Devices.  Meaning electronic hardware, phones, Gadgets, etc. that people can use.  I do not view all this stuff as being either good or bad.  I see these things as simply tools.  A new kind of tool.  Yet, because of the connection to SO MUCH information, places, people, and such that the internet affords one through these devices, there are people becoming addicted, people who pass up REAL interactions and activities for time on their devices.  I believe it started with TV in the 50's.  Then there were the first Atari games.  Then mobile phones and pagers.

I myself enjoy television shows, movies, knowing I can reach someone easier with a cell phone, I like my blogging community, email is a fast and easy way to share things.  Paying bills online beats writing out checks or driving from business to business.   But there are times, seasons, days when I can get too caught up in some of these.  Let something that needs to be done slide for now.  Miss an opportunity to do something fun or go somewhere.   Thankfully, I have never really succumbed totally to any of these fascinations. 

I say all of this to preface that I understand it's usefulness.  I understand even the draw of it.  Yet, in so many ways it aggravates me no end.

People trying to play with their gadgets while walking or driving.  People who can not seem to lay their gadget down and leave it while you are by to visit or they are at your home to visit you!  It irritates me no end to see people give over to small children gadgets and then not set strict time limits.  And just the general waste of time and opportunity the use of all these gadgets create.

These things upset me, bother me, worry me about the future. 

What about you?  How tied to your gadgets are you?