This is my final edition of my blog for #COM641.
Yesterday, I had to take a sick day because of a fever and blowing my nose every single minute. However, my sick day that I planned to spend on the couch doing nothing, turned into a day of work (just not in my physical office).
With the advancement of technology, work can go anywhere with you. In some cases its the best thing ever, especially when you just need a day away from the office. And in the case of yesterday, it was the most ANNOYING thing ever to be in contact. Some of it I brought on myself by actually coming into work to get stuff to work on at home and answering an e-mail once I was already home, but it was still bothersome.
I guess then it brings me to my next point of whether or not we really feel we can step away from work. With the constant ability to be connected, have we just found it acceptable that we are always to be around and available? People expect things from you no matter what, day or night, weekend or workday. If you don't get something to them, or miss out on it, they could possibly go to the higher-ups and report you.
Either way I think we need to get to the point where we will simply be unavailable.
So tonight I am going home from work and I am turning everything off. No e-mail alerts, no phone calls, just me, my couch and some television time.
It has been fun blog...and maybe I will continue about grad school next semester, but for now...
GRAD GIRL (One semester Down) OUT
12/5/11
Our ability to communicate
As the semester is winding down, I find myself noticing things about technology that both enhances my life and bugs the crap out of me.
Recently I have had the opportunity to travel with the women's soccer team as a part of their postseason run. Unfortunately it ended with a runner-up trophy and not the National Title, but it was great. Anyway one of the greatest things about that team is that when they eat meals together, they are not allowed to have their cell phones with them.
Now, I would be worried that the conversation would be dull or the room we were put in to eat would be quiet or almost silent and I found that it was quite the opposite. I don't know if it is because of the connection that these women have with each other, but they constantly were abuzz with new topics ranging from sports, preparation for the game to school work and upcoming final exams.
It actually gave me a little bit of hope in the human race that we can still talk face-to-face without having the crutch of a cell phone in our hands. I actually think I was the weird one because I always have my phone because you never know when the media would need something...and on this trip they needed a lot.
The funny thing is that I actually noticed myself "needing" my phone more and more on these trips and I was so thankful that I had an iPhone because if I was still stuck with my blackberry a lot more people would be left behind without e-mails or information I provided them just because I had that phone. (oh hey run-on sentence).
Anyway it was great to see these girls in shock when other teams had their phones not only with them, but OUT on the table during a keynote speaker. That is how you know you have trained your team well.
So things that bug the crap out of me though is when people do not have cell phone manners. If you are in a crowded room and you get a phone call, please step out of the room. If you have clicky keys like on a blackberry, try to keep your clicking to a minimum. And if you are like me and you forget not everyone has a smart phone, be mindful of how many messages and how fast you are sending them.
That was all I had for today. Nothing too spectacular.
Grad Girl out!
Recently I have had the opportunity to travel with the women's soccer team as a part of their postseason run. Unfortunately it ended with a runner-up trophy and not the National Title, but it was great. Anyway one of the greatest things about that team is that when they eat meals together, they are not allowed to have their cell phones with them.
Now, I would be worried that the conversation would be dull or the room we were put in to eat would be quiet or almost silent and I found that it was quite the opposite. I don't know if it is because of the connection that these women have with each other, but they constantly were abuzz with new topics ranging from sports, preparation for the game to school work and upcoming final exams.
It actually gave me a little bit of hope in the human race that we can still talk face-to-face without having the crutch of a cell phone in our hands. I actually think I was the weird one because I always have my phone because you never know when the media would need something...and on this trip they needed a lot.
The funny thing is that I actually noticed myself "needing" my phone more and more on these trips and I was so thankful that I had an iPhone because if I was still stuck with my blackberry a lot more people would be left behind without e-mails or information I provided them just because I had that phone. (oh hey run-on sentence).
Anyway it was great to see these girls in shock when other teams had their phones not only with them, but OUT on the table during a keynote speaker. That is how you know you have trained your team well.
So things that bug the crap out of me though is when people do not have cell phone manners. If you are in a crowded room and you get a phone call, please step out of the room. If you have clicky keys like on a blackberry, try to keep your clicking to a minimum. And if you are like me and you forget not everyone has a smart phone, be mindful of how many messages and how fast you are sending them.
That was all I had for today. Nothing too spectacular.
Grad Girl out!
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