Is there such a thing as too much technology?

My dependence on technology technically started with the pager I inherited from my college bound sister shortly after I turned 17. By 21 I was enjoying the convenience of constant communication, but also getting tired of one-way communications. I upgraded to a cell phone and suddenly had constant access to the world at my fingertips all the time. That meant the world also had constant access to me, but when you're 21 that is actually a good thing.

My cell phone was very handy over the next several years as I moved in and out of apartments, in and out of my parents house, and in and out of the state. No matter where I went my friends and family still had one number to reach me at. How convenient that by the time I moved out of state, I didn't even have to change my area code! However, just before moving to New York, I also discovered the ipod, which bumped my technology dependence up to a slightly new level.

With my new ipod, I moved my entire music collection across the country with me in one little handful of metal and plastic. With my ipod in my pocket the Indigo Girls wandered city streets with me, Van Morrison accompanied me on the subway (which besides being a lovely way to pass the time also kept random strangers from trying to tell me their life stories. Seriously, there's a reason people don't talk to each other on the subway), the Black-eyed Peas went running with me, and Jack Johnson fell asleep with me. I actually carried around that 5Gb dinosaur of an ipod (I actually got it used and it was probably the first generation ipod) for three years along with my little sprint flip phone and was totally content with life and the "basic necessities" that kept me connected to the world, and musically satiated.

Tonight, however, as I turned on 3 different computers to find the password to my internet, I realized that my dependence, and attachment to technology might be a bit ridiculous. When I pack for vacation, my concern is not now based on whether or not I remembered my toothbrush and underwear, but whether I have: my blackberry and charger, my ipod and charger, my laptop and charger, and my camera and charger. Instead of a purse, I carry a backpack on the airplane to ensure I'm able to fit all of my electronics. I was super excited to leave my laptop behind (as well as my blackberry) when I left for Australia for two weeks, until I learned that my boss was more than happy to switch my phone plan to include international calls, and that he was also not more than happy that I would not even be checking email while I was gone. So... I packed along a mini-laptop and my phone, and dutifully checked in from time to time to make sure my employees were surviving, and all was well. It turns out, work managed just fine without me. But to be honest, in the end I was more than happy to have an excuse to have the internet available, and maybe even my phone from time to time. So in reality, am I more attached to technology than I like to think?

For the record, I have still managed to live for two years in an apartment with no TV. That does count for something, right?