Turkey Day Mirror Response.

(The one in the middle is what my phone looks like)

The article 'Growing Up Digital, Wired For Distraction' was not a surprise. After all, with technology sweeping society, we see such articles everywhere, because it's the truth. People, especially children are becoming dependent on technology for communication. Texting is probably the largest used for of communication, but there has developed a certain assumption that all teenagers text. I am living proof that this is not so. It takes me about an half an hour to write a few-word message. On someone else's phone. My own phone is a TracPhone, not really built for texting, and I don't use it much. I'm more likely to be on the computer, or watching a movie. I don't normally watch television shows unless they're very good. I use the computer more often (which brings up a random point; Blogger seems to think everyone is using a Windows keyboard. There is no 'Ctrl' key on the Mac keyboard. Silly Blogger) mostly because I love to write, and I prefer typing to handwriting stories, though I will do that as well. Writing too much (as I often do) makes my hand hurt, so I prefer to type, because it's faster, which allows my hyperactive brain to get everything down before it forgets it. That, I roleplaying is one of my favorite pass-times. I have a Facebook, but I rarely go on it, despite the stereotype that all teenage girls are obsessed with Facebook, my mother actually spends more time on it then I do. I just look at pictures. I do have Gaiaonline, another social networking sight that is better fitted to my interests. You don't put out your actual picture, nor your name. I admit I am somewhat addicted to Gaia.

I group in a fairly conventional household. My parents' rule is that everything, from homework to viola, must be done before either I or my sister may play on the computer. The result, we usually do our homework as soon as we get home from school. It's that simple, keeping priorities. I have trouble understanding why people think that it's so hard to not get distracted from homework. I might get distracted once or twice, but it's usually because my mind goes off on a tangent while I'm trying to work. Not exactly because of technology, I just start thinking about something I found more interesting. Then I usually get back to reality and finish my work. Still, I do have other things I do in my free time. Reading, for instance, or drawing. Neither of these involve computers or phones, but I so often get caught up in them. I don't think I'm fully addicted to technology, but I do like to use it (part of my lack of addiction maybe because I'm the least tech-savvy teen I know). I have other pass-times, though, and I do not think that I am quite as bad as the children in the article. I don't relate to any of the children in the film (why on earth would you text that much!?) because I'm not addicted, but I do use technology (my life would be hard without it).

(And the formatting on this website is driving me nuts)

Link to 'Growing Up Digital, Wired For Distraction'

Link to the video for the article, 'Fast Times at Woodside High'