In the past when my husband and I would visit a place for the first time we would frequently have this conversation (Me=me, and H=Husband–for you slow ones).
Me: Do you know how to get there?
H: More or less
Me: Did you print out the directions?
H: I know the area
Two hours later
H: This can’t be right
Me: I thought you knew how to get there?
H: Could you pull out the map?
Me: Can’t we just ask that man over there?
H: If I just look at the map for a second I’ll figure it out.
15 minutes later
H: We are almost there–I think–I’m going to ask this guy if he knows where it is…
Me: #$&***! BAM! POW! SPLATT! KAPOW!
Now when we visit a new place:
Me: I printed out directions on Mapquest
H: I looked on Microsoft Live Search with 3D technology
Me: You need to turn here
H: Oh, I know, I know. That must be that strange looking building I saw online. There should be a stoplight, then a stop sign followed by a McDonald’s, a dog, a homeless person and a green house for sale, and then we turn left. You see that house — I think that’s the one with the pool and the treehouse in the big back yard. We should be there in 4.5 seconds unless I miscalculated…
Me: (sigh)
a-muse-ing 
Luisa
Apr 07, 2007 @ 10:02:48
SO true to life. I also, like Kip Dynamite, love technology….
Brent
Apr 07, 2007 @ 16:04:03
Smile.
TSM-truth, sincerity, madness
Apr 07, 2007 @ 19:28:47
Same could be said about my marriage, except for it’s me by myself reading directions while driving. And talking on my cell phone. And eating striped shortbread.
Forgetful God
Apr 07, 2007 @ 22:02:56
It would seem that technology has actually limited the chances for entertainment, surprise, and even spiritual growth. Now that you “know where you’re going” you can no longer have those surprise meetings/unexpected experiences that happen when you get lost and end up somewhere you never intended to be. It would seem the conversation is a lot less involved as well…which would normally give you and your husband the opportunity to laugh at your own folleys and learn from each others reactions. As well it would seem that the lesson of humility is no longer to be learned…there is no need to ask someone for directions now that you have all the technological gizmos (which also means that communication with unknown people is no longer necessary…that’s a shame.)
It seems to me that, though technology has made life easier, things are a lot less interesting and a lot less prone to unexpected changes. Personally, I think your life sounded more interesting and challenging the other way…but then again, who am I?
tobeme
Apr 09, 2007 @ 11:39:31
So true! Good that technology has worked for your relationship in this way!
perkidawn
Apr 09, 2007 @ 21:04:28
ROFLOL!!! Okay, it really COULD be worse!! My dear hubby has a GPS. He LOVES to bring it places, HOWEVER, he LOVES to use it with the companion software on the laptop. So, as we are maneuvering through say, downtown Seattle, in traffic, I’m watching the map on the computer, which shifts every ten seconds or so, and he’s saying “OK now where do we go?? ” And I say, in about a quarter of an inch, no and eighth of an inch, we go…um, left?” YES this is so helpful. Give me Mapquest, printed out, thankyou.
Alien Drums
Apr 10, 2007 @ 05:01:04
New meaning to “Driving me crazy!” Fortunately MapQuest saved you. I’m a guy, but I don’t get this thing some guys have about not asking for help. A stranger outside Oxford, England, helped me find C.S. Lewis’ house, one of the great adventures of my life.
rjlight
Apr 10, 2007 @ 07:47:38
wow, okay I am way behind on my comment responses here! Thank you for all your comments!
Forgetful God thanks for visiting and commenting — I do know what you mean as far as the loss of community with the increase in technology I definitely talk about that in a few of my older posts.
For some reason my husband and I attract direction-seekers. When we were in Spain I don’t think a month went by when someone didn’t ask us for directions — either that is a reflection on how easy it is to get lost in Spain or we have faces that appear to know where we are going! 🙂
Nedra
Apr 17, 2007 @ 13:09:18
Where you in the car with us? This is soooo what we go through, only my husband refuses to print a map…he wants to USE the old style of printed maps in the car…….but they are always in the ‘other’ car!
And it never fails to surprise us ‘while visiting another town’ how we always get asked for directions too…..in fact, it just happened in Your town a few weeks ago when we got off of BART…….must be our honest faces!!
rjlight
Apr 18, 2007 @ 15:16:29
honest face, me?