Wednesday, June 01, 2011

My iPhone: A Tragic Love Story

"How much net work could a network work, if a network could net work?"
 - Unknown

Earlier this year I hesitantly abandoned my beloved blackberry (actually it was a "pink"berry if I am to be honest. Very professional, I am aware). I took the leap into iPhone-ville and have never looked back. I have a laptop and not too many years ago simply being able to sit outside without a cord or a plug was revolutionary to me! Imagine...writing an e-mail and getting a tan at the same time?!?! Multi-tasking at its best for sure! But my iPhone....oh mighty, mighty little iPhone...how I love and hate thee! Let me count the ways.


As you probably know by know, or perhaps you don't...I am a busy mother of three, and I apologise for the redundancy of saying busy...or even saying "of three"...I could have just said "mom"...but somehow it makes me feel better about carrying a little computer with me everywhere I go. I mean, how else would I stay organized? How else would I stay in touch with friends? Find a recipe for coco-vin? Find out what's on sale at Prada this week?

The number of times I have said, "there's an app for that" both impresses and depresses me. The fact that I have a phone, a computer, a camera, a video recorder, a TV, a movie theatre, a stereo, a video games system, a GPS, a flashlight, a weather man, a whoopee cushion, a newspaper, a level, a translator, a light saber, a beer and a partridge in a pear tree all contained in this little devise smaller and flatter than my hand is rather scary. And rather awesome.

If I don't have it on me I feel naked and anxious. This bothers me. I can always be reached. I can always access information. I can always fart on demand, fight the dark side and get the hockey score  (all of which come in very handy in my testosterone-heavy family). I can communicate and connect with family and friends, acquaintances and strangers whenever I please.

I can write. This blog. Right now. How cool is that!?!! I am actually in Yoga class at the moment. I can pose and type and feel all serene all at once!

Or can I? I mean, I tell myself every day to sit and relax for a few minutes. To stop looking at Facebook. To stop checking my e-mail. To stop writing my blog. To stop photo shopping my photos. To stop pretending to fart.

To stop.

We all need to stop sometimes. To be still and reflect. But with this 24-7 access to all the things you need to do, all the things you want to know, all the cool things that are out there to figure out...this is very difficult. At least for me. I try to put my iPhone away sometimes but that usually doesn't last long. I mean, it is my only phone and what if someone is trying to reach me? What if the school calls and one of my kids is sick? I have to have it with me always. And it is always calling my name. (Yes...it actually calls my name. There's an app for that.)



Everything that is great usually had a flip side. A Licks burger is really yummy, but not so much on my ass. Having children is the greatest thing that has ever happened to me, but also the most difficult. That house is beautiful but the mortgage would be horrendous. And technology is amazing...everything it has done, everything it is doing, everyone it is helping. But where will the line get drawn? Try reading the book 1984, which was written in the 40s and reflect on what things may be like 40 years from now? Not only will big brother be watching us, but he will be living with us. Big brother will be...well...our brother.

The best way I know how to get away...to get back to basics...to quiet the noise...is to return to your connection with living things. Go outside. Find a quiet refuge. Be it your backyard, a park, a beach. Connect with nature. Connect with other people. In person. Look in their eyes. Look around. Look inward.

Just be.

And then update your Facebook status and tell your friends all about it.

Smiles,

Lora

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Your Lonely Addiction

6 comments:

  1. I am reading this on my iPhone right now! I could have written this...except I can't write as well! Great blog! You manage to be funny and serious in the same breath. I'll keep reading for sure.

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  2. haha...you put things so well. Yeah the iPhone is great...AMEN. ;P So far I haven't felt the need to "Put it down" - I think I feel that I own the iPhone and the iPhone doesn't own me. No particular draw to needing to know what is going on...but happy to see when good news pops in. you sound like a COOL mom and also sound like you have things under control...even when the going get's tough. So you mean they are still making paper books??? :P

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  3. Hi Jarvis. Thanks for your comments! A cool Mom eh? Well obviously a Canadian one with that last sentence...eh?!? Lol I do sometimes feel tethered to my iPhone only because I use it so much and sometimes to a fault. But I am learning boundaries! When I was away at the farm there was little reception which was a good lesson in restraint! Thanks for reading, following and for your ongoing support Jarvis!

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  4. RIP Steve Jobs. Technology has forever been transformed by you.

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  5. Hi my name is Alyssa and I'm an iPhone-a-holic :)

    I actually just got a tablet for Christmas but iPhone will always be my "pocket computer" ;) you're not alone!

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  6. iPHONE ROCKS!! ;-))

    I wish I had waited for 4s! I updated last year to iphone 4 and love it. Am pretty busy as the president of a volunteer ministry, so I keep all my notes, calls, videos, pix, contacts etc...on one device and don't need paper that much!

    Rock on Lora, eh! :-))

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