Things don’t always turn out as promised.    If you’ve ever waited in a long line at a fast food restaurant or searched all over for a convenience store, you know what I mean.

While it’s true that technology often woos us with bright shiny objects that make us feel special, it also portends to be a key enabler for “progress”, seeking to make our lives more convenient.  Being only human, we often take these conveniences for granted.

In 1994, when we were living in Santa Barbara with our two young children, my wife and I were awakened one day in the predawn hours by an unmistakable shaking of our home.  My thought was that if the epicenter were very far away, this was probably a big one.  We later learned that the 6.7 magnitude quake was centered near Northridge, California. The damage in the San Fernando Valley was significant, but we were fortunate to suffer only the loss of electrical power, and the inconvenience of having to boil our water for a few days. (continue reading)