sensory underload

In any big city, we have sensory overload. Thousands of sights to be seen, things to be heard, food to taste, things to feel, and smells to be smelled (although usually an unpleasant trash and pee combo). We have the gift of senses.. did we forget that?

A few weeks ago I heard on the news that NYPD vehicles have been outfitted with a device called the Rumbler. Ever since I heard this story I've been a little obsessed. This is a device that is used in tandem with the LOUD and forceful audible siren. The Rumbler emits vibrations that can be felt, so drivers with their stereos on and pedestrians with headphones on can be alerted to the approach of emergency vehicles. Are bright flashing RED and blue lights and ear splitting sirens not enough to catch our attention anymore? Soon we're going to have to be tasered.

iPods and car stereos aren't the only things to be blamed. Texting, Twittering, Facebooking while walking are all the things that are endangering us. We don't pay attention to what we're doing or where we're going. We've seen the headlines: "Texting Teen Falls Down Manhole," London introduced a "safe texting street" !!lined with padded lampposts!! Are we going to have to text-proof our world now? Ridiculous.

But, I too am guilty which is why I am writing this post. On Wednesday after work I had some time to kill before meeting a friend. I decided to walk around a little bit--look for my future husband... hey, you NEVER know!

Anyway.. I'm walking along and glance at my iPod to ensure Lady Gaga is on repeat when BAMMmM! One of my biggest fears takes place! Did I miss seductive eye contact with a handsome 6'4" stud? .no. .worse.

Carelessly in my Lady Gaga iPod dilemma, I failed to see

THIS

headed straight at me!

I had to JUMP over the cane to avoid tripping both of us! My lack of awareness and appreciation for my eye sight got me thinking about how much I take it for granted. It's sad to think about people who are living with the challenges of not having all working senses in comparison to those of us who would rather have iPods in our ears and BlackBerries in front of our faces.

I say, put the phone in the pocket, pull the headphones out of your ears and take a look and listen around. We're lucky we can see, hear, touch, taste, and smell our world.



even if it does sometimes smell like pee.

Dear Steve Jobs,

As co-founder and CEO of Apple, Inc. I would like to share a few words with you. First, I love what you do. I love the computers you make and I wish I had an iPhone. I swear by my iPod and always immediately put in my earphones when I have the opportunity. Whether it be walking around, running errands, traveling, or sitting in my cubicle, those white earphones and I are in sync and probably listening to 'NSYNC.

However, as a girl on the go, I have to say that what's really killing my cool I-listen-to-my-iPod-all-the-time-because-i'm-a-city-girl vibe is when I pull my iPod out of my pocket to then have to untwist and untangle the white wire mess. I spend so much of the time I could be jamming to Pussycat Dolls just trying to get the R and the L separated. Isn't there something that can be done? We're living in 2009 where wireless is the way to go. Bluetooths are abundant and even my hair dryer and iron have retractable "cord keeper" features. There must be a better way.

Why not quit messing with the shapes of iPods (square shaped, spheric, etc) and give them retractable headphones?

See, look at this guy to the right. All he wants to do is brush up on his Kanye. He pulled his iPod out of his pocket and now has to begin the untangling process. I feel his pain.

I hope you seriously consider what I'm saying here. I'm just trying to keep Apple as the best it can be. I'll be first in line for the cord keeper version, I promise.

Thanks for your time,

Jamie