I know some people (intelligent, nice, loving people) who say things like:

“I don’t do email; I want the human contact experience.”

“The Internet is an addiction. People need to get away from their computers and experience life.”

“Don’t email me; I won’t answer. If you want to talk to me, call me or talk to me in person.”

And the best one…

“I hate the Internet and email and all that. I don’t even know how to check my email.”

That’s right, sweety. Hate it because you don’t know anything about it. What gets me about these folks (and have I mentioned that they’re nice, intelligent people?) is that they are equating using the web with inactivity, laziness, and aversion to “getting out and breathing the air.”

I couldn’t disagree more. But then, you probably knew that.

Never before in human history has the acquisition of knowledge been so readily available. Stuff on the web begs to be known; discovered. Since when is discovery a bad thing? And why can’t “getting out and breathing the air” coincide with discovery?

Listen to the Fink. Go ahead. Drink the Kool-Aid. Use the web inside your daily “human” activities. You’ll like it, I promise. For instinks…

• While you’re on your daily run, snap a photo of a gorgeous flower or tree or cute animal and email it to your mom. Perfect example: my friend Kay, who lives in Slovenia, has a blog. She takes pictures on her walks and bike rides. Check it out.
• While at a family gathering or out with friends, instead of arguing about who was the first Browns player to be enshrined in the Hall of Fame, or how many M & Ms it would take to fill a Volkswagen Beetle, use ChaCha.com. You don’t even need a computer (only a cell phone), and it’s free.
• Use 800.GOOG.411 from your phone if you need quick directions, a phone number, an address or business hours. Of course, this service by Google is free.
• If you want to make sure you remember to do a thing when you get back from your power walk, use your cell phone and dial 866.JOTT.123 and speak the reminder into the phone. Jott.com will automatically send you an email message with the exact text of the reminder. Again — free service, easy, and purposeful.

So don’t hate me for my webby-ness. Really. I’m just trying to help my fellow humanoid. And I do get up from the computer, honest. Girlfriend has to make the coffee, ya know.

Fink out.