I've decided I am tired of the word 'ridiculous.' I'm going to seem like an old guy here, but I really only here it overused by people in their teens, 20s and lower 30s. (I miss the cutoff since I am 37.)
People use the word to describe the weather, to describe school and job requirements or expectations, and to share their opinions on social or political issues. It seems to me when you are using the word ridiculous you are showing what a closed-minded view you have. Most debaters will tell you that it is in their best interest to eloquently explain the other side of the argument. This shows that they understand the viewpoints of others but that they still have a different perspective. Then they can explain their side of the issue. When people overuse the word ridiculous, I feel that they are exposing their own lack of understanding, knowledge, or empathy.
I propose that we think a little deeper about something before we simply call something ridiculous.
Two of my favorite quotations I have come across recently
"Everyone is someone else's weirdo"
"The opposite of talking is not listening; it's waiting"
Monday, March 9, 2009
Sunday, February 1, 2009
Video games
Video games – bringing family and friends together one console at a time
For me it started with Jay's Atari game system. Going to his house to play Atari Pac-Man and Pitfall was just amazing. Andy let me tag along with him pretty frequently to video arcades where you could get 4 tokens, 5 tokens, or even 10 tokens for a dollar. Now you could play as many video games as you wanted to by bringing the video games home. Before I realized this, my only dream of this was how I heard of some people who had full-size Pac-Man or Centipede games in their basement. We were entering a whole new world. My family visited Larry and his wife. They had Intelevision (remember that?) I think we were playing football. Andy was screaming at the screen because his guys weren’t moving the way they were supposed to based on how he was maneuvering the controller. As it turned out, the whole time Larry was somehow controlling Andy’s guy without Andy realizing it.
Then I finally saved up paper route money to buy my family our first home video game system – a Colecovision. We all played it. We all got a kick out of Mom playing Smurf. My dad got pretty good at Venture despite his interesting style of controlling the rounded joystick with his thumb. We played games like Q-Bert, Donkey Kong Jr. and we had a crazy baseball game with giant controllers. I guess Blake Renaud came down to play once. We sat down to play Venture, but I had gotten so good at it, my game actually lasted well over an hour after Blake’s game lasted all of five minutes. I remember that year (I must have been in 5th grade – 1982) that Colecovision was my Christmas gift to my family that year. Christmas Eve day I wanted to have something for each person below the tree, so it seems like I remember buying everyone Twinkes from stop-n-go and wrapping them up. (I’ve often thought that wrapped up cheeseburgers – if you could keep them warm – would be the most amazing Christmas gifts.)
Fast forward to college. Freshman year we didn’t have much in our dorm rooms. Jay (different Jay from before), Bob, and I shared a room meant for 2 people. I had an old black-n-white TV, and Jay brought up his Atari. But man that was fun. Playing soccer, baseball, track-n-field. Bob and I would get so pissed off as Jay kicked our butts.
How about junior year? We had the classic video game football tournament. I can’t remember the name of the game or the system. Somebody help me out with that. We had a classic 8-person tournament. Nate came back to win it even though he was the 4th seed after the opening rounds. What an upset. There was a lot of Tetris played those later years. Remember how you would like dream tetris? You’d play so much that you would just imagine blocks dropping and you’d have to twist and move them just right.
Almost 15 years after college graduation. We haven’t had much in the way of video games since college. We got a plug-n-play Pac Man (plus 4 other games). Kylie got a kick out of that. Finally 2 weeks ago we purchased a Nintendo Wii. Kylie is hooked. She started playing this afternoon. I did some things around the house, talked on the phone – all of a sudden I realized 2 hours had passed. Kylie, that’s probably enough now. But it is fun watching Kylie and Davin box, bowl, golf, and play tennis on the Wii. It’s amazing to me that Kylie totally has my number in boxing. She just moves those hands so fast. In tennis we are evenly matched. I don’t remember any other game system where a 6-year old can compete with a 37-year old. Maybe 10 or 12 –year olds, but a 6-year old? My dominance in home video game systems is slipping away. I could follow up Nate’s famous guest column in the Wartburg Trumpet entitled “The Rise of the Nintendo Athlete” with “The Fall of the Nintendo Athlete” (Yes, I guess I could have come up with something wittier there. )
Anyhoo, I know video games can be seen as a waste of time. And I think people are getting a little carried away when they are saying how good the Nintendo Wii is for people because of all the exercise they are getting – they still are sitting indoors and are not really getting bumps and bruises that you would get from actual sports.
