Modern Technology

The jury is still out in my mind as to whether or not technology is a good thing. I will be the first to admit that there are times when I love my cell phone, my computer, my DVD player and so on. It was so nice to have the boys watching the computer the whole trip to St. George and not complaining to me, it is great to be able to be in contact with people you are looking for or meeting or leaving at home to take care of things, and it is fun to get to blog about all my experiences. However, at other times these advances seem to make life more complicated and less enjoyable rather than easier and more fun. Take for instance when my hubby would rather watch his TV shows on DVD rather than cuddle with me or when the cell phone doesn't work because you don't have a signal or when I would prefer to have a conversation with my children rather than text them or watch while they text other people.

My daughter and her husband used some of their wedding money to buy a Garmin GPS system for their car. The husband really wanted one and my daughter said it was OK as long as they bought the pink one. He was fine with that. They were excited to use it on the trip, but it kept telling them to go a different way than we were choosing to go and then it would have to recalculate. It recommended going through Las Vegas and that would never be the route I took to St. George by choice. I got to ride in her car today and she used it to give us directions to the bookstore and scrapbook store we were going to visit. Although it was nice to have a "talking map" I kept trying to figure out why it was sending us the way it did and second guessing what it told us to do. I also got a little annoyed having this "British woman" telling me where to go in Utah. Heck, I AM from Utah. I think I would probably throw the cute little box out the window pretty quickly even if it is pink. I don't like to be told what to do or where to go and I often enjoy taking the scenic route. Just ask my kids. Apparently I come by it naturally because my sister took the newlyweds on some scenic routes with my mom's help. Perhaps when the newlyweds get rich they can buy all us Cheever women a GPS of our very own.

Also, I think each one of us has our own opinion of what modern technology really is and how much is really necessary. Is it a high speed hook up in every motel room, a GPS system in every car, a cell phone in every pocket or this fine example I happened upon on our road trip.