By , ,
Published May 19, 2015
I have a confession to make: I am an addict.
This may come as a surprise to many of you who believe that I am a rather clean-living individual whose worst vices include the regular consumption of steak and the occasional utterance of a familiar barnyard epithet. No folks, I am here today to tell you that I am addicted to a small device that hangs on my belt every hour that I am awake. I am addicted to my BlackBerry (a.k.a. CrackBerry).
If you do not know about the BlackBerry — good for you. It is an insipid little electronic gadget that does many indispensable things. It forwards all of my work e-mails so that I can read them anytime anywhere. It is a cell phone. It is a master contact list. It also allows the sending and receiving of those text messages that the kids love so much.
In Washington, it is must-have technology. Press releases, tips, leaks and after-hours, extra-curricular social plans are all co-coordinated by BlackBerry. People walk around zombie-like, tapping on the little tiny keyboard and staring at the small screen. (These are the same people who often appear to be walking around talking aloud to no one in particular. If they didn't have that little cell phone earpiece in their ear they would be locked up.)
Sure, there are a lot of unwanted e-mails. Everyday I am bombarded by people in Africa who want me to engage in some complicated business dealing. There are an amazing number of people who want to sell me Viagra. But every once in a while, I get some little tidbit of information that makes real news.
In fact, my biggest scoop in a while was the news that Sandra Day O'Connor was resigning from the Supreme Court. I could not have broken that story without my BlackBerry and the contact list of sources and phone numbers that it contains.
Now, like the dog that salivates every time the bell rings, I reflexively grab my BlackBerry and check the screen each and every time it makes the little chirping sound that indicates that I have just been sent another e-mail. This happens roughly 300 or more times a day.
Seriously, I need to find a 12-step program.
Hello, my name is Brian ... and I'm addicted to e-mail.
This message was sent from my BlackBerry — an advanced communication device with which I have an ongoing love-hate relationship.
Brian
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Brian Wilson is a congressional correspondent for FOX News and anchor of the Sunday edition of "Weekend Live."
https://www.foxnews.com/story/i-am-a-blackberry-addict