AIM and you: What's your progression?

But back then I couldn't take carry the TV or the telephone everywhere I went. Nor was I able or inclined to interpret and share every experience as I was still in the process of having it by toggling a keypad. "Cmpng w/Dad. Ug. U?"

The point I'm making has more to do with the ubiquity and portability of communications, and the constant need to regurgitate every experience electronically, than it does with the idea of kids stuck in the house with their Wii or their laptop. Walk the quad of your local college campus and try to figure the percentage of kids texting, talking on their cells, or emailing and IMing as you pass.

It's become harder and harder and harder to find anyplace anywhere to be truly unreachable and alone with one's own thoughts.

 

There are few places I'd want to be less than alone with my own thoughts.

 

My feelings exactly.

 

My daughter was a phoner for us for about two years. AIM led to her losing the job. The SE saw her on it one night at work and told her that instant messaging wasn't to be done during work hours. But she's so hooked, she continued to sneak looks throughout each night until finally, the SE caught her again and canned her.

As for me, SportsJournalists.com is my AIM.

 

I see where you're getting at. I guess I have a touch of old fashioned in me because I will sometimes not answer my cell phone and will say, "that phone is there for MY convenience, not yours" if someone bitches. I've also been known to shut off my phone entirely when I want to be unreachable. I've also been known to not bring my phone.

If I want alone time, I'm taking my alone time and you can't have it. So there!

 

Exactly. It's a tool, not a fucking leash.

 

My ME caught me on it one night.

Our SE doesn't care, so long as I'm not IMing anyone during crunch time.

 

Having my IM up at work alerted me to a death on my beat about a month ago.

 

I don't seem to have that problem.

 

I don't know anyone like that ... at least not on this thread.