Fads

“All of these online stores are going to feel like IDIOTS when this internet fad is over!” Dwight Shrute. It’s a joke from my favorite show, “The Office”. This week it was in the news that the internet is now older than this year’s incoming college freshmen. Hard to believe. It got me to thinking: I can’t think of any other technological advancement that has had as much impact on our day-to-day lives.

I remember when my brother got his first computer. (no internet, just a computer.) He was the only person I knew at the time with a computer – I guess it would have been early 80’s? I asked him what he was going to do with it. He said he was going to do his bills on it. I said, “How stupid! You can do your bills in a notebook! What do you need a computer for??” He said, well you can play games on it and stuff. So I played one or two of his games on it – it was okay, but not worth the ridiculous price tag.

Wow – I guess I am not one of those forward-thinking people that could have envisioned all the possible applications, and I certainly NEVER thought I would be a computer junkie! In fact, when my husband bought OUR first computer, I told him – “Your music already takes up all your time – if you get a computer, I’ll NEVER see you!” I was right, but I was the one always using it, not him.

I’ve been doing the bulk of my Christmas shopping online since we first had internet. (the old dial-up – remember that “dong, ga-dong” sound?) Now if any of us has an ache or pain or any other medical symptom – instant medical advice on the internet. See an actor on a show that looks vaguely familiar? Google him and figure out what other show you saw him on years ago. Wanna know the best directions for making a trip? Mapquest. Wanna know the best places to eat, stay, and visit on that trip? Wanna go ahead and make reservations, print out tickets, – you name it. Wanna buy a house? You can see visual tours of homes anywhere in the world. In the market for a product? You can read customer reviews so you will know which is the best. Need to settle a bet – look up a word – translate something into another language? You can read books, stream movies, get lesson plans – the list is seriously endless. The potential is almost scary.

Other than the internet, I’m really not that into technology. Don’t really care about reading with a Kindle or having the latest i-phone. (mostly because we’re broke) But I don’t think I could give up the convenience of the internet, now that I know what it can do for us. The danger is in being more involved in a cyber world than the real world. It’s like kids today and the constant texting – but that is a whole ‘nother post. Anyway – now that we have precious grandkids living in our home – I often use the internet with them. We can youtube color songs and play alphabet games and look up animals and all sorts of other things. But sometimes it’s just time to turn the computer off and go outside and swing.
I don’t really have a point. It’s late and I have to get up in a few hours to go to work, but am wide awake. The joys of menopause. That and the body temperature that rivals the sun. blech!

Anyway – How can I make myself go to sleep???? Oh yeah, Ask.com!

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