I've been away from this space for so long that it feels like unfamiliar territory. I'm typing gingerly; it's a strange feeling. I fumble with words. What goes here? What goes in the next sentence? Should I do a verbal diarrhea post? Was blogging always this difficult?
There are many things that I want put down in this space, pockets of joy, faucets of life that aren't adding up, issues to set right. Nowadays time seems plentiful but often not enough, I wonder where it all goes to.
Technology bugs me, it always has and I fear it always will. I can't deny that it's a powerful tool, but at the same time it annoys the fuck out of me. Or rather, people who get consumed by technology annoy the fucking daylights out of me. It's a strange thing to have a vault of information at a swish or tap of your fingers, and some people can't seem to get over that wonder. How many people have you counted today walking on the streets captivated by their phones or tablets? Also strange that it's one thing to be up to date on the latest trends, but yet be ill versed in everyday etiquette. Perhaps etiquette hasn't caught up with technology. Or better still, perhaps they haven't invented an app that teaches people to watch where they're going, or an app that reminds people to use earphones while watching their latest shows on their gadgets in public, or an app that flashes alerts when an old person comes on board the train and prompts people to give up their seat. How strange that advancements in technology seem to bring about the dearth of common sense. Why does it tear away at our humanity?
What happened to the times where your friend would call you on your house phone an hour before meeting time and inform you that "hey i'm gonna be late, so don't leave your house so early" and still be late anyway and you'd wait undyingly for said friend to arrive at designated meeting point, or where the definition of a picture didn't mean pixels on a screen, but physical sheets of photographs that people printed out for the sake of memory. I mean, what happened to the times where I had to personally ask you what interesting place you visited, or what interesting thing happened to you during the week instead of getting updated by some electronic alert, or to the times where I could enjoy your wholehearted company on a night out, or at a meal without us glancing at our phones every 5 minutes? Call me old fashioned, but isn't old fashioned socialising the best there is? Facebook isn't my friend; Check In isn't my friend; Whatsapp isn't my friend; the handphone isn't my friend; you are. But yet I have to turn to these to reach you?
Don't get me wrong, I love how technology make our lives so much easier, and i'm not saying that i'm impervious to its influence. All I'm saying is that there's always a proper time and place. The world can be better, and so far technology doesn't seem to be helping.