So, why do I feel this way?

I’m no newbie to the online world, having made my living in it, but with the proliferation of phone automated menus and online chat, speaking to individuals who reside in our country is a rarity. We have had an issue with our Verizon account. I have utilized the mobile and desktop apps to no avail. Even though our account seems to be fixed each day, the following day we receive texts that our devices are once again unregistered. I went into the Verizon store only to find out that they could not help me. I HAD to go through their mobile app to resolve my issue. All they were able to do was to sell me a new phone. Ugh!

Is digital really better?

Per Oxford Languages, “The Metaverse is a virtual-reality space in which users can interact with a computer-generated environment and other users.” Isn’t that just peachy. Instead of face to face relationships, we get to spend MORE time behind our digital devices. More online chats, more voicemail prompts, more texting, more emojis instead of real smiles, more non-human contact. As if the past 2 years of the pandemic hasn’t separated mankind enough, the digital powers to be have decided that we need MORE solitude and people hiding behind their input devices.

How did you enjoy online shopping this Christmas?

I’m a boomer. I remember the days when we actually went out and shopped for Christmas presents for our friends and family. There was an excitement in the air as we perused all the different options and had real conversations with the people selling their wares. An exchange of Merry Christmas could be heard as you left the counter to go on the hunt for that next gift, making sure to stop at your favorite place for lunch with friends or family. No Door Dash meal after simply clicking boxes off of your friends and family’s Amazon list, clicking the box for the ‘Gift Bag’ in those amazing colors. I don’t know about you, but seeing items disappear off of my Amazon list meant that someone had bought this gift for me. So much for a surprise, but then I did get what I wanted. Hmmmmm. So much of this Christmas was delivered in boxes that sported that “smile”. I felt so damn lazy after punching that “Submit Order” button. Also, the poor mom and pop stores that were paying people to wait for me to show up and buy something waited in vain!

Don’t let the Metaverse rob you of a REAL life

I’m not sure if you remember the Toyota commercial where the young lady on a laptop is viewing her Facebook feed, looking at images of a puppy. She says “is that a real puppy?” and then comments about her parents who are missing out on life by not living in their Facebook world. The next scene then switches to her parents riding bikes on a mountain trail, laughing and enjoying the fresh air. She sees her parents only have 19 FB friends compared to her 687 FB “friends”. Poor unconnected parents.

I intend to live my life large and real. I know that I cannot change the future for everyone, yet I can guide the direction of my own life. I will shop small and often. I will maintain and build real face to face relationships and I will keep my screen time to a minimum. This being said, signing off for today. Merry Christmas!