The Crackberry

I have often been very critical of the information age; fearing that while bringing wonderful modern conveniences, it is also causing us to lose something as human beings. Causing problems such as causing us to lose personal communication with each other and also causing us to be lazy. I mean, I will admit it. I am a slave to my Tivo. I am well aware of this and it is just something I enjoy. I mean, I am addicted to reality shows...I watch most of the popular ones (Survivor, Dancing the Stars, American Idol). The Tivo only makes it worse, because you never miss an episode. So, I recognize this. Obviously we all know that watching too much television is not good for you. However, it is something that now, even my husband can't imagine watching T.V. without being able to fast forward through commercials or rewind a play in a football game. But, the worst for me has been my husband's Blackberry (a.k.a. the crackberry for its addictive tendancies). He is ALWAYS on it. It is always ringing, buzzing, or chirping at all hours of the day and night. Now, he has a pretty serious job that requires him to be in touch even when he is not at work, which is fine. It is when we are out to dinner having a nice conversation when all of sudden he stops listening to me and is responding to an email - while I'm talking! This has been a topic of much discussion between the two of us over the years. Soooooo, recently I got a new phone....a crack, I mean blackberry. So, now, of course I find myself ALWAYS on it!!!! It is truly addictive. The ability for people to get in contact with you via cell phone, email, and texting is very intrusive! I mean, now I understand why my husband was always on his! However, I do NOT go on it while we are at dinner or talking or whatever. But, I will say that it is too easy for us to be contacted these days. Yes, it has its advantages, being able to reply to an important email immediately, being able to text my hubby while he is in a meeting so as not to disturb the meeting, having a child and needing to be easy to reach in case of an emergency. All good things. But, I do realize that there are some sacrifices to it as well. The lack of personal interaction between others when the PDA is distracting one or both people, as well as the urgency that other people put on you when they know you can respond quickly. Everything doesn't have to be that urgent. Go to voicemail...I'm busy. Thank God for caller id! I guess I do need my technology, huh?