Severed Communication

Even on our honeymoon Joe had a laptop and I remember checking email midweek which I thought was ridiculous on a vacation. He wasn't quite in the cell phone biz yet (we got our first cellular phone with my current number in August of 98) but he did wear a pager and had to be accessible at all times. I think Joe would curl up in the fetal position and go bugs if he lost "power" and was in the communication dark for a week. I however, fully embraced my chance at truly "being away."

For one week after my phone was lost, I pretty much lived as I would have in 1996. I didn't read any blogs, no twitter or texting, I talked to my Dad in MI once and no one else, the TV was pretty much on resort tv or Sportscenter. I did hear that Ted Kennedy had passed away but only because it was on the USA Today headlines all week when I'd walk by the newspaper stand every morning on our way to the bus. It was the family and I, and no worries. I will say I am thankful that Disney still has ample pay phones around as I might not have been able to find the family if I hadn't been able to make that collect call to him, sending him dashing back to the Baby Care Center that Ashley and I were utilizing while the rest of the crew figured out where to go next. Being out of touch was initially scary, but only for that one minute of "how do I get a hold of him?" I thought about asking some poor soul if I could use their phone but went the pay phone route. I had no money or credit card, but thankfully remembered how to make a collect call.

Technology is wonderful! I love being able to text message and send email much more so than talking on the phone. I've met wonderful ladies on the Internet and formed some lasting friendships and feel a connection with people I may never have a chance to meet in real life. I love how I can find out what something is in no time by a simple google search. I love having any music I want with an Itunes purchase giving immediate results. I love the security of having a phone with me in bad weather or on long trips.

I love how the internet has connected those of us far away, but hate how it has kept us secluded from those who are right here among us. I am on this computer way too much. I'm always enthralled in some drama on BBC. I check the MLB box scores and standings frequently. I am a nut for news, especially for current events both political and social, home and abroad. I love the speed of receiving information. Email is constant now that I have the IPhone. The blogs can keep me busy for hours (though I'm currently still behind from vacation). Joe and I have been known to text or IM each other in the house instead of walking up or down the stairs to talk. Disturbing right?

There is something very liberating about being detached from the phone & computer. I remember when we bought the cell phone, it was intended for emergency use only. Now, if someone calls my house and doesn't get me, they simply dial my cell. And it's never for anything urgent, just a "hey what's up" usually. It's made us an impatient people. We can't simply wait for that call back later, gotta connect now! I love my IPhone but it has definitely stolen away my valuable time. I think it might not be a bad idea to every once in a while for everyone to turn off the phone, close the computer, and just disconnect themselves from the techno convos and reconnect personally. I know my house would be much cleaner and more organized if I was on the computer a little less. But that doesn't mean I want it to go away completely. And more likely than not, I'll be back to my wicked and wile Internet obsessive ways before too long. So the question remains, did anyone really even miss me during my "outage?" Wait don't answer that. ;)