Texting, IMing, and Emails...Oh my!

I was sitting in my first class today next to a girl that had a Dell laptop. There were only three people in class with these wonders of technology on our desktops and I was one of them. So, I struck up a conversation with her. Not that I only conversate with those that own a laptop...that's pretty elitist. Anyways, she was telling me that she had a professor that banned the use of laptops in class because some of the other students complained about them. I thought that was odd and counter-productive for some students, seeing that nowadays, most students type faster than they write. However, I began to understand this professor's decision about halfway through class. I glanced over at this girl's screen and noticed that she was simultaneously taking notes, IMing, emailing, and text messaging. Her phone would vibrate about every 3 minutes with a new text message and her hands were typing a million miles an hour with the many things she was trying to do at once. It was pretty distracting. Thankfully, we were in the back row (yes, I'm one of those slackers in the back row) and the prof didn't notice or we would have been banned from laptop use also. Please people...don't abuse the privilege.

In this day and age of technology, we can type notes in class and look up important info on the subject at the same time. With cell phones, we can contact most anyone at anytime needed. And we can even do all this hands free. If you can't do any of this without offending others (like the person on the cell phone driving 10 miles under the limit, you know who you are!), DON'T DO IT! Now, I do talk on my phone while driving...however, I try to avoid it when driving a stick shift. But the difference is that I have the ability to do so. I can chat, check my blind spot, signal, and stay on the speed limit all at the same time. I CAN do it, so I do. I want to invent a bumper sticker that says something to the effect of "If you can't do two things successfully at once, DON'T!" There will be a picture of a cell phone next to it...and maybe some other things that people try to do, like putting on makeup or reading a map. I was told that applying makeup while driving in California is called "farting" or "farding". Correct me on which it is if you know. I thought that was an appropriate name for it. Life and it's scenery distract me enough while I am driving, I don't need to be worrying about how my mascara looks (probably why I don't wear any...too high maintenance).

Funny sidenote:
I noticed that my grammar prof has named each lesson. One of them is titled "I wish I was a little bit taller." Instantly, I was transported back to the mid 90's and a song that went..."I wish I was a little bit taller. I wish I was a baller. I wish I had a girl that looked good, I would call her. I wish I had a rabbit in a hat with a bat and a 6-4 Impala." It just popped right into my head like I had heard it yesterday. It is a song called "I Wish" by Skee-Lo from back in my junior high days. I had to look it up to find out the title and artist. But, oh what a memory trip back to feathered bangs and baggy jeans with a tight top.

I can't believe the 80's fashions are coming back. I mean, didn't we learn the first time? I remember having a conversation on recycled fashion and swearing to never revisit the 80's. But, here we are, minus me, thankfully. Let's hope that rolled down socks, jellies shoes, and the side ponytail stay where they are...in the 80's graveyard. Well, maybe not jellies. :)