For one horrifying hour, I thought I lost my iPhone. I felt like a rudderless boat floundering in an unknown sea.
My Facebook post, Thursday, May 26, 2011.

As I sit here typing, I think of all of the people that are on the internet right now, just like me. Yesterday, I went into Kowloon to try and find a video camera (no luck) and I saw all of theses people with digital devices. Have you ever accidentally kicked an anthill and it’s amazing to see just how many ants come pouring out? Welcome to the subway in Hong Kong. It’s that busy, and with all of those cell phones, iPods, MP3 players… it’s impossible for me to wrap my brain around the idea how many of us are connecting to the internet, all of that information and data that is floating in the air, up there, somewhere.

I am addicted to technology. And I don’t think I am alone on this one.

Sometimes I think if I could bring Lincoln, yes Abraham, to today’s world, I would have to think that the internet would be up there for one of the biggest innovations. He was sending telegrams to his generals and waiting hours for news from a battle. Can you imagine if he could’ve HeyTelled or Skyped Grant or Sherman? I don’t think it would have changed much with McClellan, but you get the idea.

As I am out in the world, I feel like I just get more and more dependent upon technology, especially with keeping in touch. Take right now for instance. My internet connection at home is extremely slow; think of trying to pour Vaseline into another container. I can’t help but feel completely irritated and well, entitled. It’s my right to have quick and easy access to the internet. How do they expect me to live?

Plus, technology is fun! I think of all of my apps, especially the photography stuff; it’s so creative and engaging. I love it. I wonder what classrooms will look like in 5, 10, 20 years… my guess is, no classrooms, at least how we know them.

I realized all of this when I thought I lost my phone, Now yes, I love my iPhone. The device itself is rather sexy but it’s more than that. It’s my hub. The notes for this blog were first typed onto Notes (iPhone) as I was waiting for the ferry yesterday. When I was done with the notes, I just emailed them to myself and just cut and pasted it onto a word document this morning. While on the ferry I was reading the newspaper, I took a photo of the name of a photographer that I wanted to look up with my phone camera so I would remember and I didn’t have to write it down. All of my contacts, business cards, flight information, photos, music, apps, just information are all stored there. When I was in Jiuzhou, my friend texted me about ferry times so I emailed her a photo of the ferry schedule (I didn’t want to have to carry it around). It’s easy to see why my eyes started tearing up when I thought my good friend was lost. Don’t’ get me started on how much I need my MacBookPro.

So yes. I am addicted to technology.

Fortunately, I know how to unplug and disconnect. Unfortunately, I find that harder and harder to do so. Could I survive without my computer, iPhone, iPad2 (will buy one as soon as I am back in the States), iPod and all of my apps? That question makes me physically uncomfortable, but I know I could. Do I want to? No way.

Well, I am off for now. I need to back up all of my information into my DropBox account. This great tool allows me store all of my information in a cloud-based file that syncs all of my devices… Uh oh, it’s internet-based. Houston, we have a problem.