Technology in New Ways

I remember years ago when I still carried a pager, listening to the occasional  cell phone ring in a restaurant and thinking, "why does someone need to be accessible all the time?" I thought it was rude and annoying. I even made a comment about how special that person must be to need to take a call during dinner! My how silly that all sounds now!



It reminds me of my mom criticizing my music when I was a teenager. I just thought, she is old and does not understand! Well now I am feeling a bit old.  Yesterday I posted about teleconferences and virtual trainings and how I did not think they could be as an affective learning method. I still feel that way. But I was thinking of the folks who do teleconferences at work all day, who do a lot of virtual training and feel this is the way they learn best due to their busy schedules. Perhaps they learn differently than me. Who am I to determine the way they learn best? That is as silly as me saying my mom's music was not good. The older I get the better I love her big band music CDs!


Last week on Facebook there was an article about texting while in labor. I did not make any comments about it. Texting During Labor. I am thinking it would have to be a mom who had a medicated birth who could do this, but then I remembered I had moms doing this in some of the labors I have supported that were unmedicated. I think it is just the way some folks do things now! And I also thought if it was a distraction and helped her to feel surrounded by her village, why not?


My husband says I am on my phone tweeting, reading emails and texting all the time! And it was not long ago that I thought all of this was nonsense! I remember the first time a mom wanted to watch a DVD in labor. I thought, how in the world will she allow herself to get to that dreamlike laborl and place while watching a DVD? Well she and her husband curled up together in the hospital bed and laughed and laughed-- increasing her endorphins, and then the movie ended and soon after she was pushing. I thought, okay she just taught an old dog new tricks! Who was I to determine the way a woman needed to enter her own labor land?


Case in point: Thanksgiving we could not be with my son and his wife. My daughter came up with the idea to skype dinner together. We actually set up the computer on a table as an extension to our dinner table and ate at the same time. We had a lively conversation including talking about the meal- which many items were the same as what we were eating. It was not the same as having my son and his wife with us, but it certainly was doing the next best thing!


My husband does not text or tweet or even hardly post on Facebook. He does email because his business requires his ability to communicate that way, but he does not like doing so! I love it all! So, although I love to go to conferences and meet and chat and interact with others, I may not learn the way someone else does. I tend to not be shy in a crowd. I went to a book signing with my daughter recently whose story was published within the anthology of stories. I mingled easily, greeting and meeting and hugging folks. My daughter, much like her father, smiled and quietly blended in without much ado. We are different! She may actually enjoy a teleconference over attending one in person.


So, let it be said, that I understand that everyone is different. Folks like different things. I think about what Paul said in 1 Corinthians 9:19... " I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might win as many as possible." Teleconferences and virtual trainings may meet some needs and therefore impart information to some that otherwise would go without it. Winning those over to new information. So, let the virtual trainings and teleconferences begin! I will hang onto my pager mentality and attend my conferences in person for now!