But on the flip side, video games are pretty cool. Yes, when you get a new game or a new game system, you tend to spend a little too much of your time playing video games instead of doing constructive activities. But it does instill the thrill of competition and help you have some fun times with friends and family.
Any suggestions on which game we should purchase next? Then in a month or two we’ll try to get outside and play some more when it warms up.
For me it started with Jay's Atari game system. Going to his house to play Atari Pac-Man and Pitfall was just amazing. Andy let me tag along with him pretty frequently to video arcades where you could get 4 tokens, 5 tokens, or even 10 tokens for a dollar. Now you could play as many video games as you wanted to by bringing the video games home. Before I realized this, my only dream of this was how I heard of some people who had full-size Pac-Man or Centipede games in their basement. We were entering a whole new world. My family visited Larry and his wife. They had Intelevision (remember that?) I think we were playing football. Andy was screaming at the screen because his guys weren’t moving the way they were supposed to based on how he was maneuvering the controller. As it turned out, the whole time Larry was somehow controlling Andy’s guy without Andy realizing it.
Then I finally saved up paper route money to buy my family our first home video game system – a Colecovision. We all played it. We all got a kick out of Mom playing Smurf. My dad got pretty good at Venture despite his interesting style of controlling the rounded joystick with his thumb. We played games like Q-Bert, Donkey Kong Jr. and we had a crazy baseball game with giant controllers. I guess Blake Renaud came down to play once. We sat down to play Venture, but I had gotten so good at it, my game actually lasted well over an hour after Blake’s game lasted all of five minutes. I remember that year (I must have been in 5th grade – 1982) that Colecovision was my Christmas gift to my family that year. Christmas Eve day I wanted to have something for each person below the tree, so it seems like I remember buying everyone Twinkes from stop-n-go and wrapping them up. (I’ve often thought that wrapped up cheeseburgers – if you could keep them warm – would be the most amazing Christmas gifts.)
Fast forward to college. Freshman year we didn’t have much in our dorm rooms. Jay (different Jay from before), Bob, and I shared a room meant for 2 people. I had an old black-n-white TV, and Jay brought up his Atari. But man that was fun. Playing soccer, baseball, track-n-field. Bob and I would get so pissed off as Jay kicked our butts.
How about junior year? We had the classic video game football tournament. I can’t remember the name of the game or the system. Somebody help me out with that. We had a classic 8-person tournament. Nate came back to win it even though he was the 4th seed after the opening rounds. What an upset. There was a lot of Tetris played those later years. Remember how you would like dream tetris? You’d play so much that you would just imagine blocks dropping and you’d have to twist and move them just right.
Almost 15 years after college graduation. We haven’t had much in the way of video games since college. We got a plug-n-play Pac Man (plus 4 other games). Kylie got a kick out of that. Finally 2 weeks ago we purchased a Nintendo Wii. Kylie is hooked. She started playing this afternoon. I did some things around the house, talked on the phone – all of a sudden I realized 2 hours had passed. Kylie, that’s probably enough now. But it is fun watching Kylie and Davin box, bowl, golf, and play tennis on the Wii. It’s amazing to me that Kylie totally has my number in boxing. She just moves those hands so fast. In tennis we are evenly matched. I don’t remember any other game system where a 6-year old can compete with a 37-year old. Maybe 10 or 12 –year olds, but a 6-year old? My dominance in home video game systems is slipping away. I could follow up Nate’s famous guest column in the Wartburg Trumpet entitled “The Rise of the Nintendo Athlete” with “The Fall of the Nintendo Athlete” (Yes, I guess I could have come up with something wittier there. )
Anyhoo, I know video games can be seen as a waste of time. And I think people are getting a little carried away when they are saying how good the Nintendo Wii is for people because of all the exercise they are getting – they still are sitting indoors and are not really getting bumps and bruises that you would get from actual sports.
