ET phone home

I feel like an extraterrestrial here at times, but technology gives no excuse for not communicating across the globe (besides the need to work around time zones).

The internet has made the world smaller, where it reaches at least. One find dail-up and DSL [example] internet accounts in Islamabad. I have previously described the internet as my umbilical cord.

Email is free once one has a computer and internet account. Yahoo!, Google (Gmail), Hotmail, and many more flood the market with these services. I hold five email accounts - each with it's own purpose or audience; I check each a bit too regularly.

Instant messaging (IM) services on the other hand are usually programs that run constantly on computers and deliver pop-up messages as soon as they are sent to another computer. ICQ, MSN, Yahoo!, and more are some examples.

VoIP or voice over internet protocol is a service providing phone calls over the internet. This is popular for it's relatively low price for long-distance calls with companies like Skype, and there are also free options such as Yahoo Messenger with Voice. Occasionally there are other services. For example, Yahoo even allows you to leave a voice message when the other person is out.

Blogging is a obvious form of communication. I think it lacks in spontaneity, interaction, and fluidity - but it allows for self-reflection and easy updates. Blogger (by Google) is my current choice.

The list for communication technology keeps going with webcams, podcasting, picture sharing (ex. Flickr and Fotopages), and more. The digitized world is going to get you. The world may not physically be getting smaller, but it's getting a whole lot easier to communicate across this distance.

Think of it this way. Imagine that you and your family live in the same city but, being average Americans, you never have time to see each other. Sure, you call and email - but taking away the physical aspect and you pretty much have what I have here.

The biggest difficulty for me is that family is not readily accessible. I take care of myself when I'm sick, I cope with my own stressors, and I bite my tongue when I'm angry. There is no immediate release for what I feel beyond a bland blog post.

Good night, folks.