Thing 7

How much more efficient my job as a librarian is with a computer at hand. How nice it is to not have to wait until I get home to see if anyone has tried to call me. How enjoyable it is to get an e-mail from a friend or family member and be able to "write" them back immediately, and know that they will read it the same day. How lovely it is to get a photo online from these same people and see a smile or someplace they just visited. How wonderful it is to shop online and not have to battle traffic and crowds of people.
But, how scary it is to nearly get run off the road by someone driving and talking on their cell phone. How sad to see people walking down the street and staring at their cell/text/camera phone and never looking at you and therefore ignoring you. How annoying it is to be at a restaurant or the grocery store and to listen to someone arguing in a loud voice on their cell phone with someone else. How disheartening it is to watch people staring at a computer screen for hours at a time watching videos or playing games. How depressing it is to be stand next to someone wearing headphones and realizing they have no idea you are even there. And, how frightening it is to think that simple, beautiful, thoughtful things such as handwritten letters and sitting down and talking with someone face to face are becoming increasingly rare occurrences.