After being away for over eight hours,
Hubby steers the car into our driveway.
To our delight two bucks are grazing in the backyard.
They look up momentarily to check us out,
then return to their grazing.
Some ten minutes later, Hubby and I enter our home.
As we ascend the short staircase I say,
"Remember when we used to come home
and check the answering machine?"
We both chuckle.
But immediately, I feel a longing ...
For more simplicity
Less information overload
More spaciousness
Less constant-contact ability
I think we humans and other creatures
are not designed for these intrusions.
Oh Carol, you're just too negative
regarding progress.
I guess it depends on how one defines "progress."
As I read from a book,
my smart phone sits nearby.
Sometimes I need to look up a definition.
So Carol, why not pull out a dictionary?
Dictionaries are quite heavy
for my weakened arms and hands.
So, I web search a word on my phone.
But five to ten minutes later I catch myself
down a digital rabbit hole.
At least I catch myself and am able to climb out
into the open, into spaciousness, into the senses.
My phone is not the problem.
In and of itself, it is innocent.
Its designers, however, design it to catch us.
I choose to open the gate.
And then, I get caught in a thicket,
like Br'er Rabbit.
Eventually, I accepted the answering machine.
Eventually, I accepted email.
Eventually, I purchased a smart phone.
Eventually, I checked out the Pattern Engine,
also known as Artificial Intelligence.
I named my smart phone Uhuru,
in honor of the communications officer in the original Star Trek.
Each night, I power her down with a thank you
and tuck her into a glove which I place in a drawer
down the hall from the bedroom.
She likes it there.
~*~
Here's a poem I wrote 27 years ago, in 1999...
Please note, that I now check my email most every day...
Twas a middle-aged lady who lived in a house.
Her functions were many; she wasn't a souse.
She was secretary, cook, cab driver too,
activities planner, home maintenance guru.
Doctor, nurse, janitorial clerk,
counselor, teacher, overseer of work.
Just a few of the functions for which she stayed perked.
Then to add to her list? The computer pimple.
Pop ups and ads, wrinkles and dimples!
Upgrade! Upgrade! It makes your life simple!
But beware of viruses; you need that program too!
And identity theft; so your name is who?
Got too much spam? Pay more and it's through!
First there was junk mail to take up her time
and now more info to boggle the mind.
This middle-aged woman stepped back and breathed deep,
"It's time to make simple this communication heap."
She decided, yes, her email to keep
but now only checks it every two weeks.
So, if her attention you immediately need
please call her by phone to get sooner heed.
