Roundup

Published: 5/20/08 at 9:05 PM PST Section: Columns

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Hi. My name is Harold. I'm an addict. Not to alcohol, but to technology.

No matter what, I always have to be around something technological. Whether it's a laptop or a television set, I can't stay away from them.

There used to be a time when all I did was read books. Now, I'm either downloading music on my computer or playing video games until after midnight.

Technology has gone from a revolutionary tool to a distraction, in my eyes.

I feel more entertained looking at someone's MySpace profile or checking out a YouTube video than taking a walk outside and enjoying the evening breeze.

When I ride the bus to school every day, I see so many people who have the same addiction.

Kids with iPod headphones in their ears, people chatting constantly on their cell phones - even the buses have television monitors bolted to the walls so people will be entertained along the ride.

Board games have become a thing of the past. At dinnertime, we'd rather sit down and watch TV instead of talking about how the day was.

I do have a technological disease, and I'm not sure when I'll be cured from it.

One thing I do know is that it is reaching down to the younger set. A mother in my dance class brings her 6-year-old son in to participate in the teacher's activities.

When the boy wouldn't participate, she threatened to take away his "dot com" time.

If this doesn't prove my point, I don't think anything will.

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