From the desk of Teresa Jordan – What is it about technology that makes anger well up so quickly and so unashamedly in me? I am generally pretty cool and calm. I work very hard to keep my composure in the face of some pretty nasty confrontations. But one delay in my web browsing, or a loss of connection or print job that I have walked all the way down the hall to pick up not being there – and I am an angry, teeth gnashing, eyebrow furrowing lunatic ready to project the offending equipment through the nearest window.
How did this happen? I never got angry at my Vic-20 for taking nine minutes to load my next game of Clowns. In my childhood, I waited 40 minutes for Mrs. Fisher to finish her call on my party line so that I could call a friend. And I have proven my patience quotient endlessly in trying to set up a driver’s test for my son. I can wait and be patient… except if my email doesn’t open instantly.
I guess this is partly what happens when things keep getting better and faster and more available, but I also think maybe the demands on my time have increased to match the time saved with the updated technology. It is like the classic analogy – the vacuum cleaner was invented so that the process of beating rugs – a task that used to take all day – now takes a few minutes… except that what was once a task done every two months is now one done every day.
Time savers have somehow sped up time and it is up to me – and each one of us – to take a minute to just slow down and take a breath. We are masters of our own destiny and we are responsible for the pause. Just don’t test me anytime soon by taking the batteries out of my wireless keyboard and expecting a Zen-like response – teeth gnashing may still occur but will be more enlightened. Relax into the pause whenever you can – it is summer after all.
Thanks for all you do!
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