OMG. Unglue Your Face.

I recently finished reading a psychology book by my fav psych author, Richard Wiseman, and, I have to admit, it freaked me out a little bit. It was the proverbial 'this shit is real' slap in the face. People can be so focused on one thing that they completely fail to notice what is around them - even when it happens to be a guy in a gorilla suit.

Which brings me to my rant on phones. Cell phones to be exact. Smart phones, flip phones, BlackBerry, the giant phone from Miami Vice with the 4 foot antenna (I know - it was totally cool back then), call it what you will.

Now, don't get me wrong. I feel incomplete if my phone is not within arms reach and I tend to get somewhat competitive when my friends and I see who can Google random facts the quickest or track down, "that guy from the movie with the blond chick". It's like an old-fashioned dual...with smart phones.

However, as I constantly preach to my friends and family (and the occasional stranger), EVERYTHING IN MODERATION PEOPLE. This includes technology. Nothing irks me more than hearing about kids holed up in their basement playing video games when it's an awesome sunny day AND there is mud to play in. Mud!

With that in mind, here is an investigative project for you: go to a coffee shop, brewery, restaurant, any public venue, and take a look around. I have a feeling you will be a little shocked (or disgusted - that's also an acceptable reaction) at the amount of people who have their faces buried in their phones - glued to those little screens as if it was about to text them the meaning of life.

I've seen countless couples on a date and both of them just sit there scrolling through their phones and not talking to each other. It's just really...sad.

Surrogates - is this where we are headed?

We are more technologically connected than ever but I feel like people are getting sucked in to this weird Bermuda Triangle where human interaction vanishes. We need to live life. Laugh, cry, get a little dirty, eat wasabi rice crackers, drink wine, pick up a worm. Take a break from the damn phone when you're hanging out with friends and pay attention to what is happening.

Now, go find a tree to climb.