It’s Tuesday night. 7:15 pm, San Diego time.
I haven’t opened my computer since Friday.
To be fair, I haven’t been completely unplugged. I’ve been Tweeting, texting, and responding to a few urgent emails from my phone.
But my computer has remained totally off.
Dead.
In my bag.
It’s not like it’s broken. Or even that I’m missing my power cord.
I just have left it off.
It’s been busy. After Catalyst West, I spent the weekend hanging out with some very good friends I don’t see nearly as much as I would like to.
And yesterday and today, I’ve been recording the audio book for Permission to Speak Freely.
(Which was a blast, by the way!)
I saw a Panera on my way out of San Diego and decided I might as well break the fast.
And so I’ve been here – for three hours – catching up on the “work” side of my job.
Last night, I went to the Sleeping at Last show in Hollywood. Sleeping at Last has been one of my favorite bands for the last few years, and I’ve had the chance to see them live a couple of times.
Each time has been a profound experience.
Each time has been uninterrupted.
But this time…
I let the phone vibrating in my pocket interrupt a few times.
And I couldn’t help but think about a million other things…in addition to the poetry and music happening in front of me.
It made me remember the days when computers weighed 25 pounds and had to sit on desks at home.
When mobile phones only made phone calls.
And for a moment, I missed the past.
I missed the lack of distraction.
Do you remember those days?
Comments
29 responses to “Do You Remember Those Days?”
I remember those days distinctly, as the Cool Fam has only had real cell phone plans for the last year and half. Before then it was pre-paid, and before that, it was trying really hard to achieve telepathy. We are soulmates, after all.
I’d like to think that life was much more fulfilling back then, but I just filled my time with other distractions, like playing video games and watching my friends play video games. Oh, and there was that time spent shopping for video games, too.
But I totally hear what you’re saying. The constant connectivity that technology offers can make us miss the epic beauty of life and humanity playing out right before our eyes, whether it’s on a stage or tugging at your leg, asking to play racecars.
.-= cool dad / eric?s last blog ..A high tolerance for pain: Why are we doing this again? =-.
Agreed! There is so much life to be lived and so much life right in front of ours eyes, if only we would take our eyes off the screen.
.-= Rachel?s last blog ..a hat trick =-.
I love how technology lets me work freely and on the go, but it’s really hard to disconnect. I often think about taking a few days “off” but it would be really hard!
So fun to meet you at Catalyst last week. It sounds like you enjoyed your So Cal visit. I look forward to crossing paths again.
I miss those days.. and am ok with the fact that I’m kinda still IN those days. I don’t have a lap top, which is something I want, and I don’t have a fancy cell phone, something else I would like to have.. but at the same time, I appreciate that I can’t always have everything at my fingertips. Teaches me patience. In the last few years, I have learned to be happy with less, and to appreciate what I do have more. Not always an easy thing though. :)
YES!!! I’m not against technology but let’s focus on using it for something other than drowning out our lives with noise and images and expectations…
I remember those days, because I still live in them…
No laptop, cellphone with only the ability to call… pretty peaceful ;-)
Anee,
Head on over to http://www.theamericanscholar.org/ and take a look at their leading articles: “Solitude and Leadership” by William Deresiewicz and “Reading in a Digital Age” by Sven Birkerts. The latter I’ve read in detail, and discusses the effects of technology on our ability think contemplatively- the idea of which you summed up in your last words quite poignantly: “I missed the lack of distraction.”
.-= Greg?s last blog ..Chronicles of Narnian: C.S. Lewis and the Culture Wars =-.
sorry, that should have been “Anne”
.-= Greg?s last blog ..Chronicles of Narnian: C.S. Lewis and the Culture Wars =-.
Oh yeah. The days when the internet was foreign, but full of promise. Or the days when “cell” phones were stuck to cars. I actually feel bad for kids today who grow up with so much distraction. They don’t know anything different!
How ironic, I have been off of my laptop due to it not charging anymore. I have been running my buisness off of my phone since than.
Did get a new laptop yesterday but have not opened it because it will take several hours to load programs and data-uugghh.
Hope things are going well for you and Chris.
yep. i remember those days. i’ve been wondering if i should go unplugged a little more. i’m starting to think, yes. family and other drama has now hit my computer. sometimes i just wish i wasn’t so…easily accessible. we can communicate just a little too fast these days. i think people should handwrite more. that way, we take the time to process before we do something stupid. also, i used to read more. technology distracts me from that. yep, i’m thinking of pulling the plug a little more. it may improve my mood and sanity! =)
.-= hope hammond´s last blog ..hey, GOD…got facebook? =-.
Writing a paper on that now. It’s only supossed to be five pages… mine will be a little more.
.-= Lauren´s last blog .. =-.
There are few things more freeing in our connected culture than turning your phone off, tucking it in your sock drawer, and living a day without it. At least that’s what I’ve heard…
I worked as a personal assistant for a high profile athlete for quite a while. My phone and computer were with me 24/7. Even if I was on vacation, I was ALWAYS available in some manner or another.
Once I left and moved to South Carolina, I purposely did not unpack my computer for about 4 months or get a cell phone for over a year. It was lovely!! (Though it did make my friends rather mad!)
.-= Alice?s last blog ..Major Epic Fail =-.