But on the flip side, video games are pretty cool. Yes, when you get a new game or a new game system, you tend to spend a little too much of your time playing video games instead of doing constructive activities. But it does instill the thrill of competition and help you have some fun times with friends and family.
Any suggestions on which game we should purchase next? Then in a month or two we’ll try to get outside and play some more when it warms up.
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
extras from 2008
I failed to put some other things on the Top 10 list.
Kylie started kindergarten. She really likes it.
Kylie started Kids Network (before and after school care) -- I think she likes this part of her day even more than actual kindergarten.
Davin started Sunday School. It's pretty cool when he shows off his papers and things he has made after Sunday School.
Kylie started kindergarten. She really likes it.
Kylie started Kids Network (before and after school care) -- I think she likes this part of her day even more than actual kindergarten.
Davin started Sunday School. It's pretty cool when he shows off his papers and things he has made after Sunday School.
My top 10 list of 2008
It may seem kind of lame to be typing a blog at 11:30 p.m. but actually this has been a fabulous day. Jen and I just finished watching "Burn after Reading" on DVD. Now we have 30 minutes left in 2008. Jen and I were sort of talking about the top 10 things of 2008. I figured I would document it -- to look back on years from now.
10. Joining a golf league for the first time ever. It was a church golf league, and it was so great getting to golf each week and getting to know some guys from church.
9. A trip to Wisconsin. Jen was taking a graduate class and was 8 months pregnant, so I ventured to Wisconsin with just Kylie and Davin. I was worried about how the car trip would go, but it was awesome.
8. Jen concluded her 2-year stint as Sunday School superintendent with a nice appreciation brunch. I think one of Jen's greatest achievements was a simple suggestion she made to Pastor David. Instead of having just cookies after Sunday School mostly for the kids at 10:30, why not have treats for everyone after 1st service before Sunday School opening and Sunday School. It has created a real nice social time for church members that really didn't exist so much before.
7. I took over the role of song leader for Sunday School opening this year. It's been really fun leading both Sunday School students from age 3 - 5th grade and their parents in singing a few songs before they go to Sunday School. It reminds me of the days when I was a church camp counselor.
6. Having the Milwaukee Brewers make the playoffs for the first time since 1982 (I was in 5th grade). Not only did Kylie get to see her first Brewers game in person, but Andy and Joel were visiting us here in Omaha as we watched a Brewer playoff win.
5. Making a presentation at NILA where I presented to world language teachers on "Don't Entertain.... but Engage your students." I was fortunate enough to have more than 15 people attend my presentation, and I enjoyed the trip to Crete, NE.
4. Playing golf at Tregaron with Andy, Jen, and Judy. We played 18 holes and played terrible golf. But it was an amusing day.
3. Our New Year's Eve. We simply ran a bunch of errands with our kids today. We opened a savings account for Claire. While we sat in the banker's office for 10 minutes, Kylie and Davin played "haircut" They really charmed the banker. We had a great lunch at Panera; the kids played on the balls at Oak View Mall, we were going to buy a Wii, but Best Buy was sold out. So instead of playing that with the kids tonight, we had pancakes and sausage, played Disney Scene It! with the kids, counted down the new year at about 8:15, and danced in the new year with kids to an entire Wiggles CD. It was just great to see the joy on our kids' faces.
2. Claire's baptism weekend. I just love special occasions where family comes together. It was often having our family here. I'll always remember the family kickball game in the backyard. Kylie and Davin were captains. I loved it when Davin picked Rex (Joel and Brooke's dog) for his team. Grandma Hope played. I loved it when she kicked her ball over the fence. Kylie yelled with glee "automatic out!" - since those were the rules.
1. The birth of Claire Elizabeth Seeger on July 22, 2008. She has been a complete joy. She just got tubes put in yesterday. Just like I will hopefully have Andy and Joel as best friends and brothers for most of my life, I'm excited to think that hopefully Claire, Davin, and Kylie will also have each others as siblings and best friends for all of their lives.
Happy New Year everybody.
10. Joining a golf league for the first time ever. It was a church golf league, and it was so great getting to golf each week and getting to know some guys from church.
9. A trip to Wisconsin. Jen was taking a graduate class and was 8 months pregnant, so I ventured to Wisconsin with just Kylie and Davin. I was worried about how the car trip would go, but it was awesome.
