technology time-out

It's time for a change. Time for something different. Time to do something I've been thinking about doing for a long time. Time to quit procrastinating. Time to stop. Slow down. Time to make time for other things in my life. Time to make time for baking, painting, cuddling, sewing, reading books, taking more walks, digging deeper into the Word, decorating, photographing things just for me. Just saying those things makes me all giddy on the inside. Because when the computer is on, my time is COMPLETELY divided. I have a small addiction with the computer. My husband would tell you it's a large addiction...I will not because I hate to admit it. But he's right. It's time to break the addiction. I will be pushing the power button once I publish this blog...and will not turn my computer on again for one week. This is a challenge that I have placed on myself. I am very trepidatious about this. Take away my tv for a week, a month a year, sure no problem. But my computer...I'm not so sure this is a good idea! Business is SLOW non-existent right now anyway so I'm pretty sure that won't be a problem. I plan on making more time to get things even more squared away for my business. I plan on sewing more of my Christmas presents and getting things done early. I plan on spending more one on one time with my kids. I plan on making more crafts with them. I plan on doing things I always talk about doing but find myself putting off because of the stupid computer (that I love so much). I plan on being a part of my family not just physically, but more emotionally and being more aware of what is going on around me. I plan on getting to experince new things. I plan on trying new recipes from cookbooks that are collecting dust. I plan to write letters and thank you notes that are long overdue. I plan to send pictures to loved ones. I plan to return...but am not certain of the exact time or date. My plans are not my own. I laid off facebook a while ago...just kinda sick of the "fake" relationships. Don't get me wrong...I LOVE facebook and love the fact that I'm able to keep in touch with friends so easily. But I feel that facebook is just too fake for me and it's really been bugging me lately. There are too many things to hid behind or brag about, it just doesn't feel like real life to me (but wasn't that the original plan?) I wish people would write letters like they used to. I wish people would pick up the phone and call to see how you're doing rather than just look for a status update. We used to love getting mail. Then we loved getting email. Then we loved getting a note on our wall. Well I still love to get REAL mail and I'm going to do my part in sending some out. What happened to our society that has become so removed from actual contact with real people? Why do we prefer texting over a phone conversation? Why do we blog and update our status on facebook rather than write a letter or stop by for a visit? I'm guilty of this all too and I'm wanting a change of pace. A new normal. Something different. I've got some great books I'll be reading (along with my Bible) during my technology time-out...This one and this one and I've already dug into this one. So excited. To get my life back. To connect with people in REAL life. To make new memories. I realize this makes it sound like I didn't go anything but waste time on my computer and that's not the case but I have to take a step back and for me the best way to end the addiction is to not even be tempted by it. And I realize that I'm making it sound like I'm signing off forever and that's probably not the case but I don't know what God has in store for my life right now so I'm not going to say that's true and I'm not going to say it's not true. I won't be answering email...unless it's urgent. I won't be checking facebook on my phone. I will be disconnected from the internet. So, if you'd like to talk to me you'll have to go old school and pick up your phone and dia my number...of which you hopefully have. I'll see you next wee k....maybe. I've thought about this moment for a long time. I've told Greg a time or two that I was going to do it. But now, I have to. For me. For my kids. For my husband.