Email technology is a great way to communicate with students, friends, and far away relatives. I only teach two days a week this semester; I have noticed an increase in emails from my students, especially when a paper is due. I feel like I am looking over their shoulder helping them tweak their papers. A friend of my son's is trying to make a living by playing professional golf. His brother emails me when and where Brett is playing so I can follow the tournaments. My second cousin just had a baby girl named Josie. I watched a video of her father playing with her. He is so in love with his new daughter.
All of these conversations are possible because of email. I can be engaged in conversations with many different types of people. Even though I have met all of these people in IRL, I feel more comfortable emailing them a quick note than picking up the phone and talking to them.
Email feels less intrusive; they can read and response when they have time and energy. When I get a phone call, I am annoyed sometimes because I am watching the end of a long movie on television and I want to see how the mystery or conflict is (re)solved. I have to run and pick up the phone before it stops ringing; sometimes I do miss it, but I feel like I have to call the person right back. Email is more leisurely; I get to set the pace.
I like having email conversations. How about you?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
What I love the best about e-mail is that I have been able to keep in touch with friends from college who I probably wouldn't have been able to keep up with pre-mail-era. Written letters seem time consuming and laborious. Phone calls are expensive. Email is free, quick, and addresses are readily available. Plus attaching photos saves printing and time! I love it too!
ReplyDeleteJenn
I just love e-mail. I never write snail mail. I only send out a few Christmas cards because I send electronic cards. I have friends in Japan and in Australia. We can e-mail each other and get almost instant replies, whereas snail mail would take at least a week to reach them, then depending on when they had time to respond and send the response it could be a month before I hear back.
ReplyDeleteLike you, I love e-mail and don't know what I'd do without it.