Technology...Good Or Evil?

Technology today is amazing. But it’s a double-edged sword. I’m referring specifically to communications and information technology. C&I technology has made it easier and more convenient than ever to communicate in a far-reaching sense, but it’s my fear that it is destroying the art of conversation, and overwhelming us with more information than we can possibly process in a lifetime.

My love/hate relationship with technology began one day in the early 90’s. My boyfriend at the time was blathering on about the internet. The internet? I had no idea what he was talking about but somehow I knew he (an engineer and former math teacher) was going to tell me. “It’s a way of retrieving information,” he said, knowing that anything more in-depth would cause me to glaze over. “Why can’t I just go to the library?” I replied. End of conversation.

But eventually I got a computer, and with all the skill of a Neanderthal learning to make a weapon out of the jaw-bone of a woolly mammoth, I began to use the internet. At first I traveled the information highway only as a last resort, but then libraries computerized their records and I was forced to sputter into the 21st Century.

The internet makes it so easy to find the answers to burning questions, which is a good thing. However, the instant gratification makes it impossible for me to retain the answers longer than a nano-second. Back in the day, when I had to search through books, files, and piles of research for something, I remembered it forever. Yes I know, I can just look it up again, but I worry about the “what you don’t use you lose” theory. I want to rely on my brain to retain information, not my computer.

And then, there’s the cell phone, BlackBerry, iPhone, etc. Frankly, I used to object to talking on the phone instead of actual face-time. But nowadays, I rarely talk at all. I text. I refused to text for years, until I realized that everyone I knew screened their phone calls and the only way I could get a response was to send a text message.

I see people everyday walking around like zombies, texting, never acknowledging any human being they come in contact with. They drive mindlessly, changing lanes and running people off the road without ever realizing what they’ve done because they’re so engrossed in their BlackBerry. The other day, I watched a group of girls having lunch. They weren’t talking to each other. They were sitting silently at their table text messaging people who weren’t there. And last week, my daughter and I text’d each other until our messages became so long and convoluted that she finally broke down and called me. WTF?

The techno-trend is growing rapidly. When Apple launched the newest version of their iPhone, the line of eager customers wrapped around the block. The Apple folks were serving coffee and bottled water from a rolling cart to people who’d been waiting outside the store for two days! And they were all standing in line texting…

Facebook is a phenomenon that’s opening up a whole new world of communication, but it’s twisting our social lives in the process, especially the technology driven, younger generation. Watch this Toyota commercial. It’s funny, kind of sad, and illustrates my point.

Toyota Venza "Social Network"

I’ll admit, I do enjoy Facebook. I moved to Dallas last year, and FB allows me to keep up with friends and loved ones back home, as well as lots of really cool friends from all over the world, many of whom I would never have met without FB. We exchange information about our comings and goings, read each other’s comments, quotes, and funny anecdotes, share thoughts and ideas, and view recent (and occasionally, ancient) photos of each other.

But last night, while chatting online, it occurred to me that, except for my daughter, my sister, and a couple of close friends, I haven’t spoken to most of these people in months. Some for years. And a few I’ve never even met!

It’s getting to the point where we are constantly communicating, but we’re not SAYING anything. We aren’t seeing facial expressions. We aren’t privy to nuances like tone of voice, a smile, or body language. We shop online, get information online, and read online. Most customer service numbers are automated…we almost never talk to a real person. We’re living virtual lives, staring at a screen, typing on a keyboard, or manipulating a digital device. I find that problematic, and more than a little distressing.

So I’ve vowed to make an effort to use technology to enhance, rather than rule my life. How? Talk in-person whenever possible. Talk on the phone if in-person is impossible. And for God’s sake, when I’m eating lunch with someone, turn off my phone and talk to them! Text only when necessary. Don’t text when I drive…no text message is worth driving into a wall for.

Limit my time on Facebook, and don’t post every little thought that pops into my head. If I do post something, at least try to make it interesting and/or significant. And just for kicks, go to the library occasionally and research something instead of Googling.

