Technology

I know that this will make my age undeniable, but I was thinking the other day about when my oldest child went to school and the schools were just beginning to put computers into the classrooms. If I remember correctly, once or twice a week the computer was rolled into her kindergarten room and the children were given instructions on this wonderful new technology. It was at that point that I realized I needed to learn about computers myself or I would be hopelessly outdated in my children's eyes. I could never have anticipated then how computers would totally take over our lives and now I cannot imagine doing without one, but at the same time, some of the technology that's out there now seems pretty over-the-top to me.

I mean, I get the iPod, I get CDs and DVDs, and I get cell phones, but what's with the iPhone? Why in the world would I need all that technology on my phone? And why would I want to spend so much money for a phone when I can have one for so little that makes phone calls perfectly well? Do I really need to text people when I can simply call them? Do I want my email at my finger tips instead of at my home computer? It just seems like so much money to spend for what I consider a luxury item.

Of course, there are surely those that need to be that connected to the world, but I am not one of them. I remember the days when only doctors wore pagers - perfectly understandable! But does everyone in a theater or restaurant need a cell phone on or a pager attached to their bodies? Are they really that important?

I guess I just don't want to be that accessible to anyone. Of course, my children think I am hopelessly outdated, despite my earlier determination not to be.

Then again, I remember my grandmother talking about the new "touch tone" telephones years ago. She said something about not wanting to spend the extra money for something like that when the dial phone she had worked perfectly well. Hummmmmm...