Get this.  Last night we were eating at the Cracker Barrel because that's where the kid gets more bang for her buck, what with that giftshop from hades and all.  So we're sitting there, cramming pot-roast, meatloaf and pancakes down our gullet and commenting on the lack of diners.  Across the way, I spied a family of five.  On one side of the table sat the parents.   On the other sat three teenage girls.  Every slap-dab one of them had their heads down…intent upon texting, playing 'Word Mole', watching YouTube videos, updating their Facebook status.

I sat and watched them for a good 10 minutes.  Not one single word was said amongst them.   I told my husband to discreetly turn around and check them out.  Of course, he whipped around like his chair was on fire to gawk at them.  They didn't even notice.  Nor did they notice when Husband nearly set himself on fire with a lit kerosene lamp.  Everyone else did though.  I don't doubt that a few people soiled themselves whilst laughing.

We "tsk-d, tsk-d" like a couple of senior citizens and shook our heads.  Meanwhile, our kid is hunkered over in the corner pretending to play a video game on a Valentine card she got from school.  Five minutes later, she shoved an entire cathead biscuit in her mouth and periodically swallowed.  It was like watching a snake eat a gopher. Disgusting yet fascinating.

But at least we were interacting!  Although, who am I to judge?  That family could've been talking to each other with their mechanical devices.  I've been known to pick up the cell phone and call Husband at the other end of the house to ask for bacon and cough drops.  So maybe my perception of family communication is a bit antiquated.

Maybe all this high-falootin' technology has actually brought some families together.  But I'll tell you this right now here today.  I don't care how far our technology advances….I'm still gonna force my kid to look me in the eyeball and talk to me with her mouth.  She may hate me for it, but I don't care.  I'M the decider.

Now I must go plug in my cell phone so Husband can reach me, should he try to set himself on fire again.