Technology: The Connection Disconnect

So I just got home from my job. My job requires me to spend 7 hours in front of a computer. Technology keeps a roof over my head and food in my tummy until I get the job I really want...teaching...which will also use technology. I blog now using my pretty outdated but amazing machine. Disclaimer finished and moving on... I was having a conversation with a group of friends last night about talking on the phone in company (especially date company). We decided we're all addicted to our phones (and one to his blue-tooth ;) ). On Saturday I left my phone at home when I went to the gym and then to run some errands and yes, I kept going to make a text message and then remembered I didn't have it. But you know what...I totally survived! I was on BYU's campus a month or so ago and was just laying on the grass between some meetings I had and looked up and took notice of the passersby. People watching used to be interesting but I saw too much of the same thing...wired people. I took a count of 10 random people who walked by and 9 of them were hooked up to something (i.e. iPod, cell phone). 9!!! And another thing I noticed was this...they weren't looking at each other at all. They were completely missing the interesting (attractive) people walking by because the were tuned in and tuned out. How sad! I made it a goal last year sometime to not talk on the phone while at the groccery store. I realized I needed down time and if I needed to make phone calls while strolling through the aisles of Smith's then I was scheduling myself too tightly. Groccery stores are such fun places. I love striking up random conversations, making a little comment about something like a cute baby, the lack of high quality produce in November, the prices of tomatotos anything to connect to the people around me. We're a community for crying out loud! I should have lived in the day when the butchers knew your name and what your family had for Sunday night dinner. "Ah, Miss Rappleye...your night to cook for dinner group again huh? How did last week go? Was I right about your cut of roast beef? Wonderful!" We're all just a bunch of lonely people these days wandering around disconnected from those around us and connected to people far away. Facebook...what a strange thing. There are people I'm friends with on there that I don't even know that well and won't see as soon as I would my own neighbor but do I make as much contact with my neighbor? No! And texting. I texted a friend last Sunday who I hadn't talked to that day. We passed each other at church but did we say hi? No! No effort put forth there...but Facebook says we're friends too!!!?!!! Now I must wrap up...you see, I've got math homework. Guess what! It's an online class. Yea, it's pretty convenient but I don't get to ask a professor any questions or flirt with the math nerd in class. I get to spend more time alone, away from other people. Maybe after I do my homework I'll go do something fun! Hey, I could go bowling! Or play the guitar! Or go to a Yoga class! But why go out...anyone have a Wii I could come use! (Cue hysterical laughing...the kind that is just laughing at first and then moves into crazy people laughing). Hahahahahahahahah! Hehehehehehehe! Haha! Ha!