Scary Thoughts

Where I spend too many hours a day!

It was kind of a rainy day on Saturday. We were thinking of going to the movies but never quite made it out of the house due to computer problems...more specifically, connectivity problems. We have basically been very blessed to have never had to deal with that before but Saturday changed all that. Jim called AT&T and was on the phone for literally 5.5 hours trying to reconnect. It was a modem problem and a new router that caused all the brouhaha. It was a totally eye opening experience. I had plans of working on my blog and getting some posts done and of course, that was not possible.

I became acutely aware of just how dependent we are on the computer for just about everything we do. It was more than a little frightening to realize my hands were basically tied to it for just about everything I do. I couldn't work on the bills, I couldn't do so many things. Every time I would think, "OK while Jim is getting us back up I'll do...." Nope, it was computer related. I couldn't do church work, check on family and friends, etc.

We ended up trying to listen to the World Series game on the radio and I played a game of solitaire with real cards. Yikes, it was like going back 35 years. I did get some cleaning done and some reading so that was good. But I cannot tell you how many times I thought of something that I needed to do on that computer.

Jim and I often talk about what the world would be like if the Internet went down. It is a scary thought. In just a few years we have become so overly dependent. To turn a nation upside down, hand to hand combat is no longer necessary.

It was a huge wake up call for us to get a life! And get a hard copy of a lot of things. And to think I am even deeper in now with my new iPhone that we got Friday. Geesh! Honestly...it is pretty ridiculous for one couple to have 2 desktop computers, a laptop and two iPhones. We are overly connected.

The reality is that probably won't change...
it is hard to put the toothpaste back in the tube.

But I truly am going to think of ways to be less dependent and more well-rounded and balanced about it. I think of my dad who passed away 32 years ago. If he were to look down and see life as it is now he wouldn't believe it. Seriously. It has been such a slippery slope, albeit fast moving. Almost like a scary water slide of technology. We are zooming faster and faster into it and you almost hate to get off and be left behind, but when will enough be enough? Our experience left us both with a lot to ponder. And we know we are not alone.

So how do you balance it all? Do you worry about your own and the worldwide dependence on computers? Our dry cleaners cannot even find our clothes without entering our phone number into their computer. Has it gone too far? Would love some responses on this. Thanks, guys!

A beautiful photo just to make us feel better!*

flickr*