A final note. Even though I‘m lamenting the demise of the art of conversation, there will always be a place in my heart for the written word. I love to read. And blogging online provides me the opportunity to reflect on, articulate and share my thoughts in a (hopefully) positive way with more people than I could ever reach otherwise.

Technology can be used for good or evil. It can encourage widespread communication, keep us connected to friends and family, introduce us to new friends, and provide worlds of information with the touch of a finger. Or, it could be the downfall of civilization. We get to decide.:)

C

The Beauty of White ~ One More Time :)

Randy Read ~ Nashville celebrity and man about town...

The Beauty Of White ~ White Hair

They're attractive, accomplished, confident and inspirational ~ and they all have gorgeous white hair!

Yasmina Rossi ~ Model/Artist/Photographer

Cindy Joseph ~ Model, and founder of BOOM, a pro-age cosmetics line

Anderson Cooper ~ Journalist, author and television personality

Emmylou Harris ~ Singer/Songwriter/Musician

Iris Krasnow ~ Best selling author of The Secret Lives of Wives

Helen Mirren ~ Academy Award winning actor

Diana Athill ~ British literary editor and novelist

As you must know by now, I'm a huge fan of white. I hope you enjoyed my Beauty Of White series! C

The Beauty Of White...Soft, White Cheeses

I’m sure there are entire blogs dedicated to everything cheese. However, I’m concentrating here on soft, white cheeses. Creamy or crumbly, simple or complex, mild or tart, sweet or savory…soft white cheeses are a joy to behold and to consume. These are some of my favorites~

Brie

Brie is the best known French cheese and has the nickname "The Queen of Cheeses". Several hundred years ago, Brie was one of the tributes which had to be paid to the French kings. In France, Brie is very different from the cheese exported to the United States. "Real" French Brie is unstabilized and the flavor is complex when the surface turns slightly brown. When it is still pure-white, it’s not matured. If it’s cut before the maturing process is finished, it will never develop properly. Exported Brie, however, is stabilized and never matures. Stabilized Brie has a much longer shelf life and is not susceptible to bacteriological infections.

Classic Brie is made in a wide, flat round wheel with a center that softens to almost a runny, custard-like consistency when very ripe. It has an aroma reminiscent of fresh mushrooms, a rich buttery body and intense, savory taste. In order to enjoy the taste fully, Brie must be served at room temperature.


Camembert

Camembert was traditionally made in a small round, and because of this, matures differently than Brie. Made from pasteurized cow's milk. At the beginning of its ripening, Camembert is crumbly and soft and gets creamier over time. The centre remains a little firmer, bulging when very ripe, and the flavor is sweeter with nutty characteristics.

Camembert is one of the most famous cheeses in France, although it dates back only to the 18th century. It’s named after a Norman village where there is a statue of its creator (Marie Harel). In 1855 the cheese was presented to Napoleon, introduced as from the village of Camembert. He enjoyed it very much and from that moment Camembert became known everywhere by this name.

Feta

Feta is a classic and famous Greek curd cheese whose tradition dates back thousands of years and is still made by shepherds in the Greek mountains with unpasteurized milk. Feta is a soft, wet cheese with a rough surface and a bright white color. It is often stored in brine, contributing to its moistness and imparting a salty flavor to the cheese. Feta is made by curdling milk by adding either rennet or microbial rennet, and allowing the mixture to separate and drain. The curds are then cut, salted and pressed and the larger mass is placed in a brine solution to cure.

Feta is used as a table cheese, as well as in salads (e.g. the Greek salad), pastries and in baking, notably in the popular phyllo-based dishes spanakopita ("spinach pie") and tyropita (cheese pie) and combined with olive oil and vegetables.


