How much is too much?!

It seems hard to believe that at one time, not all that long ago, cell phones, smart phones, iPhones, iPads, Kindles, DVD player, Blu Ray player, laptops, e-mail, social networking sites, a home computer in every home (in some cases more than one...or two), satellite dishes, FIOS, etc. didn't exist. Nowadays, it's all about which company can come out with the newest and next best thing. You barely have the newest thing figured out when the next newest thing hits store shelves. 3G, 4G, 5G....just how high are these G's gonna go and quickly are we going to get there?!?!



When I was growing up, we didn't have a TV in our house. **GASP!!** I was probably around 12 when we got our first TV and it was a used one from a guy my dad worked with. We were so excited to have a TV. Just because we got a TV didn't mean that we got cable! Nope, no cable!! We watched whatever came in with rabbit ears and watched lots of movies with the......wait for it......VCR!!! Those are almost non-existent! When I was almost 15, we moved from CA to MI and I think it was there that we finally had cable. A very basic cable. Could you even imagine proposing that to a kid these days. Or not having their cell phone. They would act like you were asking them to cut off an arm!



Cell phones are great a thing! I feel better driving, even if it's just around town, knowing that if I broke down or something happened that I can call for help. At some point in time, our girls will have a phone of their own for safety reasons. Several years from now. Although, if you ask Kendal, she is getting one in June for her 10th birthday. The child is crazy! :) It doesn't matter how many times I explain to her that she has no need for one, she still asks for one. Even when we lived in walking distance of their school, we wouldn't let them walk by themselves and now their school is too far to walk. They are always with me or some other adult. No need for a phone.



Jeff and I have been married a little over 16 years. We didn't have cell phones or a computer at first. He carried a beeper for work. Do those still exist?? Eventually we did get a cell phone. One of those that looked and felt like you were carrying a brick AND we shared it. Can you imagine?!?! How far we have come!!



I am in no way knocking technology! I think it is wonderful! I have been able to re-connect with so many people through facebook, although I am not as hardcore about being on there as some, I do like getting on there to see what's going on in other people's lives. Sending a text is sometimes much better and quicker than making a phone call. ***BUT TO ALL YOU MORONS THAT TEXT WHILE YOU DRIVE....STOP IT!!!*** How many more people need to die from texting while driving before you grasp that it's not safe??!! Does it need to be one of your loved ones???? Hope not!!!!



So what has prompted my rant on technology you might be wondering. Well, I will tell you! Last night we went to dinner at our favorite family owned Italian restaurant. It doesn't sit in amongst restaurant row so for a Friday night when we walked in there weren't all that many people in there. Only one other family in the area we were in, but eventually a party of five came in (1 man, 2 women, 2 teenage-ish boys) and a mom and dad with their little girl. While we were waiting for our food I was "people watching". The two boys sat in a booth by themselves and the 3 adults sat in one together. As I was people watching I noticed that the two boys and the man were messing around on their phones and then before you knew it so were the two women. During the time we were there, at least two or three of them were messing around on their phone. Not at any point did all of them have their phones laying on the table. Same thing with the mom and dad with their little girl who couldn't have been more than 3 or 4.

I am not trying to step on anybody's toes, but really????!!! Are you or anything that important that you can't even sit through a family meal without your phone?? What does that say to that little girl. Those parents were missing out on precious time with that little one and will wonder one day why she doesn't want to talk to them.

It is hard enough for us to have family dinner time together because of Jeff's work schedule, but it's not going to become even less important because what's going on elsewhere is more important. Turn off your phones or at the very least put them on vibrate when you're sitting down to dinner with your family. They are what is important! They are what matter most! Make your kids put theirs away! TALK during dinner! Anything else can wait till later! How long does a meal last anyway??!

Until next time...