8. Jen concluded her 2-year stint as Sunday School superintendent with a nice appreciation brunch. I think one of Jen's greatest achievements was a simple suggestion she made to Pastor David. Instead of having just cookies after Sunday School mostly for the kids at 10:30, why not have treats for everyone after 1st service before Sunday School opening and Sunday School. It has created a real nice social time for church members that really didn't exist so much before.
7. I took over the role of song leader for Sunday School opening this year. It's been really fun leading both Sunday School students from age 3 - 5th grade and their parents in singing a few songs before they go to Sunday School. It reminds me of the days when I was a church camp counselor.
6. Having the Milwaukee Brewers make the playoffs for the first time since 1982 (I was in 5th grade). Not only did Kylie get to see her first Brewers game in person, but Andy and Joel were visiting us here in Omaha as we watched a Brewer playoff win.
5. Making a presentation at NILA where I presented to world language teachers on "Don't Entertain.... but Engage your students." I was fortunate enough to have more than 15 people attend my presentation, and I enjoyed the trip to Crete, NE.
4. Playing golf at Tregaron with Andy, Jen, and Judy. We played 18 holes and played terrible golf. But it was an amusing day.
3. Our New Year's Eve. We simply ran a bunch of errands with our kids today. We opened a savings account for Claire. While we sat in the banker's office for 10 minutes, Kylie and Davin played "haircut" They really charmed the banker. We had a great lunch at Panera; the kids played on the balls at Oak View Mall, we were going to buy a Wii, but Best Buy was sold out. So instead of playing that with the kids tonight, we had pancakes and sausage, played Disney Scene It! with the kids, counted down the new year at about 8:15, and danced in the new year with kids to an entire Wiggles CD. It was just great to see the joy on our kids' faces.
2. Claire's baptism weekend. I just love special occasions where family comes together. It was often having our family here. I'll always remember the family kickball game in the backyard. Kylie and Davin were captains. I loved it when Davin picked Rex (Joel and Brooke's dog) for his team. Grandma Hope played. I loved it when she kicked her ball over the fence. Kylie yelled with glee "automatic out!" - since those were the rules.
1. The birth of Claire Elizabeth Seeger on July 22, 2008. She has been a complete joy. She just got tubes put in yesterday. Just like I will hopefully have Andy and Joel as best friends and brothers for most of my life, I'm excited to think that hopefully Claire, Davin, and Kylie will also have each others as siblings and best friends for all of their lives.
Happy New Year everybody.
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
enjoying the present
There is so much to enjoy every day. Why are some people always so grumpy? If you are a grumpy person, maybe you can pause and think about how many of these things you have the privilege to enjoy each and every day. Although every person's list is different, I bet your list might include some of the same things as mine.
Things I look forward to and enjoy each day (well, at least most days)
1. a warm shower
2. a cup of coffee
3. a bowl of cereal (Raisin Bran, Grape Nuts, Lucky Charms, Golden Grahams, Frosted Mini-Wheats)
4. Reading a short section of the Bible (I am working my way through the whole Bible -- I found a cool resource on reading the Bible in a year. This included reading three different chapters from three different books each day. I only do one chapter each weekday morning, so it will probably take me 5 years)
5. Waking my kids up for the day
6. Getting to plan and teach a German lesson each day
7. looking at the beautiful sky (sunrise) on the drive to work
8. one-on-one conversations with students, teachers, friends, neighbors
9. listening to stories at the lunch table (when there is a group of more than 5, I end up listening more than talking, but it's cool getting glimpses into the lives of others)
10. driving home and looking at the trees (everybody loves the colors of spring, but I think trees in winter are beautiful too)
11. picking up the kids from daycare and Kidsnetwork (after Kindergarten care)
12. making a supper for the 4 of us -- (usually it's pretty simple, but it's fun to call the kids up for supper and have their drinks, main course, vegetable, fruit, chips, etc. )
13. reading the comics and a couple articles in the paper (Omaha World Herald)
14. watching a TV show or two (The Office, Worst Week, Brothers and Sisters)
15. an afternoon cup of warmed-up coffee
16. reading a few pages of my current book from the library (Paul Theroux - The Elepahnt Suite) I usually get this reading done in the bathroom
17. a beer, glass of wine, or margarita (yes - or (not - and))
18. a phone call with my folks or my brother
19. filling in and reading the highlight calendar - We have this cool perpetual calendar - thanks to Nate and Becky - where you can record your highlight each day - each year. Then you flip through it each year and see what you were doing on this exact day two years ago, five years ao, etc.
