Confessions of a Tech Addict

I am one of the least technologically savvy people on the planet. When VCR's came out, I could never figure out how to record anything from the TV. I'd beg a favor from the closest guy I could find - my brother, a boyfriend, or some male co-worker or friend - to help me. Guys always know how to work things where remote controls and little buttons are involved. It's the main reason women need them, besides taking out the trash.

So I found myself thinking about technology the other day, as I was purchasing my latest and greatest "I-can't-live-without-it" tech gadget (an iPhone). How exactly did I go from failing to program the VCR to actually seeking out stuff with buttons, keyboards and widgets and then figuring out how to use them?

Necessity is the mother of invention. When I started getting into hockey, I found sites with all kinds of hilarious videos (a feature about the aftermath of Sully getting his teeth knocked out, for instance) and they took forever to watch on my work laptop because of the buffering speed. All the justification I needed! Of course, I also wanted to get on other sites that were blocked for me at work, but more hockey was enough motivation. So with the help of Nadine's computer wiz hubby John, I purchased a Mac Book.

The people at Apple deserve a lot of credit for their design genius. You really do just plug it in and everything is pretty intuitive to use. After playing around with my new toy for an hour or so, I knew I hit the jackpot. Of course, my computer came loaded with iTunes, so...

That led to the iPod Touch. The justification was easy this time...I had a 3 week trip to Europe planned, which would involve a lot of time trapped in planes, bored and needing entertainment. Why not just carry my music collection with me? All the really cool people in airports have them, so why not me? Plus the iPod Touch came with games, an international clock so I could set the time in each city we visited....I could go on and on.

Now that I had the Internet, free from workplace restrictions, the social networking began. Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and my very own blog! Communication with my friends, exploring new things that would make me a more versatile trainer....and MORE HOCKEY. Hockey videos, hockey blogs, hockey players and friends on Facebook! In short, my computer became the gateway to hockey heaven. When I discovered my work computer didn't do streaming radio, I started carrying both laptops on trips when the Kings were away so I could listen to broadcasts on the radio.

And because of the iPhone, I could check Stanley Cup playoff scores while sitting at the Dodgers game last night! Does life get any better?

Just to set the record straight, all this technology IS about more than hockey. It really started a couple of years ago hearing Mark Wagner, the head of Progressive's Claims University, talking about the future of training, introducing ideas that made me see myself becoming a dinosaur sooner than I was ready. I got scared of being obsolete, and decided it was time to ride the tech wave or get wiped out. So I jumped in with both feet, and I'm still glad I did. Even on days when hockey isn't involved.

As I was working on this blog, the house started shaking. Now in our neighborhood, this could be anything....a big truck going down the street fast enough will shake things around here. But the window was open, and I didn't hear a truck. So I sent a Tweet, updated by Facebook status, and hopped on the US Geological Survey website. Within a couple of minutes, I had confirmed I felt the remnants of 4.4 quake centered near Malibu. Eight of my friends felt it too!

http://quake.usgs.gov/recenteqs/FaultMaps/119-34.htm



So thanks to technology, at least I know I'm NOT crazy! Just addicted.