The Adventure of TechieGirl

Sounds like a pretty awesome superhero or something, right? I take out all my technology and kill all the ancient, dial-up modem villains! Take that, you dummies who only run on hand-cranked engines!

Wrong.

While at Starbucks today working on my NaNoWriMo sketch, I happened to notice this girl who came in. I admit to initially noticing her because she was kind of dowdy (I was in a Starbucks of upscale clientele). Long, messy, shoved-into-ponytail mouse brown hair; droopy jacket; glasses slipping down her nose.

But here's the real thing that made me look: she was clutching (and yeah, I mean CLUTCHING. Two hands!) a Nintendo DSi about a foot from her face as she walked into the shop. And never put it down, even throughout ordering her pastry. She held it in one hand while fiddling with her wallet to get money.

She sat down in a chair that faced the table I was at, so for her entire Starbucks stay I got to observe the girl I now refer to as "TechieGirl."

Here's why: For the entire duration of our time together, she never put down her DSi. The only time her attention weaned was when her cell phone beeped from a text - which caused her to hold the DSi in one hand, pick up the cell in the other hand, quickly type a response, then put the phone back in her lap and resume her DSi activities. This occurred multiple times; and one phone call took place, but she continued to hold the DSi in one hand. Even when she left to wait outside for her ride, she paced up and down the sidewalk holding the DSi in both her hands.

I just don't get how some people can get so immersed in their technology. To not ever look up or let go of your object?! That's a problem.

I admit that I often have my cell phone within reach. And the entire time I was at Starbucks I had my iPod on in my ears (that was more for me to avoid old high school people who kept coming in), but I looked up. I was aware of my surroundings (seeing as how this entire blog entry revolves around me staring around). I even gave my full attention to the barista when placing my order! I don't need certain technologies around me ALL THE TIME.

It's sad. It's a bad, bad sign for the future.


(On a different note, there was an old man who hid his pack of cigarettes in his sock. Shifty.)