An idealized me on the run.
It happened again, yesterday, in an elevator. I’m tap, tap, tapping away on my iPhone and someone, feeling very sorry for me says, “Wow. Don’t you ever get a break from that thing?” To which I’ll either laugh and ignore, but if we have enough time I’ll tell them the truth:

I LOVE my technology. I love being attached to my iPhone. I love the freedom it gives me, and the opportunities it provides. I remember the days before those first Blackberrys were issued when I couldn’t go out to lunch or the bathroom without fear of missing an important call or e-mail. And what did we do before VMWare? Oh, yeah, we worked, in the office, until late at night and into the morning, rather than in our jammies on the couch.”

With all that technology, not only can I walk away from the office when “life” is kicked up and in session, but my “life” can track me down and keep me connected when I am off in some remote part of the world for the better part of a week, like Grapevine, TX. Today is a case in point. My iPhone, laptop, and iPad have allowed me to be 100% plugged into work while sitting at my mother-in-law’s dining room table. You see, she’s in the other room preparing to make her final journey home. My husband is at her side. I’ve rushed off to Trader Joe’s for some food; provided emotional support to the Sports Dude; baked bread; and sat by Suzanne’s side while he took a break. In between all of that, I sit here, tap, tap, tapping away. I have webexed two conference calls with my partners in three different offices, sharing my office desktop as we conducted business. I chatted with a firm client as we plan a value-added benefit to our relationship for next year. And I spoke with our PR consultant and am trying to wrestle up support for a project for Q1 2013. TJ Salted Caramel Cookies The only thing I am missing by not being in the office are the treats from all the vendors that are piling up in our kitchen. Trader Joe’s did come through with these bad boys >>>>> So, for me, all this technology is a 2-way street. Yeah,  my “office” is on the 47th floor of a high rise in downtown LA., but my technology suite also means it can be in an elevator, or at 40,000 feet, or at a school program, or by the bedside of a sick family member. This oh, so bad technology that keeps me attached to the office 24/7 allows me to leave my physical office and do the things that are necessary for me as a mom, wife, Girl Scout leader, and daughter-in-law, without compromising my firm, my job, or my role as a legal marketer extraordinaire. All this technology also allows me to stay connected to my family and loved ones, especially my kids, when I have to travel, or cannot leave the office. I love opening up my photo files on my phone or iPad to find my daughter’s latest collection of self-portraits, or getting to watch the school program that I missed. I LOVE this commercial for Verizon’s Share Everything plan, because I get it. Never being able to stray too far from my technology, interestingly enough, turns out to be the exact thing I need to stay 100% plugged into my life. And, on a day like today, that is a very good thing.