You've Got Mail

Sorry I have neglected the blog for a bit.

I suppose it feels like all of our lives have been taken over by Facebook, Twitter, and news feeds, so I have not wanted to add to the cacophony of beeps, whistles, and screaming voices that have begun to blend together. Especially with the recent political ads, all of the yelling and accusations began to resemble the snow and static of old TV sets. (Which anyone younger than 20 to 25 today will not remember. Scary.)

Culturally, it feels like people are married to their devices. I was sitting at a coffee shop recently having coffee and chilling out, waiting for a friend. Even though I live in a relatively urban area, it feels as though no one speaks to each other anymore. Everyone is constantly glued to their laptops or their phones. When I hold the door for someone or smile at someone these days, most people nearly faint from surprise. It is a bit disconcerting to be honest. I am worried that the next generations of people are not going to be able to communicate with each other face to face. Believe me, I am not immune to this phenomenon. I definitely find myself reaching for my phone whenever a message or text chimes through. Also if I’m in line for something or waiting. But if I am having dinner with someone or having a conversation about something substantial, I try not to interrupt the conversation with constant texting or checking of my phone. I wish other people would do the same. Technology has made things immeasurably easier for us. (This is most easily illustrated by the religious use of my phone’s GPS function. I honestly cannot remember what I did before GPS besides get lost a lot.) But in the same vein, we are filling our time with such trash in so many ways; reality TV, Farmville, Facebook, and youTube jump to the front of my mental list. If people could spend, say, 30 minutes to an hour a day relaxing, getting out in nature, spending time with a family member, volunteering, etc., any number of things rather than the crap we will our days and nights with, I believe our country would be a much nicer and more harmonious place.

In that vein, I have some days off coming up and I am hoping to get off the grid for a few days. Work has been a bit crazy lately with a lot of extra shifts and drama going on. To be honest, I am feeling a bit burnt out. I am hoping a few days in the woods clears some of that up.

Hope you are all doing well. Cuidate.