Honestly, you have heard it, I have heard it, it's out there and it's called the paperless office.

The truth? I think it might be an unachievable dream. Mind you I am all for saving the forests, in fact I preach about recycling everything. But, lets face it, humanity is not about to let go off paper for a while to come. Why, you may ask...

Well, paper was invented, in the form of papyrus, by the Egyptians more then 2.000 years ago. And we have been using it for most of that time, even if it only arrived in Europe much later, the damage was already done. It's been in our daily life for millennia's. You can not get rid of an imprint like that in a decade or two, it's in the genes.

Furthermore, paper is generally lighter and far cheaper than, say, a laptop or similar device. What about a palmtop (PDA)? The same applies, besides have you ever tried to read a book (e-book or PDF) on a PDA? Well it's not easy. I should know I read Orson Well's "The time machine" on my iPaq, I kid you not. Also PC's, laptops, PDA's require energy, paper on the other hand does not. It also does not emit light, only reflects it, thus making reading a more pleasant and satisfying experience.

The bottom line is simple: How many time have you printed an email, a contract or other documents to read it, or file it? Reading on paper still makes sense to us, until it does not, we will carry on and the paperless office, as technically possible as it is, it is only a dream.

We are only human after all.

But maybe with the adoption of the PDA, Mobile Phone, laptop, ... Maybe it may yet happen. But they will have to get lighter and more portable.

In the meanwhile how about putting a little extra note on the footer of each email you send? Something that read likes this: Please consider the environment before printing this e-mail and/or attachment/s. It will raise awareness if nothing else.

I often feel like an automaton, a robot. I blame the introduction of the microwave oven and a society driven by money. I have often spoken about this subject but never written about it.

Tonight I need to get this subject, however ludicrous, off my chest.

Now I ask you: "What has the microwave oven got to do with me feeling like an automaton, more than a robot?"

Simplified, it removed an important part of our daily life. Let me elaborate...

For as far as there has been civilization, there has been cooking going on, the culinary art that is so elusive to so many. It has been essential to our daily life, the cooking hours has been used to reflect upon and calm ourselves from the day's events. During lunch time, we had to take a longer brake to prepare than eat our meals, in the evening the same applied. When was last time you took the time to perform the culinary art during the week? I know I have not in a long time.

This results in an accelerated lifestyle that keeps on accelerating, the microwave oven has been a large factor in this. It allows us to reheat food fast and take-away shops have understood this as well as most restaurants. In fact they often have instructions on how to reheat your food printed on the packets. The biggest culprit however are the retail shops who have understood the "convenience" of pre-prepared food that can just be thrown in the microwave an reheated in a whopping 2 minutes, you can find any type of food you like at decent prices. Forget 2 minutes noodles, here is 2 minutes microwave 5 course meal. Forget the simmering down of the days events, forget the refection upon which we de-stress.

And the retail world is not the only benefactor, try  your boos, your company. It takes less time to even reheat food so instead going outside to eat and take a real break, one that is so essential to our well being, you reheat your food, get back to your desk and... start working again. Total break time: 15 minutes max. Results: More nervous breakdowns, more weaknesses, far less well being. The price we have to pay for a busy, has no time society. Junk food and TV dinners.

The madness never ends. I am trapped in it! We are all trapped in it! Let's break free!

2 minute microwave meal please!

Think about it, we are the microwave oven generation!