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Thursday, November 24, 2011

Methods of Connecting

Do you know how much I love technology? Like an overwhelming love-affair amount, since at the present time in my life, it's the one thing that keeps me sane. Back in the early days of PPD, even reading and answering email was a chore and Facebook drove me nuts because I didn't know what to say that wouldn't generate endless scores of pitying remarks from those who wouldn't understand what I was going through. This blog was helpful in many ways because it offered non-committal feedback- if I could respond to it, I would, if I didn't, that was okay too.

Now though, communication through various forms of technology is what makes being 7000 kilometres from my home doable. I don't know what I'd do without Skyp.e! Of course it's not the same as being in the same room as someone and I can't give a hug through the screen, but I can see people's face and they can see mine. Best of all, K gets to interact with her family and she LOVES it! She knows her grandparents (living with all of them at one point or another helped) and she knows her uncle (my brother). Without this valuable piece of technology, I'd be stuck to phone calls and writing letters. Let's face it, I'm a horrible pen pal. It takes me ages to respond to emails sometimes, not because I don't care, but simply because I don't always have time at the moment I'm reading that email to reply in the way I want to. Then I forget.

This is why I love Face.book and my smart phone. I love texting because you can have a conversation at a pace that works within your day and it doesn't require an immediate response. So, if I am playing with K at the park, I can reply when I have a moment, or wait until we're home. No pressure.

I know for many people, there is this feeling that you have to reply right away, and that can be stressful if you're super busy. For me though, technology allows me to stay connected with friends and family while on the other side of the world and at a pace that works for me. I decide how and when to reply.

What about you? How has technology helped or hindered your ability to communicate with people?

4 comments:

Mrs. Gamgee said...

I love my smart phone, but I admit I have a love/hate relationship with Facebook. I don't know why, but I will be totally into it for a period of time, and then I just lose interest. It's not that I lose interest in my friends, but I get overwhelmed with the mass amounts of information that I wouldn't need/have to know otherwise. I end up feeling like I need to respond to things that really don't mean anything to me.

Technology and advanced communication is great, in small doses. It just seems like if I step into something like facebook for a second, then I'll get sucked in for far more time than I intended. I wonder if there have been any studies on how social media affects those of us who are introverts in the true sense?

"Alone again.... naturally!" said...

Thank god for Skype....it is the only thing that keeps me sane when you guys are so far away....why couldn't we have had that when your Dad was away in the military...it could have saved some very very expensive phone calls, lol :)

areyoukiddingme said...

I love email. I really love texting. And Skyp.e is wonderful when people are overseas. Facebook is not for me - but there are people who love it, and they make it worthwhile for me to keep track of what they are up to.

Dave said...

I am SO happy to see you blogging again! YAY!