Mail Me

at a bus stop near Pisa, Italy 2009

I love getting mail. There is something about receiving a sample of someone else's handwriting. What is it about handwriting? It really gets me going. Like when my husband writes me notes for our anniversary that say sweet things that I want to hear. I love that he wrote them and that I can read them whenever I want. So exciting. I just got some letters in the mail from some sweet girls who are finishing up their stay in Turkey. They are writing to these others teenage girls here in NJ and I can't wait to see what they think of their time in Turkey. There is something about writing that gets ideas out that would not come out otherwise. It is like a time to breathe out everything that you have been waiting to say at the right time. Just breathe it out on the paper and then it will be known and there is no need for a response. Just a smile and a hug or maybe a paper and pen reply. I love pen pals. Just one person across the world to write to. Not 556 friends in a technological melting pot. That's what I wish for the world: more pen pals.

Yes, I Love Technology...

Have you seen the film Napolean Dynamite? If not, I highly recommend it - it's hysterical and, like my friend Erik says, watching it brings on a case of the giggles that might make some people wonder if you're...

But that's not the point of this post. There's a scene in the film where Napolean's brother, Kip, marries his Internet sweetheart, LaFawnDa, in a sweet ceremony. For the big day, Kip composes a song for his new bride to let her know just how much he cares; that song popped into my head this morning as I was checking my Twitter... at 5:29 am.

Yeah, you read that correctly: each morning when my iPhone alarm goes off, I hit snooze (as most sane people do) but when it goes off again, instead of returning my phone to the nightstand, I check my Twitter.

Then I check my Gmail.

Then, I tap the Weather.com app. so I can decide what to wear.

Then, depending on how tired I am, I either get out of bed or more often than not, I check my Facebook.

Sometimes, I even tweet, compose an email or post on someone's wall - all before pushing back the covers and rising from bed.

Sick, huh? Yeah, I agree.

Last night I read a Tweet posted by one of my bloggy Tweeps, MommysStillFab. She tweeted (I kinda wish we twittered instead of tweeted, but oh well, that choice wasn't my call) about how she knows "it is not great 'blogger practice' but [she does] love powering down the laptop and iPhone twitter app all weekend to enjoy [her] family" and I thought, "Wow, what strength! Right on, sistah!".

Technology plays a ridiculously large role in both my personal life and my work life but man, has it improved my day to day world? Has it enhanced my relationships?  Made me a better worker? Or is it responsible for a slow decline in the quality of my life?

Since today is Monday and on Mondays we Bloggerwives of NJ like to play word games with our readers and not wax poetic, I'll save that discussion for tomorrow's post but to get ya'll thinking about it, here's today's word game prompt:

Technology in Twelve: How Technology Has 

Affected Your Life in Twelve Words or Less

And look! I wrangled Kip Dynamite into going first!

I love technology sound bite  Napoleon Dynamite sound bites

"Yes, I love technology, but 

not as much as you, you see..."

- Kip Dynamite

How do you feel about technology?

Computerless

I am without computer for the next week (at home at least) and I am thinking of discovering myself in the process.

What would we do without a computer to turn to? Who am I without a computer? Why do I feel so drawn to the computer for "stuff"?

Last night I was the clothing folder, dish washer, soda drinker, Chelsea Handler watcher who went and trained an NFL player's daughter how to play volleyball at 8pm 45 minutes from my house and came home to do housework instead of checking email at 10p. Who does housework happily at 10p at night? I do.

When there is no computer around.

I think I am going to find that I will be more productive in other, completely fulfilling areas of my life after this experiment. I was definitely happier and less stressed last night on my way to bed.
My back felt better since I wasn't in crouching tiger hidden dragon position while typing madly at the keyboard all night.

With my "To Do" list tucked in my bag, it was too difficult to care what was on it when none of it could be completed without a hard drive and motherboard. I was calm.

Tonight will be a test as to whether I will choose to do housework and veg in front of the TV or whether I will turn to my book to close my eyes for me. I think either way, I will feel better.