I have determined that I need very few tools to figure out most things. They are two ears, one mouth and googling. Yes, the digital knowledge pool is what we generally use to check stuff out. Whether the information is always correct or not is a different debate. Most of us still depend on googling. If we don’t get enough from that site, we venture just below to the next one. Click. Click. Click.
The other two tools are a little more old school, but still work well, even if they aren’t quite as fast. I spend a good deal of time listening to people for my job. It is wonderful. Getting to know people through their voices is a very close experience. If you listen to podcasts through headphones, you know what I mean. Their voices are in your head, they provide information or entertainment, and you become accustomed to them.
So what did we do before phones and Internet to get information? Experts came in all shapes and sizes and you probably believed those who seemed credible. Encyclopedias were used for school reports. Libraries became the place to work on larger projects that required more details. Book reports required an actual book and not a digital or audio version. Yes, life has changed. We have moved closer to that dream world that techies love to think about – virtual life.
I personally like the changes. I still use both “real” books and books on electronic devices. I am comfortable knowing what kind of information should be sought on the Internet and leave most of my medical questions to my doctor (after a quick peep on my own, of course). The surge in Work From Home will definitely change the way our homes look and feel. Creating a base for our work involves still having the amenities of the previous working world and the rock star status we deserve as good employees. Remaking living arrangements that have been in place since the first cave will require creativity with a touch of practicality.
Think about it. Pioneers had little cabins filled with cooking, sitting and sleeping spaces. So do modern homes. Room after room after room after space designed for one use. Thinking about how to house my googling properly for maximum enjoyment and best use deserves some serious thought. Drawing out what rooms should contain or spaces should feel like will take some very intense forgetting of what we have always done if they will be replaced by what will function well for the new techie me.
In the meantime, I will listen with both of my ears and speak with my one mouth to communicate in that old-fashioned way that still works. I want to keep this part of the equation a little slower so that I can enjoy the actual sound of a voice, the gift of spontaneous laughter and the intelligent answers I hear from those I work with. But I look forward to what the other part offers also. I am ready for a restart.
What part of your technical world works best? Can you envision what a better space would look and feel like for the future home? Don’t forget to include some soft landing spots for sitting and lounging. Don’t resist the need for artwork to rest my eyes on and make sure my AI is working properly all the time. I like the thought that the technical aspect would actually work most of the time.
