When I go a week between blogs, there's bound to be more than just "Taking Stock" rolling around in my head. After reading this post from Unplugged Sunday, it occurred to me that I've been spending my evenings reading lately, because I'm deep into the Millennium trilogy by Stieg Larsson.....and feeling guilty about it.
Why? When did sitting around reading become not enough? When technology started to dictate that you alwaysalwaysalways have to be moving, clicking, texting, keyboard-tapping, doing SOMETHING other than pursuits that used to be perfectly "acceptable"?
People get into the elevator at my work and immediately they look down at their phones and start reading or scrolling. It's like it's no longer acceptable to stare straight ahead and let your mind wander. I find a similar situation at the gym, when I realize I'm one of the few individuals there working out with no book, Nook, or iPod earbuds for distraction. Even the machines have gotten in on the act, with TV sets on most cardio machines and gaming options on top of it. I admit I do play some mah-jong or solitaire to make the time go by faster, but I also people-watch sometimes. It really becomes evident how self-conscious people are at the gym by the looks you get if you happen to accidentally make eye contact with someone. Sad.
Toyota nailed it with their most recent ad campaign for their Venza vehicle: 20-somethings lamenting how out of touch their parents are, when in fact the parents have much more active and interesting things going on than the 20-somethings do. And I totally get the message, and then spend my evening on the computer when I just spent 8 hours on the damn thing at work. Why? What am I afraid of? What are we afraid of happening if we shut down a little and perform more old-fashioned pursuits? I dream of sewing, of finishing the dozen or so knitting projects that are squirreled away in corners in the bedroom, of plotting the rewrite of my book. That last one could require the computer, but it doesn't have to, initially...which brings to mind the question of why longhand writing is now fading completely from even some elementary curricula (referencing that Indiana school board decision to eliminate teaching cursive...that blows my mind!). Why must everything be performed faster now? Do we not see the rewards in slowing down, allowing things to evolve more naturally, more organically...?
Plenty of bloggers out there have nailed it and are living my dream...so what stops me? I'm learning the how-to from these wonderful ladies, but something is holding me back; and I can only blame it on the apartment, living in Florida, etc. a little while longer, because I'm finally in a position where I think we can make this move happen. So what happens when I start realizing my dreams and I'm still in the same rut? Not that that has to happen, but I think it's important to recognize the possibility so I can keep my dreams on an even keel, remember that NC isn't the only answer, starting a garden isn't the only answer, losing weight isn't the only answer...
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