Technology. The word itself is cold and impersonal. Doesn't say much for the process. I am a people and nature person. I think we're on the Earth to connect to living things- plants, animals, people. I looked out my French doors yesterday afternoon and watched a small chipmunk scurry around my deck in search of food. He was soon joined by a hummingbird. The chipmunk ran around the perimeter of the deck and at one point he stopped just under where the hummingbird was hovering. The two were maybe 24 inches apart. They looked at each other. Communication took place. I wasn't sure if it was have you found anything good I should know about or whether it was hey, who are you and are you going to eat all the good stuff? They didn't engage in any sort of warfare. There was just a sort of acknowledgment that each other was there and then the one chipmunked off in search of cherry tomatoes and the other whirred up to milk the anise hyssop.
I stood mesmerized and filled with joy. I planted those plants. I created that world of connections. It was all I could ask for in a day. Not one of us required a machine to accomplish our goals. I guess technology is good because I can share this with others.
3 comments:
Barb -
I hope you will enjoy learning about the web 2.0 technology that's out there as you continue your 23 Things journey. It's all about connecting people. Those connections allow people to collaborate and share those things that they care about... like hummingbirds and chipmunks.
I'll look forward to reading your blog posts about the rest of the 23 Things.
Jaye :)
Barb,
I understand that nature is very appealing and technology can seem very cold. I don't think they have to be mutually exclusive.
I think what 23 Things shows us is we can use technology to SHARE what we love. If you love sitting in your backyard watching your hummingbirds and chimpmunks (so do I along with my Yellow and Purple finches) - how about taking some photos? Sharing them on Flickr or any other site? How about blogging (like you did) about how lovely it is to unplug and get back to the real world - enjoy nature?
The possibilities are endless. Combine your love of nature with a little bit of technology - I bet you could be as persuasive in a blog as you are at a book talk. Your presentation at Staff Day was wonderful because I got a real sense of your passion for books/kids/etc.
Technology can be your friend :)
Jaye and Beth,
Yes, yes, yes. I know you are right about the possibility of sharing and connecting on line.
I respect that.
I think, however, that some people will take the technological highway and only that highway.
So, I choose to advocate for reading books, hiking trails, watching chipmunks and hummingbirds.
I can find lots of pictures of hummingbirds on line and I can learn about the different kinds of hummingbirds so when I see one I say, ah, there goes the ruby-throated hummingbird.
But I will not sit in front of my computer so long as to never see that hummingbird up close and personal, as they say in sports, on my deck. That's where the magic lies for me.
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