Espresso Discovered

So today my neighbor was nice enough to give me some Cuban coffee and a little espresso stove pot. Ha! I am so wired, but it is so good! C'est si bon!

With my newly discovered source of adequate caffination, I have started to prepared myself for a new year, which requires me having properly synced email, a decent voicemail service, and an answering service. I have at least 4 or 5 email addresses that are all synced to outlook, so that way I don't have to wonder which messages came from where. The rationale behind having 5 emails is simple: 1. I can isolate school related  business from personal or work related business , 2. I can have appropriate signatures and information provided depending on who I'm responding to.  Also, for instance, my gmail account is linked to my Google phone so I get those messages almost instantaneously and deal with them faster.

My voicemail is forwarded to my email and texts, so if I get a hang up or missed call, I can see who called, their info and whether or not I need to waste time calling them back. I can see all my messages in unison, instead of listening to them in order, with prompts and "press one to repeat, press two to save", etc. Plus, I can have different greeting for my friends and professional ones for unknown callers....and disconnection notices for those I want to get rid off. Fun, huh?

The answering service allows me to give out a number, but not my personal cell or home...and links that person directly to a voicemail service so I can choose whether or not I want to deal with them.

It may seem excessive and way too "connected", but with this generation, you have make distinctions between how connected you are and how connected you appear to be. I have to admit in the last year, I have gotten more available electronically than I have ever been. Before my senior year of college, I had one phone, usually the cheapest model and with the service that was minimal and allowed me handle day to day calls without overages. Now, I have a smart phone, the new Tmobile G1 Google phone, which is the successor after my two previous blackberries. I have minimal text messages and unlimited email, web, etc. The line is shared with my mom for the minimal service plan, and the only addition I have is the required data plan for the phone, which is minimal. So if you split the two lines separately I would be paying about $60 a line, which is cheaper than what I was paying to Sprint, which was $75 a for single line. I enjoy my minimal features because either way, my phone bill would be about the same and after doing the math, I'm getting the most for my money. I feel guilty, but it's the truth, I would be paying more with other providers or having killer overages.

I had a point...??? Yes, so I'm more connected than before and I realize that everyone and anyone can reach me instantly, whether it be by phone, text, email, instant message, Facebook, Myspace and God know what else. And of course, most social networking sites connect to that vital email address, so even if I'm not logged on Facebook or Myspace...or my phone is turned off, it all gets forwarded to my hand dandy email inbox.  I then turn on the phone and am bombarded with messages, frivolous or not....sometimes I am awakened at night by notifications that careerbuilder has found me a match. I have learned that when you are this connected, you must remember one thing: YOU TURNED IT ON, AND YOU CAN TURN IT OFF. YOU ARE NOT OBLIGATED TO HAVE A PHONE, AN EMAIL OR EVEN A SCREENNAME. IT IS A PRIVILEGE TO SPEAK WITH ME AND I PAY THE BILL. I DON'T HAVE TO STAY IN TOUCH WITH ANYONE, IT BENEFITS BOTH PARTIES STAY CONNECTED.

My point is, you have to protect your time and your privacy, as well as your mental health. If you find that your connections are impeding your daily functions and intimate social connections , as well as causing marked interpersonal distress, TURN OFF THE DAMN DEVICE!

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