I can't believe it! Well, actually I can...

Nov. 3, 2008 at 5:31 PM

Last night, I was thinking about, and looking at how much "electronic stuff" I use everyday.

Personal Laptop, as well as the computers at school.
2 iPods
The "top" phone from Verizon and the one everyone tries to take from me everyday to use...
Tv

The list goes on and on. I don't even want to try to add up, I'm sure if I thought about everything from the laptop to the alarm clock I use, the list would be well over 30.

And then I started thinking about how much I use my computer, and how much I use my phone. Now keep in mind, it's not like I have the thing stuck to my ear 24/7, I text not call! Haha. But it is pretty crazy considering my brother uses over 8,000 minutes every month talking and I send on average about 14,000 text messages. Then I compare that to my dad who usually sends like 5 if he can even figure it out :).

And then I started thinking about how everyone always says that this is the "ME Generation"; I agree. It sort of shocked me when I thought about how selfish I am. I have to have the "new phone" every six months... How I got my first phone in 5th grade. Then when I got the Video iPod as soon as it came out, and then last night bought the iPod Touch even though my iPod Video works just fine... Don't even ask me what kind of car I'll be getting....

Just some things to think about.

Certainly makes you wonder.

From Anne-Marie Proulx
Posted via 70.48.94.169 on November 4, 2008 at 12:06 AM

Interesting! At least you know how these gagets work! I use quite much the computer for things mostly realated to violin so in my head computer = fun (not when it breaks though!) I can imagine how owning so many things can be fun but I can imagine that when your boss is able to reach you anytime anywhere, it can be a real problem. I know some people who are slaves because the company they work for knows his cell number and paget...

Anne-Marie

From Jerald Archer
Posted via 99.50.138.110 on November 4, 2008 at 12:28 AM

You are a wise young man to contemplate these things. During my lifetime, I was lucky enough to have seen the actual "birth" of many of these technological wonders, as my father was an engineer at RCA and worked on some aspect of the perfection of the technology and would show me prototypes of many new mediums of communication and media of the day. That was about 1974, but I really was not impressed by the inventions as they evolved, as he literally predicted many of the inventions were to come, and even those we have now. He always stressed that although we will have a machine that will literally correct every mistake we make, that we were to master the old-fashioned methods first, and then apply them with time-saving technology. He was of the "pencil and paper" generation, and often used a fountain pen which had to be filled on occasion and I was of the generation that ushered it out, somewhat slowly. Seeing all of this new technology does not suprise me at all, but makes me excited that we are at least progressing forward, sometimes though, I feel too quickly. I think the inventions are great, but have no use for many of them, except my telephone ( which plugs into the wall) and my wonderful 5.54 Gig antique computer, which together are worth under $100.00. Both do the jobs they are required to do (sometimes), and sometimes seeing all this new technology makes me feel old. Enjoy them to there fullest limit, for as we all know, they will be obsolete next week....maybe tommorow.

And they told Mr.Bell that his "toy" would never come of anything.

From Aaron Schiff
Posted via 64.92.149.60 on November 4, 2008 at 4:05 AM

14,000 texts per month! If it takes 30 seconds to read and respond to each text, that's a little over 27 hours per week! I'm lucky if I get 7 to 8 hours a week on the violin and 2 or 3 on the other instruments. But then I'm old and need to sleep. If you used a headset instead of texting you could do other things at the same time, like practice. I actually have an Excel spreadsheet of my weekly schedule on my Palm Treo including sleep, shower, cooking and eating times. The nice thing about technology is that I can live where I want to and commute an hour each way and still indulge my other hobby, languages. I just ordered a bunch of Turkish CDs. Seriously, the gadgets make it possible for us to do many more things, but I wonder if that much texting worthwhile. It seems so isolated. When I was younger and I had 27 additional hours for socializing and flirting, I did it in person. The possibilities of success seem so much more immediate when "reach out and touch someone" is done with the hand, rather than the keypad.

From Paul G.
Posted via 75.169.226.143 on November 4, 2008 at 4:52 AM

The only time I don't answer text messages is during practice but other than that it's all the time... It was pretty much 14,000 a month in the summer, and now it's down to about 10 thousand-ish. (it's kind of hard to text in all my classes). But yeah, I'm not insane, I have a friend who texts non stop and sends 30,000 a month! So yeah...

But I think out of all the things, the iPod is the most helpful because it allows me to study and relax at the same time. If i'm sitting with nothing to do, I can pull out a score to something like the Tchaikovsky (I'm listening to it a lot lately, can't wait for Janine Jansen's recording to be released) and follow along. And I too keep a schedule on my phone. I put in homework that is assigned, rehearsals, concerts or anything of that type. Every half hour it's telling me something I need to do.
Well, I need to get to sleep.

From Patricia Baser
Posted via 68.1.129.101 on November 4, 2008 at 11:10 AM

Do you pay for all that texting yourself? Is that a wise use of technology (or your parents money)? What if you spent a week without all your gadgets-just think how effective your practice could be. Think how much money could be saved up towards some of the other things you've mentioned-summer camp, a new violin, a new case. Or, if you are feeling just the teenciest bit guilty, what if you gave something away instead of just wanting more stuff? Most of my students are quite impoverished and would never have the chance to play an instrument if they did not have the opportunity through their school.

From Paul G.
Posted via 75.169.226.143 on November 4, 2008 at 1:22 PM

No. I would never do that to my parents. We have Verizon Wireless and have "unlimited" which means my total monthly bill is never over 20-30 dollars. And like I said earlier, I dont even answer them when I practice.....

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