I Heart Technology.

Not long ago, when I graduated from college, I didn't own a computer. I had never USED a computer. I didn't have a cell phone, I actually had a paper calendar in my purse where I wrote down things with an actual pen on real paper, and I didn't even own a Walkman. There were computers in my high school, and even at my university, but this was the early 90's and they were no big deal. In school, I had computer lab where we learned to program the computers so they would make little pictures with numbers and letters. It was cute, but I thought - what's the fuss? I don't get it. Who needs a computer? HA!

Flash forward about fifteen years. This morning as I got ready to leave for work, I unplugged my cell phone from the charger, grabbed my PDA off its charger, stuck my iPod in my pocket and stepped out the door with my digital camera to take a picture of all the snow coming down so I could email it to my friend in Florida to remind him why he moved out of Connecticut. I got in my car and plugged my iPod into the FM modulator, ready for a long, sloppy, snowy commute filled with loud music, and I headed off to work where I checked my email and read a few blogs. This is insane.

Some days when I think back to my pre-computer days, I just can't believe how I got anything done. How did I learn about everything? Where did I find my recipes? How would I have found neoprene dog boots, size x-small, for Molly without Google? How did I fill my free time? I feel like I must have grown up in the 70's and then shot directly into the 21st century after graduation. I went from indifference to total, flat-out, can't live without it obsession. I love gadgets. I love technology. I can't imagine a world without it.

Mostly, I love technology because it allows me to further my anti-social habits without looking too strange. I can walk to work, iPod blaring in my ears, and not have to talk to anyone. I don't even have to make eye contact. Tra-la-la, can't talk now, Jack Johnson's singing to me, what? sorry, can't hear you, tra-la-la. Blissful unfriendliness. And I'm not alone! It's accepted behavior now. My cell phone allows me to talk to people without ever having to see them in person. My computer lets me email friends and keep in touch without having to make time to go see them. The Internet, my favorite place of all, is filled with blogs that let me feel like I have cool friends everywhere even though they have no idea who I am or that I even exist. I can go shopping without ever having to deal with a rude cashier. I can comparison shop for my new scanner without trying to ignore the useless teenage salespeople circling around me. I can diagnose medical conditions without going to the doctor. I can check the weather without actually looking out the window! It's fantastic!

Technology has made my life so much more fun and I am incredibly thankful for it. So today, on this snowy Monday morning, I'd like to thank Bill Gates and Steve Jobs for the personal computer. Thank you Larry Page and Sergey Brin for Google. Thank you Gateway for making computer-buying so easy that even my parents weren't afraid to buy one. Thank you Steve Case and AOL for dumbing down the Internet and making it so darn easy to get online (back in '98 before six-trillion people were online, slowing down AOL and making it nothing but pop-ups and spam). Thank you DSL for getting me online in the blink of an eye since waiting for dial-up makes me want to rip my hair out. Thank you Palm for allowing me to not have to remember anything and to have everything at my fingertips. Thank you John Warnock and Charles Greschke for Adobe. So many wonderful people to thank...

Most of all, I'd like to thank you, my readers (or reader - hi Mom!). Yes, I am a nerd and now you have proof.