Mariann's musings

posted on 19 June 2011

A Slave to my Computer

It started out innocently enough, as most things do. Emails to friends, family and work colleagues; finding information to update my teaching knowledge; playing scrabble etc. But now?
Now it has taken over my life and the beast won't be tamed. It grows daily, consuming me. Don't get me wrong, I am a fan of this medium. It saves interrupting people with telephone calls when they may be busy, and even the dreaded Facebook has its merits. On this I am able to receive pictures of my grandson in Oz and catch up with the lives of former students, most now married with children. But it has its downside.
No longer do I sit in splendid isolation in my dining room with serving dishes spread before me. Now my meals are taken at my desk, napkin over keyboard in between reading and replying to emails.
Flossie, the vacuum cleaner, has glared balefully at me from a corner of the room for three days now, willing me to plug her in and use her before replacing her in the cupboard where she is happiest. I will, I will just as soon as...
I am currently involved in five projects, all of which generate a multiplicity of email contact. Necessary contact for the projects to run smoothly. What happened to being a lady of leisure?
Today I decided to tackle the 154 emails in my inbox, most read once but saved as new for future reference. I don't normally let the inbox reach this capacity, but it's been a busy time of late. Luckily it was raining and cold so did not feel the urge to stack up on vitamin D with a walk on the prom. Instead, armed with a pint of tea and a cheese scone, I set to. In all, 89 of them were either placed in relevant folders or happily deleted. Phew.
The rest can wait for another rainy day.
If you have a solution to this problem please don't email me with it.

Mariann Harkness

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Mariann's musings