20. Peeking at the kids who are sound asleep
21. Crawling into a nice warm bed next to Jen
My life isn't perfect. I'm so lucky to have been born into an amazing family, and I am lucky to be a father now in another amazing family. My social life may not be as impressive as many people. Sometimes I get depressed about this and that. Matt Staff knows about my mopy moods, but all in all - it's an amazing life. I hope we all take the time to enjoy the present - it truly is a gift from God. Ultimately nothing matters except our relationship with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ -- and then helps me to enjoy the present -- knowing what a great life this is and knowing what a great afterlife awaits us.
Things I look forward to and enjoy each day (well, at least most days)
1. a warm shower
2. a cup of coffee
3. a bowl of cereal (Raisin Bran, Grape Nuts, Lucky Charms, Golden Grahams, Frosted Mini-Wheats)
4. Reading a short section of the Bible (I am working my way through the whole Bible -- I found a cool resource on reading the Bible in a year. This included reading three different chapters from three different books each day. I only do one chapter each weekday morning, so it will probably take me 5 years)
5. Waking my kids up for the day
6. Getting to plan and teach a German lesson each day
7. looking at the beautiful sky (sunrise) on the drive to work
8. one-on-one conversations with students, teachers, friends, neighbors
9. listening to stories at the lunch table (when there is a group of more than 5, I end up listening more than talking, but it's cool getting glimpses into the lives of others)
10. driving home and looking at the trees (everybody loves the colors of spring, but I think trees in winter are beautiful too)
11. picking up the kids from daycare and Kidsnetwork (after Kindergarten care)
12. making a supper for the 4 of us -- (usually it's pretty simple, but it's fun to call the kids up for supper and have their drinks, main course, vegetable, fruit, chips, etc. )
13. reading the comics and a couple articles in the paper (Omaha World Herald)
14. watching a TV show or two (The Office, Worst Week, Brothers and Sisters)
15. an afternoon cup of warmed-up coffee
16. reading a few pages of my current book from the library (Paul Theroux - The Elepahnt Suite) I usually get this reading done in the bathroom
17. a beer, glass of wine, or margarita (yes - or (not - and))
18. a phone call with my folks or my brother
19. filling in and reading the highlight calendar - We have this cool perpetual calendar - thanks to Nate and Becky - where you can record your highlight each day - each year. Then you flip through it each year and see what you were doing on this exact day two years ago, five years ao, etc.
20. Peeking at the kids who are sound asleep
21. Crawling into a nice warm bed next to Jen
My life isn't perfect. I'm so lucky to have been born into an amazing family, and I am lucky to be a father now in another amazing family. My social life may not be as impressive as many people. Sometimes I get depressed about this and that. Matt Staff knows about my mopy moods, but all in all - it's an amazing life. I hope we all take the time to enjoy the present - it truly is a gift from God. Ultimately nothing matters except our relationship with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ -- and then helps me to enjoy the present -- knowing what a great life this is and knowing what a great afterlife awaits us.
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
a busy week
Hi all. It was great seeing the brothers the weekend before last. We can't wait to see you all in 5 weeks, or so.
The conference in Crete went great. I had about 22 people attend my session, so that was cool. I presented on ways to not entertain but engage your students in a foreign language classroom.
Kylie's birthday party at the Mahoney State Park Activity Center was a success. I got to drive Kylie and 4 friends in our van. Jen and Pam took Davin and Claire in the other vehicle. The other 4 friends Kylie had invited came out with their parents. It was a fun place (and quite affordable) for a party.
Jen returned to work yesterday. Kylie now goes to Kids Network before and after school at a building across the street from her school. An adult walks her and the other students to and from the school each day.
We have parent-teacher conferences tonight and tomorrow night and the family music class on Thursday at church. Jim and Pam are babysitting tonight and tomorrow.
