Years ago, I determined that a digital wrist watch is not for me. In most instances, I don't want the precise time. Being able to ascertain the approximate time with one quick glance is enough for my rough purposes. Besides, there is something about the appearance of an old Timex watch that is far more appealing than a windowed band resembling a miniature blood pressure device.
My tendency to be tech-skeptical has come with a price. I was the last person in Arizona to purchase a fax machine - although I'm far from the only person to hate them - and yet can readily acknowledge their benefits. I'm considering a BlackBerry with equal skepticism. Its advantages are obvious but my hesitation comes from a deep-seated fear:
That using the latest technology will turn me into a tech fetishist.
You've seen those folks. They'll show you how a new device will do this, that, and 50 other things and, the longer you listen to them, the more you think, "This seems to make life more, not less, complicated." Using a pencil - remember those? - I can write an appointment in my calendar in seconds while some friends spend two minutes tapping and clicking it into their Cosmo Space Wizardry Whatever. They boast of the automatic reminders and other fine things but they're just as inclined to overlook a meeting.
Clearly, I'm not anti-technology. It can be difficult to be a blogger and fall into that camp. Does it sound odd to love technology while worrying about being a lover of technology? It may seem to be a small leap from one to the other and yet a needed sense of detachment can be lost in the process.
2 comments:
I am with you, Michael! I love technology too, but I've never seen a Blackberry-ite keep up with things any better than me and my paper calendar and mechanical pencil! I do use Outlook's task list some to remind me of recurring tasks, but mostly use an "old-fashioned" (if I can use that term in this context) Word doc to manage my to-do list. Works for me!
As always, thanks for the great blog. Happy Holidays!
Thanks, Randy. I also use Outlook for various items but don't get terribly techie beyond that.
Happy Holidays!
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