Going Dark: The Conclusion

I know it's been a while since I had my "low tech" week, but I wanted to write about how it affected me! Just to refresh your memory, here were the ground rules:

1. I will keep my cell phone turned on during business hours, as it is the only phone number that my clients have to reach me. I will not use said cell phone for personal use except for emergencies.

2. While I am at home I will turn off the following: my computer, tv, Wii, and cell phone. The kids will not be following the same rules, but their use of the television in particular (and thus, the Wii) will be restricted to when I'm not in the room.

3. I will check my personal email once a day (towards the end of the day) only to answer emails that require a timely response. I realize that even though I will not be using email to communicate, others who do not read this, may try to contact me by email, and I don't want to be rude by not responding.

4. I will not access the internet for any reason other than something directly related to work.

So how did I do? I did great as far as the TV and Wii were concerned. I did not watch anything on purpose (except for what you'll read below) and even went to bed without the TV in the background for noise. My husband was very excited about the latter.

I was in the middle of trying to sell a house that week (only my second this year) so I was on the cell phone and computer quite a bit more than normal, but it was all for work! I was also interviewing for a job with someone who preferred to communicate through email, so I had to check my personal email more than once a day. I think I only responded to one personal email and made 2 personal phone calls on my cell all week.

All in all, I'd say I stuck to the rules pretty well, until Thursday night (Day 6). Burn Notice was coming on that night and I had been a little stressed. I rewarded myself with a little TV and then I couldn't stop! I stayed up for 3 hours watching shows on the DVR. On Friday I went back to no TV though!

What did I accomplish during my black out? My to do list was this:

1. Write in all 3 journals that I started when I was pregnant with each of the boys
2. Clean out the boys' closets
3. Sort all of the clothes that don't fit the boys into Good Will bags and bins for the next one to wear
4. Take all the bags of clothes that we don't need to Good Will
5. Complete a few sewing projects that I have been asked to do
6. Mail some gender neutral baby items and maternity clothes to Michelle
7. Read at least one book!
8. Buy the boys' school supplies and get them ready for the first day
9. Put my Disney pictures in a photo album
10.Play at least one card game or board game each day with the kids.

Well, as far as this list goes, I failed miserably! I did #8 and started #7. I actually read (almost) every night before bed, which was quite a change for me. Unfortunately, I didn't pick a very fast paced book so I only got about 200 pages in. As for the rest of the list...well...I didn't even attempt most of it! I did play card games with the boys (every time they asked) and I updated Cohen's baby book, instead of writing in his journal. I did do a little organizing in his closet, but there is still a long way to go.

But all is not lost! Even though I didn't make it very far on my to do list, I did get a lot accomplished. I sold a house that week, which was great, but it also meant that I didn't have as much free time as I normally would have. All of that aside though, I came to some important conclusions during this process...



1. I can go to sleep without the television on!

2. I spend a lot of time of time on Facebook and reading blogs, but in the end, it's part of what keeps me sane! I noticed during my black out that I didn't really have a way to declutter my mind. For me, getting on the computer and surfing, reading, playing games, etc, is a great way to forget about what's going on for a few minutes. I found myself a little more short fused this week without it.

3. Balance is the key! Technology is a wonderful thing if you don't let it control your life! Without the distraction of technology I was more willing to play cards with the boys or take them outside. We spent more time together as a family too!

4. I rely on the internet for everything! It seemed like every 5 minutes I needed/wanted to look something up, whether is was a phone number, address, recipe, etc...It was really hard not having that resource at my fingertips!

5. And finally, I can conclude that there is no need to "Go Dark" again in the near future. I have seen the light and it is bright! As long as I maintain the balance, I think I'll be just fine!

Going Dark: A Challenge

My brother-in-law Wayne who writes Dad in the Middle, has decided to "Go Dark" for a week. With a few exceptions, he is going to put away his electronic communication and entertainment devices, like his cell phone, ipod, computer, the internet, email, the television, etc...Back in March I wrote an entry about how we stay connected through the internet, sometimes to the detriment of our personal relationships. I think Wayne was feeling the same way, and decided to shift his focus away from technology (for a week) and towards his family and God. I'm trying to decide if I
can
will join him.

I find that so often in my life I say "I just don't have time." Whether I'm talking about reading a book, cleaning the house, planting flowers, etc, the excuse is always the same. But somehow, I find time for
farting around on the internet
keeping in touch with my real life and online friends through face.book, t.witter, and online message boards. I play countless games of Bejeweled Blitz, Uno and Tetris, but I don't seem to have time to play cards with the boys when they ask.