We went to Kylie's conference last night with her kindergarten teacher. That was fun. Kylie is doing great.
Although Friday is a comp. day for two nights of conferences, Jen works in the morning and I work in the afternoon. All teachers have to pick when they are working their 194th day on our contract. There are a variety of options of what sessions you can attend or on what you and a team of teachers can work on, so Friday was one of about 10 option days that we could work to fulfill that 194h day. We will both work 4 hours that day; then we each have another 4 days another day.
On Saturday, Kylie has dance. We switched her dance class from Mondays to Saturdays. I tried to practice helping her get her tights on for dance. I almost had that down. But I also had to learn how to do her hair. For dance class, you have to have your hair pulled back (ponytail, pigtail, or whatever). That was way too tough for me. So we decided instead of having crazy mondays with me getting her to dance class looking ridiculous, we switched her to an 11-12 dance class. (She also starts Daisies soon - the step before Brownies)
Kylie also has a birthday party to attend at some hair place on Saturday where all the kids get their hair and nails done and perform a talent show — or something like that.
We also may attend Touch-A-Truck — a free event that we attended last year that lets Kylie and Davin climb inside just about every type of vehicle you can imagine.
I knew it was a busy week, but now that I have typed it all. Holy cow — it's a busy week.
I'm trying to pull off a mini-surprise for Jen's birthday. After family music class, I take the kids home and go to bed. This Thursday the kids and I will try to pick up a cake, and have a little surprise birthday party in their room when Jen gets home. I bought her a new comforter for our bed — that was very similar to one she mentioned in a catalogue — I was actually paying attention. When she gets home, I hope to have the kids yell 'surpirse' and surprise her with a comforter and one of those goofy powerpoint albums I've made for others.
It was my turn to wake up with Claire to feed her last night, but she slept through the night!!
The conference in Crete went great. I had about 22 people attend my session, so that was cool. I presented on ways to not entertain but engage your students in a foreign language classroom.
Kylie's birthday party at the Mahoney State Park Activity Center was a success. I got to drive Kylie and 4 friends in our van. Jen and Pam took Davin and Claire in the other vehicle. The other 4 friends Kylie had invited came out with their parents. It was a fun place (and quite affordable) for a party.
Jen returned to work yesterday. Kylie now goes to Kids Network before and after school at a building across the street from her school. An adult walks her and the other students to and from the school each day.
We have parent-teacher conferences tonight and tomorrow night and the family music class on Thursday at church. Jim and Pam are babysitting tonight and tomorrow.
We went to Kylie's conference last night with her kindergarten teacher. That was fun. Kylie is doing great.
Although Friday is a comp. day for two nights of conferences, Jen works in the morning and I work in the afternoon. All teachers have to pick when they are working their 194th day on our contract. There are a variety of options of what sessions you can attend or on what you and a team of teachers can work on, so Friday was one of about 10 option days that we could work to fulfill that 194h day. We will both work 4 hours that day; then we each have another 4 days another day.
On Saturday, Kylie has dance. We switched her dance class from Mondays to Saturdays. I tried to practice helping her get her tights on for dance. I almost had that down. But I also had to learn how to do her hair. For dance class, you have to have your hair pulled back (ponytail, pigtail, or whatever). That was way too tough for me. So we decided instead of having crazy mondays with me getting her to dance class looking ridiculous, we switched her to an 11-12 dance class. (She also starts Daisies soon - the step before Brownies)
Kylie also has a birthday party to attend at some hair place on Saturday where all the kids get their hair and nails done and perform a talent show — or something like that.
We also may attend Touch-A-Truck — a free event that we attended last year that lets Kylie and Davin climb inside just about every type of vehicle you can imagine.
I knew it was a busy week, but now that I have typed it all. Holy cow — it's a busy week.
I'm trying to pull off a mini-surprise for Jen's birthday. After family music class, I take the kids home and go to bed. This Thursday the kids and I will try to pick up a cake, and have a little surprise birthday party in their room when Jen gets home. I bought her a new comforter for our bed — that was very similar to one she mentioned in a catalogue — I was actually paying attention. When she gets home, I hope to have the kids yell 'surpirse' and surprise her with a comforter and one of those goofy powerpoint albums I've made for others.
