I finally got my car washed this morning (using a another free coupon). It now goes faster and burns less gas.
Grasshopper No.5 got her grey car washed (it was again red after the wash) when she got here from Minneapolis last Monday. She knew she could park the clean car in our garage for a day and it could thaw out. I don't want to say her Mini-Cooper is small but it takes up less room than my snow-blower.
On the way home from Nana's funeral, Grasshopper No.5 was in the backseat. Family stories were being shared. I noticed that No.5 constantly had her eyes directed downward. The stinker was twittering her friends with her Blackberry (or equivalent). She pretended to be listening but was busy doing other things.
In business, the power of the electronic revolution has long been recognized. Instant communcation has helped companies serve their customers with amazing efficiency. The internet is their friend.
As you know, electronic devices make the internet available to everyone. Powerful home computers and wireless phone devices now make instant transfer of information available to you and I. Is that really a good thing?
I don't think ADD (attention deficit disorder) is an inherited condition. We train our kids and our population to have a the attention span of a new puppy. It starts with e-mail. Factor in blogs (yes I'm guilty), podcasts, and e-books. I know that Grasshopper streamed 3 seasons of Dexter on her home computer. Then there is twixing, tweeting and twittering. If need more diversions, you can always plug into Facebook.
When do people bond? Whatever happened to "eye to eye" contact? We keep inventing an infinite number of ways for people to p--- away time.
Come on people, read a book. Exercise at your local gym. Walk the dog. Have meaningful conversations with the people around you (real eye to eye contact). There is a real world out there. Stop figuring out ways to waste time.
The lesson Grasshoppers is that we live in a world where wonderful communication devices exist. Use them as effective tools. Don't let the internet rule your lives.
Love,
Dad
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