Times have changed, or should I say, I’ve changed with the times.  There isn’t one single day without me saying to myself, “Time to go check my email.”  What’s this all about, darn it!  We lived perfectly well without cell phones, computers, fax machines, seat belts and bicycle helmets.  

I told my daughter the truth ... when I went to college, we didn’t have personal computers.  Oh, there were computers all right - about the size of a bedroom.  We had typewriters and carbon paper.  Imagine that!  We sometimes had to pull the paper out of the typewriter, after major mistakes that white-out couldn’t solve, and start all over again. 

But I’ve changed.  I have an iPad and, I admit, I’m an iPad junkie.  I didn’t say I don’t like progress and innovation.  I use the iPad every day, but that doesn’t mean we have to like how technology affects our lives.  Think about boating and fishing for a moment.  I went to the “App Store” on my iPad and found lots of boating and fishing apps for iPads and iPhones.  Don’t get me wrong; some really cool stuff.  Fishing Kings HD, Dock the Boat, Picture Book - I Like Boats, Sailboat Championship, Waterski Magazine, Extreme Speed Boats, Cool Boats, Bass Fishing 3D on the Boat, Bumper Boats HD Premium, and Fly Fishing 3D HD.  

Oh, and don’t forget! You can purchase GPS NavX Marine Navigation: “A very affordable solution for the boater that wants to take the Mac aboard for a real-time display of position on full color marine raster formate BSB and Softcharts.” 

I admit I spend too much time on my iPad and our iMac at home. I am trying to change and wean myself off of both. What I don’t like is how some of these gadgets have taken over our lives and we and our kids and grandkids aren’t outside doing the things we used to do frequently, things which are good for the body and the soul.  It’s a known fact, lots of us are becoming sedentary.  

So, I’m making a suggestion for your consideration. With the cooperation of Mother Nature, get yourself, your spouse or significant other as well as your children, if you have any, outside, away from the computer screen. Turn off the cell phone and go boating, sailing and/or fishing.  If you don’t own a boat, ask a friend who has one if he or she will take you and your family out.

If you can’t get out on a boat, go to a waterfront park or riverfront walkway and watch the boats; its a fun afternoon. My eleven-year-old grandson went on a three-day camping trip in the Michigan Northern Lower Peninsula recently without a cell phone or computer access.  He loved every minute and couldn’t stop talking about all the experiences he had outdoors. These experiences are the ones that last a lifetime.  

To prove my point, why not start a conversation at the dinner table to see what fond memories family members have of fun times outdoors, some of the cool experiences they remember.  Maybe those memories are about camping, canoeing, fishing, sailing or boating; see where the conversation goes. I suspect they won’t be talking about the highest score on Bejeweled.  Reminiscing about boating and fishing rekindles an interest to do those activities again. Maybe doing more boating and outdoor activities will result in less time in front of the computer screen. Maybe the future topic for conversation will be how many fish they caught and not what stage they reached on Angry Birds!