A Painting of My Digital Self

I, like most of my generation, find myself living on two planes of existence: the physical, and the digital. When I wake up, the first thing I do is browse my email and Facebook accounts, then I check the weather. Why go outside carrying an umbrella, when there is a 90% chance it won't rain? With easy access to information, communication and fun, I feel more comfortable and informed about the world around me.

I believe that having access to information is essential in today's world--but more important than that is the ability to choose what kind of information I want to access. I watch television for entertainment. With a broadband connection to the Internet, there is no reason for me to take in the news in a linear way. RSS feeds flow across my homepage, giving me real-time access to information as it comes out, and I have the ability to choose what I want to learn more about.

Information, however, does not work in one direction. Sometimes I feel like saying something to the world--even if no one is listening. I have my own blog for those occasional moments when my ego gets the better of me or when I feel I have something thoughtful to say. Even if my readership is a whopping two friends, it feels good to be able to tell people that I said something to the world, and that I added a page to the book that is the Internet.

There are other avenues of communication: the phone, instant messaging, SMS, etc. I tend not to use the ones that don't involve the computer. Talking on the telephone, for example, is a chore. More often than not, conversations with my friends move from the phone to the computer screen, where it is less of a hassle to communicate. In fact, most of my closest friends keep in touch with me through instant messaging. If using the phone is necessary, a cell phone is essential; having one gives people instant 'face-to-face' conversations with me, regardless of where I go.

The Internet isn't just about communication, it's also about fun. On occasion, I take the time to play a game or two on the Internet, just to unwind. Online games are a lot more convenient than purchased CDs, because of the level of interaction I can get with other people over the Internet, if not the variety. Although I have not yet become attached to online RPGs, I do occasionally play with them. I also enjoy watching online videos and reading webcomics.

My life is plugged into the internet; I can almost get away with not having anything but a browser. Writely, Zohowriter, Google spreadsheets, last.fm, and box.net have almost become replacements for the traditional programs that I would otherwise have to load onto my already obsolete hard drive. I traverse gigabytes in search of facts; I upload megabytes for preservation, and I do it with ease. I work, communicate, learn, play, and relax on the internet.