The Machine that goes "Ping!"

Technology is a wonderful thing. My increase in gadgets and such has been practically exponential since we arrived in Tennessee. We got an Itouch for our one daughter so she could text with friends, we got a camera and video chat with family and friends, and I got a netbook. I even got a new scale. It is digital. It shows weight and body composition (the best part for me was it said I weighed 10 lbs less than the old scale) It may be broken, but I am keeping it and embracing it's technology! My most recent gadget purchase was an upgraded cell phone. Now I can get emails, surf the web, text, take pictures and you know, talk on it. The phone is like it's own mini - computer.

Oddly enough we already have several computers. Our older desk top computer is now used by our children alone. It sits perched at the desk and lumbers to life when called upon. The poor thing is getting old and often needs rebooted and takes FOREVER to get going. It struggled with adjustment to the wireless network (it used to just plug into the router)now it hi cups and stumbles as it connects with the wireless adapter and finds new IP addresses. My husband will attempt to revive it but I fear it is at it last gasps of life.

I don't miss it. I love my little netbook. I can blog at the gymnastic studio! Of course now that I have my new phone I am to busy checking my facebook status while at gymnastics and karate I don't have time to blog there. Facebook has been a terrific technological tool since I moved here to Tennessee. A young cousin of mine introduced me to the chat function. There I was reading and commenting on things on my page, when up she pops - "Hey! How is it going?" I am old and not tech savvy - I had NO IDEA I could do that friends when online.

So now I am a pro. I started chatting with all sorts of people if they were online the same time as me. The other day it got really bad. I was chatting with my friend on facebook while my new phone pinged (or rather said - DROID, in that creepy voice)every time someone commented on my status or someone elses via facebook. I had to chat, read, comment, and keep checking the phone. It started to get a little overwhelming.

Now don't get me wrong, I still like all my gadgets. I also like the technology for social and other purposes. Here in Tennessee they are very big on technology in the classrooms and for communication. At Open House all you heard was, "Be sure to check the Parent Portal" and "The Parent Portal has grades and all our lesson plans on it." and even one "I am not so good at posting things on the Parent Portal." Due to the size of our schools and the race to embrace technology the school has the "Parent Portal" system in place. I will admit it takes time to navigate but I am learning and hope to get better. My only concern is, what about the techno phobes, or worse, the technology don't haves. If I only had my desk top dinosaur would I be checking things so often? If I had no computer how would I find things out? It seems to be the accepted way things are done here. I just wish technology could make itself available for everyone.