How the Last Decade's Worth of Technology Has Changed My Life

The last decade has been full of advances in technology that we could only before imagine. The continued advancement of the internet seems a reasonable place to start. My personal favorite is the development of social networking. Internet sites such as Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, etc have allowed us to reconnect with old friends, market ourselves to potential employers and share pictures with our friends and family in a just a matter of moments. There are also sites with a more specific purpose such as dating, or support groups, even sites for artists or writers to share some of their work or to bounce ideas or suggestions off one another. There are more social networking sites being added all the time and they are a terrific way to connect to people even when you may not have time to go out or get together due to the busy schedules and everyday distractions that life can bring our way. For me, they are a great way to keep in touch with people near and far on a daily basis!

Another key advancement that the internet has seen is the creation of the almighty blog. While some people use them for something as simple as an online diary of sorts, they are also frequently used for writers, crafters, and updates for news, celebrity gossip, tips and directions for do it yourself projects, and countless other purposes. I, myself made the leap to join the internet era and utilize a blog to update my friends and family on how my own little family is doing. I was reluctant because it seemed impersonal, but I must admit is is oh so efficient. I always felt bad when I forget to call or write someone with news, but there are so many people I like to keep in touch with. Although I still call, write and email, I found adding this handy little tool to my personal arsenal has been very effective in keeping my loved ones updated.

On top of all these wonderful things that the internet now provides, can I mention the fabulous advancement of internet shopping?!?! Dare I say, I may be one of the few women in the world that don't care for the mall. I prefer to do my research, price and compare items at home. I get a kick out of getting a deal and with the ability to shop from thousands of stores in unlimited locations online, a deal is almost inevitable. I also find that I avoid the impulse purchases that can happen in traditional brick and mortar stores. Additionally, there are sites such as Craigslist and Ebay that allow us to buy, sell, trade and barter with other locals.

Another of my personal favorites is GPS. After moving cross country a couple of years ago for my husband's job, I learned just how invaluable this handy little tool can be. I had never been to the state we now live in, nor did we know anyone who lived here. GPS enabled me to get my children to and from school, to the grocery store, doctor, or fun day out without the fear or stress of getting lost. It empowered me to get out and learn my new surroundings!

In my opinion, the most fantastic development in the last decade is the digital photograph. Remember when we were limited to a roll of 24 pictures and you never knew if you had a good one or not until you had paid to have them developed? Worse yet, due to cost of film and developing, we were hesitant to snap a picture and waited only for the "special" moments. Of all the "techy" things I own, my favorite is my camera. Since we have moved, I have had the opportunity to be home with the kids and to be around for so many more of the little things I missed out on before. Today's little moment, is possibly one of my child's fondest memories tomorrow. I am trying to make a conscious effort to record more things so I can pass it on to them one day and they can share these things with their children. Photos are family heirlooms that are simply irreplaceable. I have also begun digitally scrapbooking the photos which is fast and easy and yet another result of the advances that we have made in the areas of editing software.

A development that has come about in the last decade and may be easily overlooked but shouldn't be, is the development of our medical records and images (such as x-rays, mammograms, CT scans, MRI's, ultrasounds, etc) to digital files that can easily be stored, copied, and transfered. Files can be kept and available on site for longer than older paper files could be. The images can be adjusted to make changes to things such as contrast to allow a better view for the specialist reviewing the images. These advancements allow earlier detection of disease, and ultimately better health care.

Although, there are many other advances that I could talk about and that have impressed me, I will end with one that has probably added the most convenience to us in our every day lives. Believe it or not, cell phones have hardly been around longer than a decade. Now, they not only function, for many, as our primary contact number, they also allow us to browse the web, send and receive emails, and text message. Many of the newer phones also serve as hand held GPS devices, MP3 players, video recorders, and even portable movie and TV players! It seems that this is one piece of technology that is changing almost by the minute. It is hard to fathom what developments and advances they will continue to make!