It was my turn to wake up with Claire to feed her last night, but she slept through the night!!
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
Where are the flying cars . . . I was promised flying cars
Where are the flying cars . . . I was promised flying cars
I've heard that line somewhere where someone is saying the technological advances we have in life here in 2008 are far different from what we thought they might be back in 1988.
I just saw an IBM commercial with Jerry Seinfeld and Bill Gates that touches on the future that continues this same imaginative look at the future. It's pretty funny.
Anyway, my point to day ist this: Back in 1988, if we could have looked at ourselves here at 2008, what would our response be? Sure, it's mindboggling all the technological advances we have made. But would we also laugh or cry at some of the side effects?
I'm 37 - not too old and not too young. But I feel like an old-timer when I think about some of the little day-t0-day things I see as a result of our technology. Oma used to say "The world's a different place." How true.
I remember when cell phones started to become prominent. I was always somewhat offended when guests would come to visit - for dinner, perhaps. Their cell phone would ring, and they would carry on a 10-minute conversation with this person that had called. If it were an emergency, that's fine. But I always thought (and still think) -- Wait, you are here to visit me for the evening. How rude to ignore the people who have invited you and to carry on this conversation with this other person in this guest's home.
Of course, cell phones have taken over. Do you remember this scenario happening 15 years ago. You see some down the hall or down the street waving at you. A bit surprised, you wave back only to realize that person was actually waving at someone 50 feet behind you. Today's scenario: someone strikes up some sort of conversation with you. Perhaps it's a stranger. This happened to me on a shuttle going from the parking lot to the airport. I respond back, only to realize this person is talking on a hands-free phone.
Digital cameras. Sure, they are great. But I was just watching a Cubs game on TV. They showed some fans doing this: They take a picture of someone next to them and then immediately show them the picture. "Look - this is what you looked like 5 seconds ago when I took this picture - isn't that hilarious?"
What have we turned in to?
While we are connecting with people around the globe (I was so excited when I read my first comment on this blog from some stranger who acknowledged that he too played a card game called nerts. I thought it was cool that someone other than a friend or relative of mine stumbled across my blog). But while we are connecting with people around the globe, we are not connecting with people in our towns, streets, and neighborhoods.
There is a great book called Bowling Alone, which I read a couple years ago. It's an impressive piece of non-fiction that shows how people are less connected than they were years ago. One early cause is the introduction of the television, but it has just spiraled from there. People are on the cell phone while they check out at the grocery store. I was at Subway ordering for my kids. I had to discuss various menu options with them. As I did that (it only took 1 minute - tops) the kid behind the register was texting on his cell. School administrators are so busy on their blackberries they don't interact with students and staff as much as they should. Teachers in graduate classes are on their laptops while the instructor is teaching. Multitasking or just not showing common courtesies to others? But it's more than just common courtesies. We are just not engaged with others as much as we should be.
Of course, I'm as guilty as anybody. I have the TV on too much. I am blogging when I could be talking to my wife more about her day. (I do like this blogging thing. I"ve kept a journal for 15 years -- off and on - sometimes only 4-5 entries per year.) I don't hide my journal. It's on my bookshelf, but this blogging is faster - I type faster than I write, and I can share it with others. I love reading my brother Joel's blog.
But again, think back to 1988. Pretend we live in 1988 and we are glimpsing at life in 2008. We see kids walking home from school sharing headphones (IPOD) - each with one part of the headpiece in his or her ear. Teachers have these fancy Jeopardy games on their laptop and Epson projectors, but the clues are not very creative at all. I've heard the clues they give as I walk past their rooms in the hall, and it they are not nearly as cool as the 150 different categories my dad collected for his German classes for his German class Jeopardy. He wrote many, and students wrote many of the clues, and he passed them on to me when he retired. Thanks, Papa.
My point - put that blackberry, cell phone, text messaging, laptop down. Engage in life. Talk to your neighbor. Join a group. I need to keep reminding myself of some of those same things. Of course, I've never downloaded a song or received or sent a text message. But even in my 1988 world, I need to shut off the TV, turn off the car radio. Silence is a good thing.
