Unplugged...

As with many words, "unplugged" has taken on new meaning over time. Let's be clear from the very start -- I am not talking about "pulling the plug".  I am talking about living without all the electronic "advantages" of today's world and a bit about at least becoming more selective in how we spend our time. Certainly electronics are wonderful in many ways -- but....

Recently my cable company was "down" for over twelve hours.  (This, of course, will not be reflected on my next bill. I will quietly pay for their downtime, as all their subscribers do. I pick my battles.) Since I had had the "wisdom" to "bundle", this outage meant:

• No Internet or Wi-Fi
• No land line phone service
• No cable TV or Roku, which translates into no Netflix or Acorn TV among other options...  (I so love Acorn TV.  I watch sometimes until I am thinking in a British accent.)   

Anyway -- it was a pause in the action -- like someone pulled the rug out from underneath me. My life changed temporarily. I consoled myself with the fact that I still had electricity and running water. Since my life suddenly had become much quieter, I began to think back to before we had become so dependent upon all things electronic. Seriously -- I never leave home without my cell phone, let alone drive 500 miles without it. Times have changed and continue to change. I am not always good with this. It takes me time to adjust. I still use road maps. I am a map person.

• Remember when we drove without power steering, air-conditioning or ... snow tires? My goodness -- we even stopped to ask directions in those days. Now my Jeep talks to me, and I can't always figure out how to make it stop. 
• Remember when we could never have imagined computers, laptops or video games? Now you can wear a computer on your wrist even when you are taking a shower. Think for a minute about that! Is there no alone time anymore?  
• Remember when we had no TV?  Now I have one in almost every room in the house, and ... TVs are getting smarter.  Some of the newer ones have cameras in them.  So creepy.

All of this is sometimes just too much. For example, I do not want my Amazon order to be delivered by drone...ever.  Please Note:  I didn't even mention online shopping, email, or social media.  Being plugged in means the list goes on and on -- new things every day with new words to describe them. What's trending?  Do you post or tweet?  Both?   Are you familiar with the CamMe app or Nixie, the flying camera that grabs onto your wrist when not in use? It's exhausting.

Anyway --- once I got over the shock of being unplugged, I rapidly "tuned into the silence."  It was lovely.  The quiet was restful. I could hear the sounds of my home in winter.  I read; I wrote with pencil and paper; I had time to think in peace. It made me feel smarter -- not so much on overload. 

Interesting to consider in relation to all this is that my grandkids have no cable TV in their home. It's not that they are totally "unplugged" -- just more than some.  In addition - their electronic time is limited and monitored. I sometimes think about bribing them to sit down and watch TV quietly if only for a few moments. (Is that shameful?) Most often they make up complicated games, draw chalk "murals" on my basement floor, or check out life in the pasture or the boxes in my cupboards. They play with my grandmother's buttons (like I did) and explore the world around them. They have wonderful imaginations. They think.... You know what my 7-year-old grandson said that he wanted for Christmas? He said that he wanted a golden harp and a Master's Degree. Need I say more? Look what happens when you unplug in even some ways? I'm telling you, I listen when these kids speak.  I don't want to miss one single thing. They are fun and funny. It's a double blessing.  

I have, by the way, uninstalled Candy Crush Saga/Soda (at least temporarily) from all my electronic devices, I continue to add/subtract in my head before I use a calculator, and I am self-monitoring my TV selections.  I am still plugged in - but not as much. Yep - it makes me feel smarter.