Ask Not What You Can Do For Technology....

I've been saying it for months now, and a new study published by the Pew Internet and American Life Project just confirmed it: modern technology is not driving a wedge between people as many doomsdayers have been predicting. It's bringing people together by opening channels of communication that did not exist a decade ago. Read the Washington Post article or just peruse the "Cliff's Notes" version of anecdotes from my life:

• In a word, Facebook. It's gotten me in touch with high school friends I haven't seen or talked to in 15 years or more. I've had virtual reunions with people I cared deeply about at some point in my past. And it's the only way I ever get to see my 23 year-old brother.

• Meetup.com. Last year, I was really looking for some new ways to branch out in my life. Enter Meetup. I was able to find a knitting group and a book club in the same week without even leaving my house. I've since dropped the book club, but I still attend my knitting group regularly and have met some really great friends there. And several of them are also my Facebook friends!!

• Emailing/IM-ing/Texting. In this busy life, I'm not always able to call a friend or family member. But by emailing, IM-ing, or texting, I am able to keep in touch with many more people than I otherwise would. When I'm sitting at my computer at 5 in the morning, I can fire off an email to a buddy who would have a few choice words to say if I had rung them on the phone!

• Speaking of texting, the Washington Post had this to say:

The ease of being in touch has created a phenomenon that Rainie calls "love taps," in which couples exchange hellos and touch base with a regularity that did not exist 10 years ago.

I love that term "love taps!" I certainly do my share of love-tapping all day long. Receiving a sympathetic text from Jared sometimes seems to be the only thing that gets me through a hard day.

• And of course, no list of kudos for technology would be complete without my giving props to Match.com. I have several friends who've met the loves of their lives through this popular online dating service. I certainly have met a few nice gentlemen myself who I may never have encountered otherwise. And for a shy, reluctant dater like me, Match was the perfect venue for me to showcase myself and meet interesting men. I was able to expand my dating range all the way to Riverside County without, once again, ever leaving my home! If not for modern technology, how could I have ever known there was at least one gorgeous, sweet, intelligent, good-smelling, single guy left in this world!?