Livin' on the edge... (not really, it's GPRS)

I'm in my car (ok, wife's van), blogging on my computer, which is connected wirelessly to my Android phone (My Touch 3g Slide). So, I'm "living on the edge" - but not really: my phone isn't displaying the "E" of EDGE connectivity (Enhanced Data Rates for GSM Evolution - why it's not "EDRGE" I'm not really sure!) - instead it's displaying the "G" for GPRS (General Packet Radio Service). 3G? - hey, I use T-Mobile, what's 3G? (Although, according to the Wikipedia EDGE article, EDGE technically qualifies as a 3G standard.)



Got me thinking about Styx' "Edge of the Century" - and I found the video (above); note: I haven't watched the video yet (as it hasn't finished loading yet on my GPRS data connection), so use your own discretion when deciding whether to watch.

Anyway, kind of cool that we live in a world now where you can be conencted while driving down the road, working (as I was) or blogging (as I am) or whatever (having Facebook discussions on whether "nuclear bomb" can be used as a unit of measure when attempting to describe large quantities of energy like the sun to non-scientific folk - see what you started, Alex?). We're out of town, but don't bother trying to steal all the stuff from my house. First, it's probably not worth much. Second, I have dogs in the back yard that will bite you (they bite me, and I'm familiar to them!). Third, I have a house-sitter in my absence. Fourth, it's probably not worth much, so you'd be wasting your time (i.e., you could probably make more per hour at a clothing factory in South America or Asia than by robbing my residence).

On the other hand, it's kind of uncool, too... the more "connected" we become (as a society), the less "unwinding" time we seem to have. Yesterday evening I was wading around my pool (small, above ground thing - nothing spectacular, but nice to cool off in), thinking how nice it was to just be "off the grid" for a while, taking a break from the fast-paced society that is the norm these days. Sometimes I wish I'd been born 100-200 years ago instead of about 40 (yep, I turn 40 this year!). Granted, the work would probably have been much tougher, but I'd also be in much better shape. The interior environment in my home wouldn't be as "comfortable," but I'd be more acclimated, and stepping outside in summer wouldn't hit me like a really hot hitting thing. Evenings would be music and reading and stories, maybe some rudimentary board games with the family.

Oh well, we've pulled off the interstate now, gotta go get me some fast food, another of our modern societal joys. Later, all!