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www.insideHALTON.com | OAKVILLE BEAVER | Thursday, June 27, 2013 | 8 T here's an old proverb suggesting in order to nd ourselves we must rst lose ourselves. Similarly, I'm starting to think in order to reconnect with life we may need to rst disconnect from technology. No, I'm not a Luddite, loathing technology and trying to stop the stampede of progress. I love my laptop. I can't navigate our laneway without GPS. I shudder to think of life without my digital camera. Social media certainly has its moments. YouTube can be good for a laugh. And as a music nut, I'm downright dotty over digi- Pointing out the obvious disconnect in being so connected tal. If you had suggested 20 years ago I'd be able to one day store and play 15,000 songs on a device the size of a deck of cards, I'd have placed wet, weepy kisses of disbelief and gratitude upon your cheeks. There's no denying how technology has improved our lives. Still, I think the pendulum is turning and the erstwhile masters of technology are becoming its slaves. This occurred to me the other day on the golf course as I checked my phone for messages for the fourth time, while on the third hole. That's Life Andy Juniper Guest Contributor You've doubtlessly heard there's "an app for that." Did you know there's an app for idiocy and absurdity? Recently, I was watching a baseball game and between pitches the camera panned the crowd, revealing all fans in an entire section were not watching the game they'd paid to see, but, rather, were ddling with their smart phones. Dumb, disconnected people. My favorite app is the weather app, which I compulsively check umpteen times daily. In fact, there isn't a person living under my roof who couldn't recite the day's hourly forecast, or the long-range outlook. Honestly, I spend 70 per cent of my time worrying there's a 20 per cent chance of showers in the forecast 10 days from now. But apps aren't the only time-wast- ers. These days we send e-mails to ensure someone received our e-mails. We don't talk to each other. We make Google-y eyes at our computers. We're addicted to our phones. We're minions of technological multitasking and we can no longer see irony. Social media isn't social at all; it's anti-social. And the most connected society in the history of civilization is fast losing the ability to meaningfully connect with other people. -- Andy Juniper can be contacted at ajjuniper@gmail.com, found on Facebook, or on Twitter @theSportJesters. You're looking HOT! Stay cool and comfortable all summer long with an AIR CONDITIONER from Sandpiper and make no payments until September 2013! Get Cool for FREE! Absolutely NO up-front costs! FREE installation and repairs AFFORDABLE low monthly rates LOCAL Priority Service 24/7 ENERGY EFFICIENT brands and models Call Sandpiper Today for your FREE in-home assessment 888-668-8117 sandpiperhomecomfort.ca A DIVISION OF OAKVILLE HYDRO ENERGY SERVICES INC. $ WIN a For your chance, enter at dorvalcrossing.com Prize offer valid at Dorval Crossing East location only. Contest closes July 31, 2013 Voucher to Wild Wing 250 TM School's out for the summer! We make it easy to get prepped for your vacation or staycation. With over 60 Shops and Services, Dorval Crossing has everything you need for summer fun. Over 60 Shops & Services located at the QEW & Dorval Drive Visit dorvalcrossing.com for more information PROUDLY MANAGED BY