Googleheimer

Now that Bill and I eat dinner alone together, we have become a bit more lax with what I would consider proper dinner behavior. For instance, if we are talking about something and we begin to argue about the veracity of a  statement that the other has made, one of us will step away from the table and google the issue. Our computer is literally one step away from the kitchen table. When the kids are home, we don't allow this. We ban texts, phone calls and use of the computer during dinner. Dinner time has, and always will be, a sacred time when the four of us encircle the table.

However, put 2 type As in a dining room with no parental authority and, you get the "I told you so" mentality. So, the googling of statements has become de rigeur.

Prior to children and prior to the readily availability of the computer, we kept a dictionary, a thesaurus, the National Geographic Atlas (thanks Annie and Mr. and Mrs. Roberts), the New York Public Library desk reference, Maltin's movie guide as well as the Film Encyclopedia by Katz within reach. It seemed natural to me since our dinner conversations were like Gatling gun sprays: Short statements, diverse subjects and most of them missing the mark. We allowed each other to have a mediator, and those books were the final say-so.

Bill has always insisted on 'family dinner' even if the family is just the two of us. Conversation is always keen and animated.  And none of us ever gives on a point. Googling has changed the dynamic - for the good. We finally have a definitive arbiter and we can settle a matter immediately.

Today, my friend Candy (hi Candy! Hi Tommy!) sent me an urban dictionary definition for the term  "googleheimer":  The condition where you think of something you want to Google, but by the time you get to your computer, you have forgotten what it was. Very prevalent in the 420 community.

I've got Googleheimer's so bad that between the garage and the office, I forgot what I was going to look up.

This example sentence above, is a subject that is has been on my mind a lot. I forget what I'm looking for ALL THE TIME. That's why Bill and I allow each other to look up something IMMEDIATELY, before we forget what we are arguing about. Today, for instance, a co-worker and I were talking about something, were interrupted by someone else and when that other person left the conversation, neither of us could remember what we had been talking about. Yes, yes! We are both over 50 ... but COME ON! The lapse of time was less than 5 minutes. Googleheimer at work.

Eventually, I believe we will all have small computer's attached to our hands/arms/ ears/eyes/ other appendage. And, we won't have to worry about this malady. But, until then, I'll continue to excuse myself from the dinner table to prove my point.