Thursday, February 23, 2012

Technology and Me, A History: Part II

   My most recent blog post was an essay I wrote for my Reading and Writing Online course about my technological history. I received my marked paper two weeks ago and after reading my professor's comments, I had a dilemma. I was thinking on whether I should delete the blog post where I posted my Technological Narrative final draft or just leave it to be a part of the Internet history (or my blog history). I did think about deleting it because her comments made so much sense than when I was editing my own paper (No surprise there.). But after a few days I decided I would just write a new series of technological narratives as blog posts that will be added to my academic and personal page, Homecoming.
   
   I know I mentioned way back when I started this blog that I prefer to remain an anonymous blogger and if I may reveal a few information about myself, there should still be anonymity in my identity. So in this series of posts, I will not name people I know in my life nor name places where I lived. But I consider this blog as my web site and link it from my Internet profile (like Facebook and G+ or for a class).
   
   Okay. Story of my life. As I mentioned in this post (and paper), I was exposed to technology at a very young age when I was growing up in the Philippines. It also helped that I grew up in the capital of the country, Metro Manila, where everyone in the city are up-to-date with the latest technology. If I grew up in the country though, like some of my cousins, then I would have a completely different story to tell. And believe me, I visited that place a couple of times and people in the country live a simpler life compared to Metro Manila.
   
   Pencil and paper were the first technological tools I used as a child, but I preferred reading than writing in my early days of education. I think I used a pencil more than a paper, because that's how children usually practice writing right? Writing their names on a wall using a pencil. Needless to say, I know my mom didn't like it. I don't remember being scolded for writing on the wall, but I'm pretty sure she was angry (But really. I was a growing toddler. At least I wrote it in pencil and not in pen. That's easier to erase.). And again, I was a kid. So the pencil and paper were not just my first technological tools, they were my best friends. If I came across a pen with either black, red or blue ink, these devices made my day because I was able to scribble, draw, and write anything that goes on in my innocent imagination. However, there was something bigger, better, and more colourful than my drawings. The television.
   
   I can never remember which of the two I was exposed to at a young age: the television or the pen and paper. I'd say tv, because some of my baby pictures have a tv in the background so I figured that my parents or older siblings made me watch tv before I learned to write. And isn't that how babies become exposed to technology too? Mothers and babies watch a soap opera. Baby has no idea what's going on in the show, while mother has used up the entire box of tissues. I think it's the same with radio too.
   
   Make-believe or not, I'm sure that I was exposed to these devices when I was a toddler because I either saw pictures or the memories were stored in the depths of my brain or the unconscious. However, I do remember my late toddler years or early childhood years and how technology became a part of my life--which will be posted soon (or just read the first part of this series to get a sense of my early beginnings in my technology narrative draft).