Your post made me shiver. I wonder if (and somewhat hope) that more and more of us humans will feel the way you do. I fear we’re in danger of being lost in a stream of irrelevant distraction – and, I’m tending to leave my computer off a lot of late – and I love those times guiltily, but wholeheartedly.
Some time ago I wrote on a blog about looking into the future of TV comedies:
“50 years from now they?ll be poking fun at how we used to sit in front of our computers for hours on end. We?ll have realized that multi-tasking destroys not just our brains, but our creativity ? and webinars and other online training efforts will be worth whole hilarious episodes. By then, we?ll have traveled through our romance with technology and we?ll be back to treasuring the outdoors, solitude, silence and reading. It will seem quaint and frightening to the 2059 television audience that we ever frittered so much time away on technology.”
I just love the insight and honesty of your writing.
I just spent 3 weeks without cell phone capabilities and only 1 hour of internet at the local library and no tv. Amazingly enough – the world did not end! I also learned a lot about myself, developed face to face relationships and am more ‘mindful’ of my surroundings without the constant distraction of everything.
Now that I am back home, I am limiting computer time. Only responding to the phone when convenient and not watching tv. It is wonderful to not be afraid to be in my own head for a change.
.-= Chris K?s last blog .. =-.
I remember those days, and miss them. I use to have to spend less time online because we only had one phone line, and my mom and I shared a cell phone. I can’t go a day without a cell phone now. I wish I could. I really wonder if any of us could go without something these days without some sort of prep work before hand.
.-= Sarah´s last blog ..Hell Hath No Fury =-.
I remember growing up in the 80’s when they told us in school and on the news that “computers would make us a paperless society”…now as a church planter in 2010, I have more paperwork each month than I have time to handle, not to mention the recent purchase of our home and the 200+ documents that came with that…I have the sneaky suspicion I was lied to in the 80’s :)
Not lied to, their perspective was just inaccurate since they didn’t know the future. A friend recently joined the army and has never had to deal with as much paperwork even through graduate work.
I work in the tech field so I have a great passion for it, but it is only a tool and it will never be able to replace or improve face-to-face heartfelt sharing of life.
.-= Sherie?s last blog ..Coming Out Loud and Large =-.
i think it does me good to unplug from time to time…especially in reading my Bible…i love technology! awesome that the Bible can be brought up and read in any translation, commentaries at my fingertips…but the most blessed readings i have are the ones when i unplug, and physically pick up the book..touch the pages…and read.
.-= darla?s last blog ..Good-bye Religion =-.
My relationship with technology is definitely love/hate. But I must say it- if anything or anyone were to cause me to forget about those emails in my inbox, it would be Sleeping at Last. Beautiful music.
You know, I gave up my cell phone reluctantly last year, and on the condition that it was a temporary arrangement. My husband and I went back to having a single home phone only. And you know what? Except for the occasional road trip, when it would be handy to have one, I find it a general relief to not be tied to it all the time while I’m out and about. I have no plans to get another cell phone anytime soon.
I still like it that I have the option take my computer with me though. It makes life easier being able to do work elsewhere when things get crazy around here.
I think what I miss the most about “those days” are handwritten letters and students who actually knew how to pen them using, get this, actual words! No ‘LOL’ or ‘u’ or any other “text shorthand.”
I often feel safer with my cell phone, particularly when I’m traveling or otherwise on the road with my children. But I agree that it can be beautifully liberating to turn it all off now and again and live in the world that’s before our physical eyes.
.-= Sturgmom´s last blog ..AI Recap: Top 6 =-.
I remember… Sometimes I step away from my computer for a whole day but then feel like I am playing catch up the next.
Recently i was watching the old (6 hour) bbc version of pride and prejudice. And during one scene I thought to myself, “to bad he didn’t have a cell phone it would be much easier than riding away on your carriage to go find someone.” But then again it would be awesome to get a telegraph and life would be slower more enjoyed.
I remember the days when i was in college – before cell phones existed (yes I’m that old). Then, when i went back to my old college 15 years later for a writers conference and everyone had cellphones and laptops – it was so… so… so out of place!
As of 4:00pm Saturday… i will be on my way to Burundi, Africa completely unplugged. No laptop. No blackberry. No twitter, facebook, wordpress, email…
just thinking about it makes my head spin and my feet want to dance a jig…
Face to face relationships.
Conversations that really matter.
Focusing on what’s right in front of you.
Hobbies (remember those?).
Savoring the simple joys of life right in front of you.
Peace and stillness.
Life’s passing us by because we’re held hostage to all the gadgets in our lives. What was designed to make our lives richer is instead coming at a great price.
.-= Linda Stoll´s last blog ..Calm. Clear. Consistent. =-.
It’s so weird…I spent the weekend unplugged apart from my phone and when I got home, I thought, I don’t even want to turn on the computer. I just want another night off. But the minute I turned it back on, I was fine and happy and eager to tackle all the work I needed to do. I think it’s good take time off and try to turn your phone off the next time you go to a concert! :)
.-= Amy @ My Friend Amy´s last blog ..Review: Daughters of the Witching Hill by Mary Sharratt =-.
Oh, yes, I remember! The first computer I ever saw filled one entire building at my University – that’s right, it took the WHOLE building to house ONE computer.
BTW, Anne, congratulations for passing 10,000 Twitter followers! That’s great!
I recently downgraded our cell phone bill to “talk only” to save some money, no texting or email, etc…a friend of mine remarked, “What? I guess next you’re going to tell me I have to write you letters now!” haha…