Technology

In today's world we have many different ways to communicate. For instance: postal mail, text messaging, internet, email, phone calls, and I am sure others I am missing.

To me, the cel phone (look it up "cel" is the original spelling) is a convenience not a necessity. This communication with the outside world when it intrudes on the interaction of two people sitting across from one another, distractions while driving, walking, or in class, etc. is , I believe, highly offensive. If I feel the need to pay attention to a phone call I leave the area after excusing myself. No one wants to hear half a conversation. I do not text and walk, text  and drive, text and eat, so on. I have had conversations in the past to realize there is no response from the other party, only to look around and find them texting. When I mention how rude this is I almost always get a withering look or a lecture on intolerance.  I really do not believe it intolerant to ask of another good manners , politeness, and attention when we are having a face to face talk.

Recently, a friend took exception to the fact that I read and responded to a text while we were talking. I apologized. Not even 10 minutes later he answered his phone and began having a conversation and ignoring me. I left. As I was leaving he asked why I was leaving, and I did not bother to answer.

Technology is wonderful, but it has it's place. During driving, face to face meetings, in movie theaters, and elsewhere there  is no place for your cel to be used.

MORE

I, like many Americans apparently, only ever feel comfortable with more, over the past 50 years I have striven for more friends, money, clothes, cars, land, and almost anything that I could obtain more of.

I wish this to stop and now. I have a wonderful life, fabulous friends, a spirituality that works, fantastic family, and so on. Yet I am not satisfied, I want more. My house is a small studio apartment I share at present with gem and John. gem is four footed and John is bipedal. Both are fantastic room mates for me and there is quite enough space for the three of us. The only difficulty I have is my stuff. I am a pack rat and have bags, drawers, closets, dressers and other spaces full of things I do not need or use. Why? Because it's mine.

I find it ridiculous that people use storage units because they have too much stuff in their house. If you are not using it, won't be using it give it away is my philosophy.  However, we Americans seem obsessed with possessions, we have to hold on to what we "own". You know, what I "own" is really only borrowed. My flesh, room mates, clothes, books, papers etc. will be of no use once I am gone. Why am I so enamored of holding on to this "stuff'?

I wish there was an easy answer, and there is. I think I'll throw a bonfire, if I cannot have it I'll consign it to Shiva.

HELLO...