Ahhhhh....The Freedom of Wireless

I never understood how and why people could sit in coffee shops and bookstores for hours on end surfing the wireless Internet on their laptops. But then I did it. And I saw the light.

Through a series of donations, purchases, repairs and trades, my house now has wireless Internet access for both my new desktop computer and laptop. There's something both liberating and scary about browsing the web in bed, in the den in front of the TV, or (although it hasn't happened yet) on the toilet. It is liberating to not have to be tethered to a wall; it is scary to become even more inundated with media, further obstructing the chance for real human interaction (the toilet can also cause this).

I've surfed in a coffee shop/print studio, Edgehill Studios, which has the most bang for its buck in Nashville. The atmosphere and chance for productivity trumps that of Bongo Java, Caffeine, and Portland Brew. I worked on an essay there, and could have stayed for hours more. I now see how addictions develop.

Pieces have been written on the need for wireless everywhere, which could make America more productive. There are obvious security concerns, as with anything. But the pros outweigh the cons in my book, especially with the clear-cut benefits are lower costs, better technology, and a chance to get the Internet into lower class areas.

But, for the time being, this wireless revelation has fueled my fire to grow a goatee, plug up my iPod, and sip latte all day, while doing nothing but wasting time as I see what comes up on Google images when I type in "Sam Davidson."