Techie Woes, Part II

There are few things that frustrate me more than when my computer or my internet fails to work properly. Despite harboring a wholehearted desire to be online less, and out in the world more, I find that a huge percentage of my time is spent tied to the little pieces of technological equipment that populate my life. Laptop. Printer. Cell phone. E-reader. Cable box.

After a late night and a morning spent wrestling with my wireless internet router, I feel reminded of my extreme reliance on these little devices--how great they are when they work, and how much they mess with everything when they don't.

The world is moving faster, it seems. Being "offline" for less than a day has set my work week back by more time than that, somehow. I've collected a surprising backlog of emails, in a world where everyone expects a quick turnaround response. I couldn't access my calendar, couldn't confirm the timetable for an upcoming flight. I missed my New York Times alerts, which would have let me know to turn on the t.v. last night because major world events are busy occurring.

I don't think of myself as someone who's always in a rush, or who needs to know every update the exact moment it happens. But I'm reminded over and over again lately how infused these tech tools are into my everyday life. I find myself reflecting on the New York City blackout of six or seven years ago, when we collectively found ourselves with nothing at all to do. Are we all about technology now?

What do you think? Are you an all-plugged-in tech junkie? What else do you rely on in your life?