28 Days of Thankfulness - Day 22 - The Internet

We've collected a mish mash of Christmas stockings over the years and our tree skirt was a basic red felt one that  never stayed in place. I just ordered matching personalized stockings for all of us as well as a coordinating monogrammed quilted tree skirt. Usually by the time I think of doing these things it's too late to get them in time for Christmas. I'm excited to see the finished product. Yeah for good Pottery Barn sales!

I ordered all of these and many other things over the years, from the comfort of my couch. Bernie does 95% of our grocery shopping online. The college application process is way more streamlined than even when I applied to law school.  Facebook allows us to connect and keep up with extended family and long distance friends in ways that weren't really possible before. 

I've often wondered whether it was easier to practice law in the days of snail mail, when you weren't getting 100 emails a day, and no one expected an instant answer. After discussing it at length with some of my older colleagues, I've concluded that it was not any less stressful. They had to use carbon paper for multiple copies. If they wanted to edit a brief after it was completed, it had to be completely re-typed (with all of the editing I do, I can't even imagine my life without the copy/paste function), and all of their research was done at the library in actual books. They didn't have the ability to work at home at night after their kids were tucked into bed. This meant much longer hours at the office and less flexibility to attend school functions, sporting events, etc.

Jack has asked before where the internet is and what it looks like. He thinks it is magic. In some ways he's right.  Today I am thankful for the magic of the internet, for all of the ways it has made time consuming tasks more efficient, and for the flexibility to work from anywhere; even if it has raised the bar on productivity, and tethered us with a seemingly inescapable digital leash. I think the pros outweigh the cons, at least so far.