Email is the new conversation May 25, 2008

Don’t get me wrong, I love technology. In fact, if I want to, I could go days without actually talking to another human being [not including my kids]. I email back and forth with the kids teachers. If I have a question about my cable bill I log onto my account and have a LIVE CHAT with a cable representative. I pay many of my bills online and some I can pay via an automated phone system. I go to the grocery store and can use self-checkout. If I happen to get a check for my birthday or Christmas I can deposit it in the ATM machine. I have even taken up texting with my friends and family members. It’s great in a pinch if you can’t talk long, don’t want to talk or are too lazy to move your mouth. Yes, texting is raising a whole new generation of carpel tunnel syndrome laden children. My eldest daughter who turned 13 this year absolutely loves texting. In fact, we invited 20 [or so] of her closest friends out to lunch at a local restaurant for her birthday. You would think that many girls at one table there had to be a ton of talking. When they were all seated they whipped out their phones and began texting each other, sharing mp3s, and playing their ring tones for all to hear. It was quite the scene. My husband has even been known to IM me upstairs while he is downstairs on his computer. He sends me email reminders of upcoming events so that I can add them to my outlook calender. We have even held serious discussion via email because it takes all the emotion out of the communication process, which at times is a good thing. So, some say brown is the new black. Jen Lancaster says Bitter is the new black. I say Email is the new conversation.