The vast majority of the hours in most of my days are spent connected to one electronic device or another.
I wake up in the morning and turn off the sleep stopwatch on my fitbit, then reach for my iPad to retrieve my e-mail, scroll through my Facebook feed, and see what’s happened in the world since I last checked in.
I get up, make myself presentable, then boot up my laptop while getting coffee and breakfast (which I eat in front of my computer). I sync my fitbit, plug in my iPod Touch and iPad in preparation for syncing, and check to see if my mobile phone, Kindle, or camera need to be charged.
From Tuesday to Friday I also fire up my work laptop and connect to my remote office so I can retrieve and work on files and so that my co-workers in Victoria can reach me by e-mail, Skype, and messenger. This computer is set to PST (i.e., three hours behind my physical location) so I can see “office time” at a glance without having to do the calculation in my mind (because I prefer to avoid math if at all possible!).
If I go out in the evening I’ll take my fitbit to track my steps, my mobile phone to stay in contact, and my iPod touch (with WiFi) just in case I need some piece of information or want to check my mail when I can connect wirelessly. Depending on where I’m going (and how big the bag I’m carrying) I may also take my iPad, which has both WiFi and 3G connectivity.
If I stay at home for the evening, if I’m not using my laptop I will always have my iPad close at hand.
Before bed I’ll usually surf the internet for an hour or so on my iPad and then, when my eyes start to close, will set up my fitbit sleep timer and disconnect my brain for the night.
Yes, I’d say I’m connected.
Go back in time and try to explain all this to eighteen-year-old you. Wouldn’t it blow your mind?
Twitter: alphabetsalad
August 22, 2012
That’s for sure! I was thinking the other day how even just a few years ago the idea of touch screens was baffling. Things change so quickly!
Laurel Regan recently posted… Connected
When I try to fathom how much things have changed and the speed at which these changes are happening, I am stunned. I don’t check in with as many electronics as you do, Dawn, but I check in never-the-less! And honest to goodness, how did we really even get along without cell phones? Sure, it’s nice to be without once in a while, but there’s a bit of anxiety to stepping away from the phone for a hiatus- whenever I pick up the dormant phone to check back in, I have visions of some family member having tried to call me 25 times because of an emergency. Never being able to escape can be maddening!
I regularly have dreams that I discover some forgotten cell phone that’s loaded with voice mail messages I never retrieved or a forgotten e-mail address with a full Inbox!
My recurring nightmare is similar, but college-related: I realize one day- far too late in the game- that I have a final exam and I’ve never been to the class or don’t even know where or when the class takes place and am looking all over the place for the Registrar’s office so that I can figure out what to do. Ugh- I hate this dream!
Coco at The Shiny Butter Blog recently posted… The Only Back-To-School Guide You Need- 29 Things I Think It’s Only Fair That You Know
Twitter: alphabetsalad
August 23, 2012
Ack, I’ve had that dream as well, SEVERAL times, and it’s very disturbing!
Laurel Regan recently posted… Bloggy Housekeeping
I have all the Applecaruff. were a serious Appel family, as my husband used to work forApple and actually was a ech writer for their manuals yars ago. You’re like him, eating breakfast in front of the computer and also dinner. I just got the Mac air, and damn, just love it! But most days check in regularly on my iPad. I’m home a lot. So my iPhone doesn’t get a lot of action.
I don’t have an iPhone yet, but I’m keeping an eye on the one-to-come in the fall – fingers crossed!
oh, then your connectiveness will truly be complete! and it does make for a great camera to upload photos to your blog.
Twitter: alphabetsalad
August 23, 2012
I’m really looking forward to that feature – I’d love to use more of my own photos in my blog, and it would be so easy/convenient with an iPhone.
Laurel Regan recently posted… Bloggy Housekeeping
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