The other day I was sitting with a friend while we waited on the internet. We were both complaining about how slow it was moving, and then I had to chuckle. Just 13 years ago (less than half my life span) the task at hand would have been unthinkable. Yes, I know the internet can be a great time waster. But I do want to take a moment to list 5 reasons I am thankful for the world-wide-web.
In a nutshell: npr.org, facebook.com, skype, mint.com, and hulu.com
In depth: read on.
First, let's adress the name. World. Wide. Web. So telling! I LOVE that there is a magical "web" of signals floating across the globe, a web that connects us all. I know, even before the internet age there were ways to learn of far off lands, diverse peoples and fascinating cultures; but the internet has made that knowledge more readily available. More time efficient. I dare say most my internet time is spent "thumbing" through news sights. In my youth I learned reading the news was more intimate than watching it. I loved watching my dad lay on the front room floor each night and read the Salt Lake Tribune. Thanks to the internet, I can read dozens of newspapers each morning, day and night . . . and for FREE!
I'm grateful for the communication tools the internet offers. I'm grateful LDS e-mail kept me in touch with my parents when I was literally half a world away. Mailed letters have their charm, but real speed updates and communications can't be beat. I'm grateful facebook helps me find old mission contacts, and share in the joy that is their life -- whether they are still living the Gospel or not.
I'm grateful tools like Skype help Reid see Grandma and Grandpa on the big TV screen once every month or so. It's hard to think he only sees them a few times a year, but Sunday afternoon chats via web cam are always a great way to fill in the gaps between real life visits. Thanks to my techno savy big brother, I watched my parents reaction to our birth announcement on You Tube. It's amazing that the internet not only gives us the power to communicate with our loved ones, but also gives us the opportunity to glimpse into their kitchen.
I'm grateful I can dedicate down time to searching the web.Yes, I'm grateful for at least a few of those wasted hours. I search through recipe blogs . . . and that helps me become a better cook. I research book reviews . . . and that helps me narrow down the texts worth reading. I gaze over craft ideas . . . and that helps me feel humble. You get my point . . . when used appropriately, the internet can actually function as a mentor of sorts.
Last, I'm grateful for the laughs. Without the internet, I wouldn't be able to watch my favorite shows. If I miss Modern Family Wednesday night, I wake up eager to play it on Hulu.com Thursday morning. Ben is always finding random images and clips on the internet, and often times just before bed he'll show me one and we enjoy a good chuckle. When I try to think about how the internet actually works, it's so complex and confusing, but on the surface it truly is entertaining. I am definitely grateful for that.
In a nutshell: npr.org, facebook.com, skype, mint.com, and hulu.com
In depth: read on.
First, let's adress the name. World. Wide. Web. So telling! I LOVE that there is a magical "web" of signals floating across the globe, a web that connects us all. I know, even before the internet age there were ways to learn of far off lands, diverse peoples and fascinating cultures; but the internet has made that knowledge more readily available. More time efficient. I dare say most my internet time is spent "thumbing" through news sights. In my youth I learned reading the news was more intimate than watching it. I loved watching my dad lay on the front room floor each night and read the Salt Lake Tribune. Thanks to the internet, I can read dozens of newspapers each morning, day and night . . . and for FREE!
I'm grateful for the communication tools the internet offers. I'm grateful LDS e-mail kept me in touch with my parents when I was literally half a world away. Mailed letters have their charm, but real speed updates and communications can't be beat. I'm grateful facebook helps me find old mission contacts, and share in the joy that is their life -- whether they are still living the Gospel or not.
I'm grateful tools like Skype help Reid see Grandma and Grandpa on the big TV screen once every month or so. It's hard to think he only sees them a few times a year, but Sunday afternoon chats via web cam are always a great way to fill in the gaps between real life visits. Thanks to my techno savy big brother, I watched my parents reaction to our birth announcement on You Tube. It's amazing that the internet not only gives us the power to communicate with our loved ones, but also gives us the opportunity to glimpse into their kitchen.
I'm grateful I can dedicate down time to searching the web.Yes, I'm grateful for at least a few of those wasted hours. I search through recipe blogs . . . and that helps me become a better cook. I research book reviews . . . and that helps me narrow down the texts worth reading. I gaze over craft ideas . . . and that helps me feel humble. You get my point . . . when used appropriately, the internet can actually function as a mentor of sorts.
Last, I'm grateful for the laughs. Without the internet, I wouldn't be able to watch my favorite shows. If I miss Modern Family Wednesday night, I wake up eager to play it on Hulu.com Thursday morning. Ben is always finding random images and clips on the internet, and often times just before bed he'll show me one and we enjoy a good chuckle. When I try to think about how the internet actually works, it's so complex and confusing, but on the surface it truly is entertaining. I am definitely grateful for that.
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