Okay, perhaps “addicted” is too strong a word since it carries such a strong and scary connotation in our society. Let’s just say that my laptop (and its high speed Internet capabilities) are my lifeline…to my children, husband, extended family, world and local news, work, hobbies, advice, shopping, banking, photos, weather, and the list goes on and on (and literally, on).

The truth of the matter is that life without my laptop would most likely ostracize me from the rest of the world, at least temporarily. I never intended to live electronically, but when I stop to think about it, thank God this simplistic way of life exists!

And let’s get one thing straight. There is a big difference between “Lola,” my laptop and my old desktop computer, which enslaved me to the yuckiest, cave-like room in our home. Alright, maybe naming my laptop is a little over the top, and it’s true that both computers can most often perform the same functions. However, the portability of my laptop is without parallel, since Lola’s wireless modem allows me to connect to society, in the privacy of not only any room in my home, but also from basically any location in the world.

Thanks to my laptop…

My mornings no longer entail compulsively scrubbing my hands to remove ink from a newspaper since I am able to read local and world news online.

Gone are the days of staring mindlessly into the television, tolerating repetitive newscasts of drive-by shootings, shady politicians, and sensationalized tragedies just to find out if it’s supposed to rain that day, since weather.com tells me my answer with just one click of the mouse.

It is now unnecessary to carry a book of stamps (that always end of being at least a cent or two less than the current compulsive postal pricing hike anyway) since I can access and pay every bill online, (and if I do want to use a stamp, I can order them from usps.com).

I can finally avoid the chatty (and catty) school secretary at my daughter’s school by sending an email when I have a question or need to set up an appointment. Thumbs up to gmail!

My never-where-it’s-supposed-to-be dictionary and thesaurus can happily remain lost, thanks to m-w.com, Merriam Webster’s online dictionary, which looks up and defines words faster than I can ask, “Honey, what does ubiquitous mean?”

And buh-bye to the infamous always-off-by-at-least-a-few-bucks checkbook, since my bank accounts are not only accessible from my couch, but I can also order checks at midnight, from home, if I want.

No more standing in line with screaming toddlers – including my own – during the holiday season, only to have the salesperson tell me my daughter is out of luck because they just sold the last Barbie H3. Thankfully, amazon.com allows me to pre-order every item on my kids’ wish lists from my kitchen after I finish eating dinner, if I should so choose.

I am thrilled I can avoid future attempts to write in the ripped-to-shreds address book I’ve had since grad school, and instead I can easily use one of Bill Gates’s best Microsoft programs to keep track of birthdays, addresses, and phone numbers of my family and friends.

And let’s not overlook several of the fun aspects of my laptop…Photoshop – to magically erase lines and blemishes (and of course take off a few extra pounds) from my favorite photos. Message Boards – to share tips and secrets about anything from beauty, cooking, and travel destinations to pregnancy, health, and sports. Celebrity Blogs – Alright, I’ll admit that I feel like a close, personal friend of Perez Hilton, who not only adds humor to my day, but also keeps me up to date on Brittany and Lindsay’s latest rehab stints. MyItThings.com – which gives me an opportunity to write, read, and learn about fashion, makeup tips, style, and technology.

Many people frown upon this technological attachment stating that people waste and spend too much time staring into cyberspace. I’m not denying this can and does happen, but my laptop not only saves me time, but also helps me to maximize the use of my time. No more lines, no more phone books, and far fewer traffic jams.

Of course there are people who refuse to conform to our evolutionary advancements, and they’d much prefer to mail their bills from the post office, flip through the pages of a newspaper, or stand on line at the bank. In fact, I have an aunt like this – no computer, no microwave, no cable – it saddens me she will never experience, nor understand the amazing sense of satisfaction one can get from “Googling” or from finding the perfect pair of shoes online. Don’t get me wrong, I neither judge nor chastise her for refusing to jump on the information superhighway, and I’m a big believer in, “To each his own.”

Embarrassingly, I too used to carry a phonebook-sized planner that I referred to as "my bible," and there were many frustrating occasions during which I aimlessly thumbed through the yellow pages. In fact, I actually used to think people were snobs if they carried a cell phone or a laptop! Looking back, I realize it was my ignorance and fear of change preventing me from keeping up with the times. I can happily say, however, that once I surrendered to technology, Lola gave me the insight to believe, at least for myself, that we can, in fact, teach an old dog new tricks.