Chevre

Chevre is a generic term which denotes a cheese made from the milk of goats, with the word chevre meaning goat in French. Most cheeses incorporating goat's milk use chevre in their labeling so that consumers seeking goat cheeses will be able to readily identify them. Chevre can come in a wide range of forms, from soft farmer's cheeses to fully cured firm varieties. Chevre also runs the flavor gamut, with some retaining a characteristic goaty flavor while other chevres are much more mild and buttery.

One of the most common forms of chevre is a fresh cheese which resembles cream cheese. This type of chevre tends to be slightly crumbly, creamy, and may have a strong goat flavor. Often soft chevre is herbed or spiced, and may be decorated with flowers or rosemary by more high-end dairies. Creamy chevre is delicious in salads, bread, and pizzas. While most of the creamy chevres available in the United States are made from pasteurized milk because the cheese is young, unpasteurized creamy chevres tend to have more complex flavors and an almost buttery feel.

Ricotta

Ricotta is a white, moist cheese that is usually made from the whey drained off during the making of mozzarella or provolone cheeses and is, technically speaking, a cheese by-product. Italian ricotta is typically made from the whey of sheep, cow, goat, or water buffalo milk, while the American product is almost always made of cow's milk whey. While both types are low in fat and sodium, the Italian version is naturally sweet, while the American is blander, slightly salty, and moister.

The word "ricotta" is derived from the Latin "recocta," which means "cooked twice." Good ricotta cheese is firm, but not solid and is commonly used in savory Italian dishes, including pasta, calzone, pizza, manicotti, lasagna, and ravioli. Ricotta can also be beaten smooth and mixed with condiments, such as sugar, cinnamon, orange flower water and occasionally chocolate shavings, and served as a dessert, such as Sicilian cannoli.

Mascarpone

Mascarpone is a triple-creme cheese, made from a generally low-fat (25%) content fresh cream. It's made from the milk of cows that have been fed special grasses filled with fresh herbs and flowers – a special diet that creates a unique taste often described as "fresh and delicious."

Mascarpone is milky-white in color and is easily spread. It's used in various dishes of the Lombardy region of Italy, where it is a specialty. It is a main ingredient of modern tiramisu, and is sometimes used instead of butter or Parmesan cheese to thicken and enrich risotto.

Mascarpone originated in the area between Lodi and Abbiategrasso, Italy, southwest of Milan, probably in the late 16th or early 17th century. The name is said to come from mascarpa, a milk product made from the whey of stracchino (shortly-aged cheese), or from mascarpia, the word in the local dialect for ricotta (although mascarpone is not made from whey, as ricotta is).

I’ll leave you with this quote from Clifton Fadiman (American writer and editor; New Yorker book reviewer, 1904-1999)

“A cheese may disappoint. It may be dull, it may be naive, it may be over sophisticated. Yet it remains, cheese, milk’s leap toward immortality.”

C

The Beauty Of White...Kitchens

Clean, crisp, and fresh, a white kitchen is an ideal setting for the home cook, whether your taste is classic or contemporary, urbane or rustic. The use of white not only makes a kitchen look bigger and airier, it also provides a blank canvas for showcasing other elements to create an inviting and functional kitchen. Wood finishes look richer against white, colored fabrics pop, and lighting fixtures and accessories stand out against the neutral backdrop.

C

The Beauty Of White...Favorite Things

White Flowers

Fine Antique French Linens

At Home With White by Atlanta Bartlett

White on White by Stephanie Hoppen

Montes Doggett Ceramic Pottery

Engraved White Crane Stationary

Luxo Banho Creme Oval Soap

Costes K "white candle"

Brooks Brothers Classic White Shirt

C

The Beauty Of White...Bathrooms

We’re drawn to all-white bathrooms because we associate white with purity and things that are healthy and hygienic. It looks so clean, and that's what we do in bathrooms...we get clean. When using whites in the bathroom, you want to look at honed, brushed, tumbled and shiny surfaces. You can combine these textures easily in an all-white bathroom and the variation in finishes adds interest. But if a stark, all white bathroom feels too sterile, white provides the ideal backdrop for sculptural elements and fixtures, as well as black and other colors.

C