This month's blog is brought to you by Amanda Jones.

Being a self confessed tech geek I love all the trimmings and trappings that the world of technology has to offer. I love that I can find out pretty much anything just by typing the right words into my search engine of choice, I have 8 games of scrabble happening with friends online, and no matter what time day or night I can check Facebook and find out what is happening with friends all over the world. I can Skype my friend in Shanghai, and get a photo message from my Mum of the latest addition to the family. I've witnessed my best friend internet message his partner in another room of the house asking what's for dinner.

I think it is amazing that when it comes to gathering information and planning with people, we can now use Skype, email, Facebook, Twitter, Myspace or even text messages to break down the barriers of time and distance. So many possibilities are open to us but I often wonder if we are paying mindful attention to the pitfalls. I had two self imposed days away from my computer and when I checked my emails this morning there was a message from Facebook noting that I hadn't been on Facebook for a few days and that a lot had happened while I was away. I'd been busy too, but Facebook only cares about it if you post it!

Are we at risk of losing the art of sharing our stories face to face with one another as it becomes so easy to post it in an abridged version to the world? Binary code doesn't do a great job of translating intonation or facial expressions and I haven't found the right emoticon yet for sarcasm. When we have great discussions and share information over the web, how do we make sure that others are not excluded if they do not have the same attachment to their computer/i-pad /phone as some of us do?

Maybe it comes back to some of the things we focus on when developing plans with people. What's the purpose? Who is the audience and what is the best way or method to communicate the message? If we were to pause before texting,  sending the email, posting the status or sending the tweet and ask the question, "Is this the best way to put this information across to others or merely the easiest way?" (not that the two are mutually exclusive). I'm not sure the answer to the first question would always be yes.

Technology can inspire us to start great conversations, create or maintain important connections and put knowledge at our fingertips but how do we make sure that it remains another tool in our communication toolkit and not the only way we communicate with people?