, I don't think running two netbooks at once is bad. But you have to consider the source.

Jill from Killeny Glen said...

Ronda! You are right...you can quit ANYTIME!! ;)

I imposed a blog hiatus on myself this week to work on a big project for work...I have NOT done very well staying away!!

Using both hands though...THAT takes talent!

Bhavesh Chhatbar said...

How similar; I too never get addicted to anything, except that I'm addicted to my wife :)

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Ronda Laveen said...

Jill: I noticed you kept popping up all week eventhough you said you would be busy. Well...you tried!

Ronda Laveen said...

Bhavesh: That is so sweet that you are addicted to your wife:+)