Having "Me" Time

The past two days the hot topic on everyone's lips has been "Steve Jobs has died."  It's strange that I should find out about this on my iPhone, a few minutes after waking up.  When talking to others the first reaction is a little 'gasp.'  Everyone knows him. Even those who are not Apple fans.  He's dead and millions worldwide mourn his death.  Millions who have not seen nor spoken to him in person, yet we all hold a part of him in our lives.  We use his inventions to contact those dearest to us and as research even suggests, what we feel for our smart phones may not be merely addiction, but in fact 'love.' Yes, we have grown to 'love' our iPhones, iPads, iPods, Macs and many things Apple related. For me, the iPhone has become so much of life that it is the last thing I look at before I go to bed at night, and it is the first thing I wake up to in the morning.  It is my alarm clock, my organizer, my camera, my newspaper, and my source o...

It's the end of August.  This time last year I was in Malaysia visiting a good old friend just before Malaysia's independence day.  This year, I am in Bangkok, and am instead keeping touch with good friends through other high tech means such as Skype, Google+ and Whatsapp.  It really is quite amazing all this technology.  It brings people together.   Yet, it can also bring people apart. You might have noticed that since the advent of BB messaging and chat programs on iPhones, smartphones, androids, many of us (me included) sometime zone out of conversations and instead grin at our phones.  We are living in two worlds at once. One moment, I'm in conversation with the person next to me, the next, I'm in a conversation with someone else on the other side of the phone.  Maybe that person is in another country.  I don't mind it at all, but sometimes I think we ought to put down our phones and enjoy the person next to us.  Enjoy ...

When traveling, everyone always tries to buy goods that are cheaper than what they can get back home.  Being in Singapore, where a lot of people come to buy electronics I had to go check out the prices.  My mission was to find out if electronic products (especially the iPad) are cheaper here or in Bangkok. Singapore has a mall that specializes in electronics called Funan . It's easily accessible by MRT (undergound), just get off at City Hall and exit on North Ridge Road.  Funan is just down the street.  It's like Fortune and Panthip Plaza in Bangkok, but its more quiet and more orderly. There are a zillion shops selling laptops and computers.  I walk around and just enjoy browsing through all the gadgets and gizmos.  I always had a particular fondness for electronics and the techonology always fascinates me.  Its actually more fun than looking for clothes...  I check out the price of the ILuv clock radio for iPod and iPhone dual...

One day, I'll turn off all my gadgets, disconnect from the online world and just disappear.  I've had this on my mind awhile now, but its easier said than done.  If I'm not on the phone checking my email, updating my facebook, writing out a "To Do" list, making notes on thoughts that cross my mind, checking the news or messaging a friend; I find myself on the computer or in front of the television.   I'm perpetually connected.  You can find me easily just like that.  Send me a message or an email. With my first advent into the world of connectivity with first the symbian Nokia E71 and now the iPhone, I have become addicted to this world of "accessibility."  Everything is available at the touch of my fingertips, whether it's checking out the latest news, my portable notepad, my emails, photographs and of course facebook.  Whenever I get tired or distracted, I end up picking up the phone and go through the motions of checking my emails, mes...