And please, parents at the park with your kids. Shut the cell phone off. You are at the park. Either play with your kids, or enjoy watching them. They'll be grown up way too soon.
I've heard that line somewhere where someone is saying the technological advances we have in life here in 2008 are far different from what we thought they might be back in 1988.
I just saw an IBM commercial with Jerry Seinfeld and Bill Gates that touches on the future that continues this same imaginative look at the future. It's pretty funny.
Anyway, my point to day ist this: Back in 1988, if we could have looked at ourselves here at 2008, what would our response be? Sure, it's mindboggling all the technological advances we have made. But would we also laugh or cry at some of the side effects?
I'm 37 - not too old and not too young. But I feel like an old-timer when I think about some of the little day-t0-day things I see as a result of our technology. Oma used to say "The world's a different place." How true.
I remember when cell phones started to become prominent. I was always somewhat offended when guests would come to visit - for dinner, perhaps. Their cell phone would ring, and they would carry on a 10-minute conversation with this person that had called. If it were an emergency, that's fine. But I always thought (and still think) -- Wait, you are here to visit me for the evening. How rude to ignore the people who have invited you and to carry on this conversation with this other person in this guest's home.
Of course, cell phones have taken over. Do you remember this scenario happening 15 years ago. You see some down the hall or down the street waving at you. A bit surprised, you wave back only to realize that person was actually waving at someone 50 feet behind you. Today's scenario: someone strikes up some sort of conversation with you. Perhaps it's a stranger. This happened to me on a shuttle going from the parking lot to the airport. I respond back, only to realize this person is talking on a hands-free phone.
Digital cameras. Sure, they are great. But I was just watching a Cubs game on TV. They showed some fans doing this: They take a picture of someone next to them and then immediately show them the picture. "Look - this is what you looked like 5 seconds ago when I took this picture - isn't that hilarious?"
What have we turned in to?
While we are connecting with people around the globe (I was so excited when I read my first comment on this blog from some stranger who acknowledged that he too played a card game called nerts. I thought it was cool that someone other than a friend or relative of mine stumbled across my blog). But while we are connecting with people around the globe, we are not connecting with people in our towns, streets, and neighborhoods.
There is a great book called Bowling Alone, which I read a couple years ago. It's an impressive piece of non-fiction that shows how people are less connected than they were years ago. One early cause is the introduction of the television, but it has just spiraled from there. People are on the cell phone while they check out at the grocery store. I was at Subway ordering for my kids. I had to discuss various menu options with them. As I did that (it only took 1 minute - tops) the kid behind the register was texting on his cell. School administrators are so busy on their blackberries they don't interact with students and staff as much as they should. Teachers in graduate classes are on their laptops while the instructor is teaching. Multitasking or just not showing common courtesies to others? But it's more than just common courtesies. We are just not engaged with others as much as we should be.
Of course, I'm as guilty as anybody. I have the TV on too much. I am blogging when I could be talking to my wife more about her day. (I do like this blogging thing. I"ve kept a journal for 15 years -- off and on - sometimes only 4-5 entries per year.) I don't hide my journal. It's on my bookshelf, but this blogging is faster - I type faster than I write, and I can share it with others. I love reading my brother Joel's blog.
But again, think back to 1988. Pretend we live in 1988 and we are glimpsing at life in 2008. We see kids walking home from school sharing headphones (IPOD) - each with one part of the headpiece in his or her ear. Teachers have these fancy Jeopardy games on their laptop and Epson projectors, but the clues are not very creative at all. I've heard the clues they give as I walk past their rooms in the hall, and it they are not nearly as cool as the 150 different categories my dad collected for his German classes for his German class Jeopardy. He wrote many, and students wrote many of the clues, and he passed them on to me when he retired. Thanks, Papa.
My point - put that blackberry, cell phone, text messaging, laptop down. Engage in life. Talk to your neighbor. Join a group. I need to keep reminding myself of some of those same things. Of course, I've never downloaded a song or received or sent a text message. But even in my 1988 world, I need to shut off the TV, turn off the car radio. Silence is a good thing.
And please, parents at the park with your kids. Shut the cell phone off. You are at the park. Either play with your kids, or enjoy watching them. They'll be grown up way too soon.
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