The Blackberry - Finally living the dream like there are 18 working hours in one day

The time has arrived. After receiving an average of about 25 e-mails during the after hours of work each day they have finally decided to equip me with the device that is causing hand cramps around the world known as 'Blackberry thumb'. It is fitting considering I'm a bit of a work-a-holic, e-mail and computer junkie - at least now I will have a bit of mobility!

About a year ago during my morning commute to work I remember seeing a professional looking, well dressed but tired young executive type working away on her Blackberry completely oblivious to the fact that we had already encountered and departed 6 GoTrain stops. Her fingers were moving so fast they looked like they were going to fly off and go through the windows. One of my deepest frustrations with the Blackberry is when the user places more priority on the person that just sent them an e-mail instead of addressing the person who is right in front of them. Why does the person on the other end of your handheld device go to the front of the line while your live conversation is put on hold? It's almost as if we have forgotten how to communicate face to face.

Although the Blackberry does give you mobility and access to what you need in a just in time environment it appears to also take away from work-life balance, induces stress and creates an expectation that people need to respond immediately as if everything is an urgency. A recent study found that most problems stem from people managers who are compulsive e-mail checkers causing everyone to follow suit until receiving a response at any hour of the day becomes the norm. I disagree - I don't think I got this from my manager, I think I got it from my Mom who coincidentally carries her Blackberry (or strawberry as my techno-nana calls it) around 24-7 even in her housecoat pocket! I do enjoy the feeling of being connected and I suppose it's just part of today's working environment that everyone has adapted to over the years. It seems like things are moving faster and people are working on greater demands with less head count and more accountability.

When visiting my dentist last week he recommended a night guard for me - at first I thought it was a scam - just another way for the dentist to earn some extra cash and besides he had also recommended one for virtually everyone in my family! It appears that stress has been causing all of us to chip our teeth through night grinding (or in Marty's case, some severe corn on the cob chomping action). I didn't really believe him until I noticed a huge chip myself! I asked him if this is common - he said when he started his practice 20 years ago he was ordering about 10 night guards a year and now it's that amount every month - an alarming number for such a small practice.

So, maybe we all need to slow down? I'll start when you do! Who am I kidding - It's not going to happen and it's only going to get worse. My case has gotten so bad that if I were on Survivor I would want Internet access as my luxury item :) ...Now I just have to get down with the lingo all the crazy kids are using these days...I'm a nOOb but should be NP LOL and TTYL BBIAF!

Crazy fact: The Stillwater Spa actually has a service called "The Blackberry Hand Massage"!

PS Marty and I are officially Godparents to little Charlotte Rose Cichy!