But I Still Love Technology!

I've experienced a lot of changes over the last eighteen months. I left Idaho for Michigan, started a new job, started graduate work, lived in one apartment and now a house, watched my daughters start school -- lots of different things.

One subtle but important change I've experienced over the last year and a half is my apparent embrace of technology. While I've always been a fan of e-mail (yes, mail still equals gold, even if it's electronic), I've otherwise been immensely slow to jump on the digital bandwagon.

I hated blogs because they seemed self-indulgent, poorly-written excuses for people to blather on about nothing.

I hated cell phones because they were obnoxious, intrusive, and gave average people the opportunity to be rude in above average ways.

I figured I wouldn't get an mp3 player until they were outdated and the world had moved on to music playing microchips implanted in people's heads.

The list could go on. I never considered myself a luddite -- just unwilling to be that person talking on a cell phone while driving in rush hour traffic, unwilling to spend a big chunk of change on a music player that does essentially what a 20 dollar CD player will do.

Well, needless to say, a lot of that has changed.

The fact that you're reading my blog right now suggests I got over that particular phobia. Rather than thinking of them in a negative light, I've decided they actually represent what I teach in my writing classes every day. Blogs enable people who might never think of themselves as "writers" to explore their thoughts in print and, thereby, to learn things they don't already know. I beg, plead, and threaten to get students to write down things involving their memories, their observations, their concerns, etc.every day in class. Why in the world would I not be in favor of something that encourages everyone from Hollywood actors to housewives and high schoolers to write? I think blogging is very democratic and, although there are a lot of blogs I would never bother to read, I love that it's creating a culture of writing in the world.

As for cell phones, after I moved out here, I needed to be in contact with family and friends as much as possible and a cell was the most logical choice. I got an el cheapo phone from Metro PCS and their unlimited talk for 50 bucks a month plan. I don't carry on conversations in stores usually and I always set it to silent before class or any sort of meeting. I confess though that I talk while I drive all the time. It's dangerous but it helps pass the time as I'm hurtling down the concrete gullies between Detroit and Livonia. It is really convenient to be able to call Suzanne from the store and say, "They don't have spinach linguine. Do you want fettuccine instead?" rather than have to just make a guess and probably end up bringing home the wrong thing. I still think my students should check their phones at the door when they come to school simply because most of them don't demonstrate any maturity when it comes to being in a classroom with them. But I might as well ask them to sprout wings and fly to the moon -- so I'll just continue to deal with student cell phones.

This weekend was pretty much a technology bath for me. My old phone died and so I had to buy a new one. (An upgrade as they don't make the el cheapo model any more). I also got a belated birthday present from Suzanne: my very own iPod Classic Silver. Yep, as I type this, I'm listening to Dave Grohl and the other Foo Fighters belt out "The Best of You" in crystal clear digital sound. I spend all of Sunday afternoon uploading songs from various CDs onto my new toy and sort of delighting in how cool it all is. I mean, I always make fun of Suzanne when she talks like a commercial ("I love All-Temperature Cheer. It just gets the whites really white.") but I sounded like the biggest corporate sucker last night. "It's so easy. You just click 'synch' and it's all right there on the iPod. This thing will hold my whole music collection and then some!" I'm such a goob sometimes. I make myself laugh. Anyway, I love the iPod so far. As much as I love the ease and accessibility of it, I really dig the design. The slick, silver back with the logo stamped on it looks like a million bucks and it makes me feel like I'm carrying a Buck Rogers ray gun. It's very cool. The only downside so far is that it has revealed to me that I have uncooperative ears. (Which, if you know my childhood history even a little, is no big shock.) The ear bud headphones don't stay in. For whatever reason, they pop out with almost no provocation. The iPod commercials featuring silhouetted figures dancing around with their players are a hoax as far as I'm concerned. I can't even breathe deeply, much less dance around, without those little buggers falling out. I have headphones that will work but the sleek, modern image is wrecked it I have giant DJ headphones attached to this dainty, silver box. Ah well, vanity and good design may have to take a backseat to actually being able to hear the music.



So, feet dragging, I slowly enter the 21st century. I'm digging it so far but only because it has such a great soundtrack.

As a bonus for faithful readers, I now include the lyrics to Kip Dynamite's wedding day love song to the lovely Lafaundah from Napoleon Dynamite:

Why do you love me
Why do you need me
Always and forever

We met in a chatroom
Now our love can really bloom
Sure the world wide web is great
But you, you make me salivate

Yes I love technology
But not as much as you, you see
But I still love technology
Always and Forever

Our love is like a flock of doves
Flying up to heaven above
Always and Forever
Always and Forever
Yes our love is truly great
Always and forever