Oh technology, how I love thee (but how I hate the way others use thee) ...
Thursday, May 21 -
So, because I have been working from home for the last few days, I had big plans to go and work at the library or a coffee shop or something today --- and then, the weather happened. Arguably, the nicest day we have had in Halifax all year and I am fortunate enough to have a balcony that gets both sun (to make myself warmer) and shade (in case the sun gets too hot), while the views to downtown in one direction and the harbour in the other direction make not matter which direction I am facing.
The one downside to working outside today? I can’t seem to steal anyone’s internet. What happened to the good ol’ days, when both ‘default’ and ‘linksys’ competed for my wireless-stealing attention? In some ways, I am my most productive when I don’t have internet, because that stops me from checking email or the dreaded f-book once an hour. I have all the documents that I need on my USB, and its not like I couldn’t just go inside and use my desktop for the briefest of minutes while I check (and double -check) my email. But I still get frustrated and that’s silly.
Now, I must place the caveat that my PhD wouldn’t be nearly as ‘fait accomplis’ if it wasn’t for the internet and the proliferation of online journals and books available for my research, but sometimes the way I use the internet is so frivolous that (sometimes) being disconnected is the best thing. I was reading the NYT tech news the other day, and the review of the day was for this portable wireless router, which you just plug in to your laptop and tap into the nearest signal, in the same way as the Blackberry or iPhone. He was describing how he was on a plane one time, which was parked on the runway burning-off fuel (for some silly reason) and he had the luxury of plugging in this router to do all his “internet-ing” - which for him, included watching youtube, checking email and playing online tetris. To me, that sounded fantastic. Being one of the few people, at least it feels like it, to not have a BB or an iPhone (or iTouch, for that matter), I would have access to the internet whenever I wanted. The author described getting access on a park bench on a sunny day.
The problem that I should have had with the article, despite the impressive technology, was that the author used it simply to “watch youtube videos” and “check email.” Which leads to the question, how badly do we really need access to the internet?
This also brings to light two other tech-related annoyances about the utility of being ‘connected’ all the time (and I say this somewhat tongue-in-cheek as I sit on my balcony with my almost-brandnew laptop - generously donated by my dad - using the remote change the songs and volume on my only one-year old iMac):
First, is the inclusion of video/tv capabilities in mini-vans and cars these days. No wonder so many kids have difficulty paying attention in school or elsewhere these days, because they don’t have to sit still and just be quiet anymore. My parents were always “drivers,” in the sense that we would always drive places for our vacations instead of flying - Vancouver, Victoria, Edmonton, LA, Las Vegas, San Fran - we were all over the place in our car. Some of the best conversations that I have ever had with my parents happened in our car, and when we weren’t talking, we were taking in the sights ... I owe a lot of my childhood to the Alberta Rockies, that’s for sure. We all used to sing too (minus my dad) - and because we were with the people that knew us the best in the entire world, it didn’t matter how loud or badly we sang, but we did. The fact that that doesn’t happen any more, because kids are playing with their car-modified X-Box or watching the Lion King for the 13th time in the car. Oh the shame.
Second, is the Blackberry. While I adore the technology, we should have developed some social norm by now about how, when and how often it should be used. I have been at coffee or lunch with friends in the last few months, none of whom can seem to put the damn thing down for an hour. What could possibly be so important that you can’t focus without it on the table for an hour!? So, this is my new rule. If I am with a blackberry user, and this applies to any of my friends, and you start to tap away, I promise that I will pull out my cell phone and start making calls. To my mom. And will have very long conversations.
So, because I have been working from home for the last few days, I had big plans to go and work at the library or a coffee shop or something today --- and then, the weather happened. Arguably, the nicest day we have had in Halifax all year and I am fortunate enough to have a balcony that gets both sun (to make myself warmer) and shade (in case the sun gets too hot), while the views to downtown in one direction and the harbour in the other direction make not matter which direction I am facing.
The one downside to working outside today? I can’t seem to steal anyone’s internet. What happened to the good ol’ days, when both ‘default’ and ‘linksys’ competed for my wireless-stealing attention? In some ways, I am my most productive when I don’t have internet, because that stops me from checking email or the dreaded f-book once an hour. I have all the documents that I need on my USB, and its not like I couldn’t just go inside and use my desktop for the briefest of minutes while I check (and double -check) my email. But I still get frustrated and that’s silly.
Now, I must place the caveat that my PhD wouldn’t be nearly as ‘fait accomplis’ if it wasn’t for the internet and the proliferation of online journals and books available for my research, but sometimes the way I use the internet is so frivolous that (sometimes) being disconnected is the best thing. I was reading the NYT tech news the other day, and the review of the day was for this portable wireless router, which you just plug in to your laptop and tap into the nearest signal, in the same way as the Blackberry or iPhone. He was describing how he was on a plane one time, which was parked on the runway burning-off fuel (for some silly reason) and he had the luxury of plugging in this router to do all his “internet-ing” - which for him, included watching youtube, checking email and playing online tetris. To me, that sounded fantastic. Being one of the few people, at least it feels like it, to not have a BB or an iPhone (or iTouch, for that matter), I would have access to the internet whenever I wanted. The author described getting access on a park bench on a sunny day.
The problem that I should have had with the article, despite the impressive technology, was that the author used it simply to “watch youtube videos” and “check email.” Which leads to the question, how badly do we really need access to the internet?
This also brings to light two other tech-related annoyances about the utility of being ‘connected’ all the time (and I say this somewhat tongue-in-cheek as I sit on my balcony with my almost-brandnew laptop - generously donated by my dad - using the remote change the songs and volume on my only one-year old iMac):
First, is the inclusion of video/tv capabilities in mini-vans and cars these days. No wonder so many kids have difficulty paying attention in school or elsewhere these days, because they don’t have to sit still and just be quiet anymore. My parents were always “drivers,” in the sense that we would always drive places for our vacations instead of flying - Vancouver, Victoria, Edmonton, LA, Las Vegas, San Fran - we were all over the place in our car. Some of the best conversations that I have ever had with my parents happened in our car, and when we weren’t talking, we were taking in the sights ... I owe a lot of my childhood to the Alberta Rockies, that’s for sure. We all used to sing too (minus my dad) - and because we were with the people that knew us the best in the entire world, it didn’t matter how loud or badly we sang, but we did. The fact that that doesn’t happen any more, because kids are playing with their car-modified X-Box or watching the Lion King for the 13th time in the car. Oh the shame.
Second, is the Blackberry. While I adore the technology, we should have developed some social norm by now about how, when and how often it should be used. I have been at coffee or lunch with friends in the last few months, none of whom can seem to put the damn thing down for an hour. What could possibly be so important that you can’t focus without it on the table for an hour!? So, this is my new rule. If I am with a blackberry user, and this applies to any of my friends, and you start to tap away, I promise that I will pull out my cell phone and start making calls. To my mom. And will have very long conversations.