Digital Downsizing
Not even three months ago, my interaction with the Internet, or even the computer for that matter, consisted of occasionally checking e-mail, posting infrequent pictures on our family blog, browsing Old Navy or eBay for the best deals on maternity clothes, and editing transcripts, which is the main reason I sit with this laptop propped up on my legs anyway.
In just a short matter of time, I was invited to join Facebook, where I update my moment-by-moment actions periodically or accept the invitation to take quizzes to find out how much I am like someone else; I joined a Flickr photography group, where the goal was to upload one picture per day; I was encouraged to begin a personal blog for daily writing pieces; I started playing Scrabulous with various people and now play Scrabulous and Scrabble Beta with over 11 people; I linked two Bible study sites to my e-mail address, prompting daily Scripture passages and their interpretations, in hopes to get something spiritually nutritious from this electronic notebook sitting in front of me; and I’ve also changed e-mail addresses, which means I’m currently checking two e-mail inboxes instead of one. I went from spending maybe an hour a day on this computer (that is, unless inundated with transcripts) to several hours a day. Apparently, my Internet interfacing is getting a tad out of hand.
I definitely think a change is in order. I already made one adjustment last night when I bowed out of the one-picture-per-day Flickr clique. I find I just don’t take enough pictures during the day to warrant my participation in this additional group (who could with a laptop in my lap most of the day, that is, when I’m NOT running after two little girls or running a household??). It was fun, I must say, but one more thing to add to an already full day.
So today, in an effort to again join the world of face-to-face human and family connections, I’m going to think about how to rearrange my sundried digital priorities and downsize on them. I know. I know. Reducing the Scrabble fetish is probably the next order of business.
I think the fight to regain lost personal relationships and to pull ourselves away from this addictive medium, this almost-infinite source of information, will be an ongoing battle, but one definitely worth fighting.
In just a short matter of time, I was invited to join Facebook, where I update my moment-by-moment actions periodically or accept the invitation to take quizzes to find out how much I am like someone else; I joined a Flickr photography group, where the goal was to upload one picture per day; I was encouraged to begin a personal blog for daily writing pieces; I started playing Scrabulous with various people and now play Scrabulous and Scrabble Beta with over 11 people; I linked two Bible study sites to my e-mail address, prompting daily Scripture passages and their interpretations, in hopes to get something spiritually nutritious from this electronic notebook sitting in front of me; and I’ve also changed e-mail addresses, which means I’m currently checking two e-mail inboxes instead of one. I went from spending maybe an hour a day on this computer (that is, unless inundated with transcripts) to several hours a day. Apparently, my Internet interfacing is getting a tad out of hand.
I definitely think a change is in order. I already made one adjustment last night when I bowed out of the one-picture-per-day Flickr clique. I find I just don’t take enough pictures during the day to warrant my participation in this additional group (who could with a laptop in my lap most of the day, that is, when I’m NOT running after two little girls or running a household??). It was fun, I must say, but one more thing to add to an already full day.
So today, in an effort to again join the world of face-to-face human and family connections, I’m going to think about how to rearrange my sundried digital priorities and downsize on them. I know. I know. Reducing the Scrabble fetish is probably the next order of business.
I think the fight to regain lost personal relationships and to pull ourselves away from this addictive medium, this almost-infinite source of information, will be an ongoing battle, but one definitely worth fighting.
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:)