How important is email?

I saw this fact on ClarkHoward.com today:

According to Information Week, three-quarters of people say that e-mail is essential to their lives. When asked what that means, 40-50% say they prefer e-mail to chocolate, coffee and TV. And, 60% spend more time sending e-mails than they do on the phone. 15% say they would rather lose their spouse than not have access to e-mail.

I guess I'm in the right business. :) But seriously, give up your spouse? Now that's pretty bad!

For me, checking my email is usually the first thing I do when I wake up, the first thing I do when I get to work, the first thing I do when I get home, the last thing I do before I leave work, the last thing I do before I go to sleep.

If I'm on a trip it's the last thing I do before the plane takes off, the first thing I do when the plane lands, the first thing I do when I get to the hotel, the last thing I do before I check out, and I'm constantly checking my email on my handheld.

And I know I'm not alone, I would even say that my spouse is worse than me. ;)

Book Review: Summer of '49

Pulitzer prize winning author David Halberstam passed away on Monday. I've only read one of David's books but it was fantastic. I'd like to read more because Summer of '49 was an amazing book that any Red Sox / Yankee fan must read.

More on his work can be found here:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/blog/post/PLNK2LRO9IXJLGKO6