What I'm trying to say is that I enjoy technology. I do. I just kind of miss the days when I didn't have a cell phone in my pocket at all times, a laptop next to the couch, and a tv with DVR in the living room and bedroom. Technology is allowing me to be lazy! I get to keep up with everyone, and let them know what I'm up to, without ever leaving my house!

For the last 3 weeknights I have been walking with other moms in my neighborhood for an hour a night...thanks to the neighborhood Yahoo group where we all agreed on a time and place to meet up! I've met more neighbors (from outside my cul de sac) in those 3 nights than I have the entire 3 years we've lived here! We talk about our kids, our husbands, our jobs and our weightloss goals, all while getting some serious exercise! It's been great, and it makes me look forward to exercising as opposed to dreading it. It's also been a time to unwind without my TV, cellphone or computer.

So I think this "Going Dark" idea can work. I'm not saying I want to get rid of the technology in my life for good...but I think that if I can go a week without it, then it might not remain such a dominant part of my life when the week is through. I think I just need to remind myself that there are other ways of staying in touch with people, without relying so heavily on electronic gadgets.

Ok, so I think I will go dark for the same week as Wayne; Saturday July 18 at 12am, until Friday July 24 at 11:59pm. I will follow most of the rules that he has set for himself, with the exception of the radio/ipod. I don't believe that the use of the radio/ipod in the car will get in the way of my communication/relationships with others, so I see no point in going without.

Here are the ground rules that I am setting for myself:

1. I will keep my cell phone turned on during business hours, as it is the only phone number that my clients have to reach me. I will not use said cell phone for personal use except for emergencies.

2. While I am at home I will turn off the following: my computer, tv, Wii, and cell phone. The kids will not be following the same rules, but their use of the television in particular (and thus, the Wii) will be restricted to when I'm not in the room.

3. I will check my personal email once a day (towards the end of the day) only to answer emails that require a timely response. I realize that even though I will not be using email to communicate, others who do not read this, may try to contact me by email, and I don't want to be rude by not responding.

4. I will not access the internet for any reason other than something directly related to work.

Basically, I will continue to use electronic communication for work (as it is nearly impossible to be a REALTOR without the internet and a cellphone), but will go without electronic communication for personal use. I'm interested to see how it goes. I have a feeling I will get a lot more done than I usually do!

My goal is to complete as much of the following as possible:
1. Write in all 3 journals that I started when I was pregnant with each of the boys
2. Clean out the boys' closets
3. Sort all of the clothes that don't fit the boys into Good Will bags and bins for the next one to wear
4. Take all the bags of clothes that we don't need to Good Will
5. Complete a few sewing projects that I have been asked to do
6. Mail some gender neutral baby items and maternity clothes to Michelle
7. Read at least one book!
8. Buy the boys' school supplies and get them ready for the first day
9. Put my Disney pictures in a photo album
10.Play at least one card game or board game each day with the kids.

I'd like to hear what you think about this challenge, so leave me a comment below. Do you think I'm crazy? Or would you like to join us?

Staying Connected

I am just amazed at how "connected" we all are, without actually speaking to people in person. I am a perfect example of this. I have 2 blogs, one about my family and this running commentary. I am addicted to Face.book and recently signed up with Twitt.er, all in an effort to be and stay connected to my friends and family. The thing that I find most amusing is that I would find out a whole lot more (most of the time) if I just picked up the phone and used some of my 800+ minutes! Are we really so busy that we can't make personal contact anymore?

I think it says something about our society as a whole that we would rather sign into Face.book and view from the outside, than actually being a part of someone else's life. Take for instance the high school friend you haven't spoken to in 10 or 15 years who recently sent you a "friend" request. Come on, you know you have one! You accept graciously because you're curious what he/she and his/her family look like. You want to know the gossip and see the pictures but not really talk to that person! Am I right?

The same goes for the blogs that we read. It's a great way to follow along with our friends' lives, but also a source of entertainment. Admit it, you feel better about your own life sometimes after you read a few blogs! Sometimes you might even learn a thing or two from a blog...like how to make something. I read a ton of craft blogs to get ideas for new things to make, but I would learn a lot faster and probably be a lot better at my craft if I actually took a class with (gasp) real people.

Don't get me wrong...I'm not advocating a disconnect from all of these things. Like most things in life, moderation and balance are key. So keep writing (and reading) blogs and sharing your life on Face.book and twitter. But take a little time to connect by voice or in person with those people you treasure. You'll be amazed at how good that makes you feel!