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Monday, October 5, 2009

Grateful for Technology


This day seemed radically shorter and I'm grateful for technology. This gratefulness has come after some iPhone problems...

On Saturday night my iPhone died. Nada. Kaput. After several attempts at revival, I told myself that I might enjoy the quiet this event could allow. I had a plan for going to the Apple Store the following day. It would be fixed then, I thought. ...and I wasn't bothered after that. So easy, it seemed: no iPhone for a while.

Well, on Sunday I arrived full of hope at the Apple Store on Michigan Avenue. Several cute guys tried to help me. However, my iPhone was really dead, and the technicians were booked all day and there were already several people standing by just in case someone didn't show up for their appointment. And I was scheduled to teach yoga that afternoon. So I did what I could do. I made an appointment for today during a break between classes. But not before I freaked a little. When this adorable man told me what was up I was truly crestfallen, and was somewhat horrified when tears came to my eyes. I just looked up at him and said, "I'm freaking out. I'm sure you understand... I'm out of COMMUNICATION." He left to see what he could do, and I thought about how manipulative that might have looked. Eventually he came back just to let me know that the situation stood, and I was okay. By then I was composed, and thanked him for his help.

When I was a couple blocks away I wondered how this break in communication might be a blessing for me. And thought I'd just have to find out.

This morning I rode the Ravenswood Brown Line to go teach, and I just sat there. It was dark on the way to my 7am yoga session. This is the time I usually do a blog-related activity on my iPhone, either contributing to my own blog or reading what others have written, and perhaps commenting. And I realized that my life was a little better with the iPhone. There are pockets of time in my day when I am out and about between classes that I enjoy working on my iPhone. It's great for me.

Today when I was in the store waiting for my appointment I ran into a yoga teacher friend, and she sat down and we talked until I had to go for my iPhone. They gave me a new one. It works perfectly in the old case! With information it can work this way... It's not the individual machine that is important, what's important is that the information gets passed on. And I thought about how true that is.

As I age it seems like I am constantly being delivered a new body, but what's important is that "I" keep living, and continue exploring this experience openly. Somehow I am the same person, held together by my memories, but there are times when I feel totally new and very different from the person I once was. Maybe I got a software upgrade... Or maybe I just really like my iPhone.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Sympathies on the technology crisis! I understand how rough it can be. Personally, I haven't caved yet and bought an iPhone. I know its gonna be bad for a while when I do. Me and my iPhone, like intertwined lovers. I'm sure you know how it is. And its inevitable really, but I'm holding off for now on the grounds of finances.

I've often thought about the miracle of our progress through life. And I'm almost convinced that we are actually not really the same people we were as children. We retain certain amounts of data that sort of convinces us that we are. There is photographic proof. There's linnear time.

But really, I don't feel like I'm the same person I was at any point in "my" history. And not just because of the experiences I've had and things I've learned. Although that's part of it.

Maybe we really are just getting upgraded on a cellular level each and every moment like you say. Kinda works for me!

YogaforCynics said...

There are times I feel I'm new and different, and times I feel like I never left seventh grade...

I'm very fortunate to live two hours away from a beautiful house, owned by my family, two blocks away from the ocean, where, except when it's rented out in July and August, I can go any time I can get away. The thing is, though, there's no internet at the house...and the only cafe with wireless charged $7 for 15 minutes last time I checked...so, basically, I go out in my car at night and drive around till I find a decent signal to see if I've gotten any important, time-sensitive e-mail (as well as, sometimes, to put up a blog post)...which is a pain, but I've gotta say, I'm amazed at how much I read when when I don't have internet access--and generally how much more time there seems to be in the day...and, speaking of spending a lot of time on the internet, this comment's already three or four times as long as my last blog post, so I'm gonna end it here

Brooks Hall said...

I see, Svasti! Maybe I'm not the same person. I like the story I tell myself about my breath being with me from birth, though. And in many ways I'm very different in that I see differently than I remember myself doing. In other ways there are similarities...

Yea, Dr. YogaforCynics... Reading... I am not reading the same amount of printed material I used to... Too "busy" with my iPhone.

Isabel said...

Yes, I can relate. I love being able to "get things" done on my iPhone when I am in transit or waiting in line.

Unknown said...

I know EXACTLY how you feel! Wanting to tweet to-and-from yoga. The pang of horror when the Apple store guys tell you that you'll be without communications for a day (possibly more!)...It taught me to hold my tongue (and save conversation for later), and to listen to the world more (instead of music).

But ultimately it taught me that we live in a world where portable music & permanent global connectivity are the norm, and that there is absolutely shame in having a strong dependency on either. Both of these things connect us to our loved ones and to countless unknown others on this planet, and besides, it's just the way we are!

Thanks for sharing your revelations (and enjoy your screen tapping :)