Sunday, March 06, 2011

Logging Off

Over the past few weeks, I've felt compelled to log off of the computer... For days and even two weeks at a time, I have not been logging in to Facebook, nor have I been checking my 'personal' e-mail incessantly after work or on weekends. And I've got to tell you: it feels great.

I'm no longer spending hours at a time playing mindless games or obsessing over what people had for lunch or how they feel about politics. Instead, I've been logging off and actually spending face-to-face time with people, or spending time writing letters and making telephone calls. My husband and I have had some great conversations, as we've been spending time with one another instead of near each other.

Perhaps we don't all need to be as connected as we think. When I do log in to Facebook and other online resources, I realize that I haven't really been missing anything. I feel free!

My cell phone, my only phone that is, does only a few things: text messages and telephone calls. We recently went to our cell phone provider to see about upgrading me, but when I realized that the 'free' phone was going to cost us almost $400 in additional fees over the life of the contract, I decided to stick with my current phone. I don't need to be online all the time, nor do I need to be that accessible to e-mail and other communication channels.

And that, my friends, is why I'm logging off more and more often. I am recommitting myself to reaching out to friends and family the 'old fashioned' way -- through classic letter writing and good old fashioned one-on-one time. So far, it feels great!

4 comments:

Frankie said...

Yay!!!! great stuff, i am starting small with 2 PC free days a week. did send a real long pen and ink letter 5 months ago and watching the post just dying for a reply. A lot of history is going to go down the drain in the form of deleted emails I think. Letters r so much more personal.
PS you may write me a letter if you like!!!

Marlena said...

Oh, really great! i know how computer generate our lifes, i feel it by myself. i alsosaid to myself: stop it! i feel free from it:) i do not have any need in facebook, or twitter, just to spent a free second between studies or when i am alone, or to feel lonely. i made computer just a machine for work, and made it free from conversation with me instead of human:) so important in our today's life. in fact i am ia novice here and maybe we could also exchange with minds:) just welcome to my blog:)

Roger said...

Yeah, the internet can become overwhelming at times. I like to slow down from time to time and go dark for a few days. I can never stay away from it too long though :P

Trashmaster46 said...

Anymore, my friends are so scattered about the country that the internet is the surest way of keeping in contact. Instant chat on facebook or other chat systems is far cheaper than the phone, and having a conversation in real time really nice. If I didn't have such issues with my wrists (making handwriting difficult past the first sentence or two) I'd probably write more letters. Well, cards and notes at least. At least I'd like to think I would. Typing is just so much easier on my hands. Sorry, didn't mean to go on such a ramble in my comment!