It's all automatic...

This morning I had the strangest notion. Do you realize, in 2008, it is entirely possible to integrate yourself into the consumer process, without having to ever interact with another human? At least, another human you aren't on the phone with.

I'm not talking strictly being able to order goods and services online, and have them delivered to your house. That's been around since Sandra Bullock lost her identity on The Net (for those who didn't catch that reference - it's a late 80s/early 90s movie... more believable in this day and age then it was back then).

Humor me for a minute.

This morning, after working since 6am - halting to make breakfast & drop the munchkins off at my dear friend, Alina's, (my one bit of adult - non work interaction - where they will play, socialize, and basically learn how to be social animals)

I set out for a morning of errands before I finished up my half-day Friday (ha ha) see me working a full day, anyway - and here's what happened:

1. I Purchased gasoline at the island - no human interaction ($4.33 a gallon at Costco!)
2. I checked myself out at the grocery store - no human interaction.
3. I sold a posting to my Craigslist Posts through e-mail, no human interaction.
4. I received payment from Pay-Pal - No human interaction.
5. I conducted an online banking transfer - No human interaction.
6. I stopped by ATM - DIDN'T even get out of the car.
7. I printed out my own mailing label - No host uman interaction.
8. I dropped off my pre-packaged item to the post office counter - no human interaction.

What I didn't admit above - was practically the whole time I was chatting away into the blue tooth that I now clip to my head every time I set foot out of the house. We now have a society of Californians who wander the streets, looking like they're talking to themselves...but that's another story...

I also work from a home office, conduct conference calls with my co-workers 2,000 miles away... and my most frequent "in person" conversations of late are with my friend and daycare provider, my husband, and occasionally the neighbor over the fence in a Tim Allen, Home Improvement sort of way. Thank heavens for my writing group, a few of us who meet every other week for a coffee at Cosi's!

I'm not an antisocial person. I love people. And I love chatting LIVE over coffee. However, I've made a pledge to myself:

Remember to take off the blue tooth that seems etched to my
ear, smile, and say hello to at least one new person each day.