Connectivity

I was one of the last people I know to get a cell phone, just under two years ago, yet as soon as I did I had wondered why I had been holding out so long. It was clear that my life was being improved by this technological tool, this tiny utility of communication and connection, allowing me to keep in touch with so many at the push of a button.

Within 24 hours of getting a cell phone I was working, and on that job I realized just how great it was to have a cell phone. Moving from job to job, having access to communication while on the road, while out of town, I quickly learned how fantastic it all was and what the hype had all been about. Cell phones have provided our society with MORE and FASTER. Thats what we can do with oue technology- MORE and FASTER.

My girlfriend from a couple years ago, when people were getting cell phones, convinced me to get a pager. Something to help me keep in touch, without feeling obligated to call back. (she also taught me all sorts of pager-talk with numbers that I always thought was cool, because it was like a secret code). I enjoyed having that pager and when making the transition to cell phone, I understood that I was going to have to give in to "picking up" more often.

So where is all this going? I recently bought a laptop and am now pretty much a wireless lad, traipsing the sprawling cement countryside from WiFi to WiFi, enjoying my access to, well, everything pretty much whenever I need it. I pick up now, every time.

Today, picking up became a problem, because for the first time in months, I've gotten to sit down at the café by my house, enjoy some coffee and The Economist(kaping!), and then, check my e-mail.

What I got in my e-mail was like, fourteen work related messages directed towards me on work that needed to be done. My stress level went right up to my ear lobes, I started fidgeting and adjusting my shoulders when I realized I had been slouching. I felt gross. I felt frustrated and I really felt like I didnt need to know any of this right now. My predisposition for wanting to do a good job usually means that I will do work whenever its necessary, but I guess it took this job for me to realize that I need to not be consumed with work. I like to power through everything to get done quicker and have more time to read or play video games.

My boss(the e-mailer) is vigilantly obsessed with his work(the e-mails were sent at midnight), and while that can be advantageous to whip his employees into an excited frenzy of productivity, it is a disadvantage because sometimes I just need to stop and have some free time.

I'm not making this up when I say that it's taking all I can muster to NOT stop writing this and do my work. It's cold turkey and it's hard. I know what I need to do and that it wont necessarily take very long.i need to stop, see? Im exhausted