Tuesday, June 01, 2010

Bits and Pieces of Nothing*

Better new specs

(I wear glasses all the time because contacts are pretty much like putting concrete directly on my eyeball. I am not into that kind of pain. Every two years, to the day, I get new glasses because that is what our insurance will cover. And by cover I mean pay for part of them. These are very different from my old ones, which is exactly what I was going for. Jay and Jack helped me pick them out.

I was at a photography workshop last week where the instructor noted that some people even use the self timer on their cameras to take photos of themselves.
WHO would do that?)

I watched an episode of Oprah last week, which is very unusual for me, I rarely turn the TV on during day. It 's funny though, because this one was perfect for me. Kismet? Maybe.

The show was about busy families and how disconnected they feel from one another. Peter Walsh, the "expert" had a family take the Strip Down Challenge. The family was required to relinquish all electronics for 7 days.

Basically, the moral of the show is that we feel more disconnected than ever because of our cell phones, lap tops and busy lifestyles. It hit home. Hard.

At one point, Peter said (loosely quoted from memory), "we can sit in a room by ourselves and send and receive 20 emails but we aren't connected".

Ouch.

I am the queen of emailing. My problem is that I am a chatterbox so a phone call will take an hour, an email, 2 min.

The thing is? I AM NOT THAT BUSY.

And if I showed an ounce or two of self control, I could likely cut the phone call down to 20 min or less.

Moose Crossing?

(We were in Moose Jaw, SK this past weekend - yes, that is a real place - and these are the cross walk signs on Main Street. They cracked me up. I am easily amused. Carry on.)

So I am faced with an issue. My work takes place over the Internet. I can easily slip into Facebook to play a couple scrabble moves, read everyone's status updates and maybe update my own. I also can slip into my blog reader and read and comment on a few posts. Before I know it, I have spent the entire morning on the computer. And then the afternoon too. I have worked but I have also wasted (a matter of opinion) time.

If I worked in an office setting, I would be in the same boat, minus FB and blog reading because I, while it's been 6 years (SIX!) since I worked in an office, I am pretty sure it would be frowned upon.

The difference is, I am alone for the mornings and Kamden is often busy doing his own thing in the afternoon. So if I am on the computer working, and interneting (it's not a word but work with me) who I am disconnected from during the day?

No one. BUT.




5km - I love Regina Run/Walk

(5 km walk we did as a family this past weekend. It did not go well. We'll leave it at that. Also? My youngest son appears to have inherited my temper and stubbornness. Oh joy. Also? Notice the cool spot right between Jay and my heads'? What is it? Ghost? Sun spot? Our deep abiding love?)

I do have to consciously make sure to socialize with other people. Thank goodness I have great friends, some of whom work from home like I do. Others I see outside of working hours. Honestly, the only thing I miss about working in an office setting at a "real job", is that social aspect. But there I felt guilty for visiting when I should have been working.

Good gravy.

I just realized there is always something to feel guilty about.

Anywho, my point (if I have one) is that I have to keep things in check. I am like a broken record but again, it's about balance. Family time, friend time, time with my hubby.

It's a good thing I know how to keep things in check so that I am not so busy I am running around trying to keep the balls in the air. Because being busy, is a choice. My choice is to keep things manageable.

I am pretty sure I will never regret that.

(*Would you expect any less?)

16 comments:

Angella said...

Ah, balance. I try to find it too. (Says she who is blog reading from her office.What?)

Loukia said...

It's impossible to find balance. I liked this random post - haven't heard from you in a while! :)

Cheryl said...

hummm. I have also thought about closing my facebook acct in order to just disconnect from the internet a bit..but then I realize I just need some self control!!!

Love the glasses....love it

that sign...too funny...you Sask. people...

Lori said...

cute specks. balance... hmm that is the thing we all search for right?

Unknown said...

hmmm i work in an office.
;)
but find myself lately missing the company of friends.

Anonymous said...

First up, LOVE the new glasses!

Secondly, I totally feel your pain. Balance is so hard to achieve. When I'm in the office on Mondays, I don't read blogs and I don't check Facebook. Because those sites are all BLOCKED. But it's good, and I'm glad. The other days, when I'm working from home, I can easily slip into the pattern you described. A quick check of my email, a quick squizz at Facebook, read a few blogs ... it would be easy to get totally distracted ... but I'm trying hard to be disciplined with the amount of time I spend doing those things. If I don't, my work doesn't get done, and I end up having to pull an all-nighter at the weekend to get caught up. Thankfully I've never actually had to do that, but just the thought of it is enough to help me stay on track. But it's hard, and I know the balance is REALLY hard to find. Doesn't help that we are sooooo dependent on the internet these days. I can't remember the last time I phoned a friend, just to chat. It doesn't happen. Email is easier and faster. But way less personal. Ah, that balance thing again!!

Karen MEG said...

Nice frames! I need a new pair too - my lenses are all scratched up, don't know how that happened.

You can tell the effect of working in an office has had on my online behaviour - big black hole - versus how often I posted when I was consulting! I'm never on FB anymore though.

Balance is tough - I hear ya. Sometimes family time is just being all in the same room, even though we've all got screens in front of us. The new electronic age, all right.

Unknown said...

I would have a HARD time completely disconnecting but I'm going to try next week while on vacation.

I hear everything you are saying here. LOUD and CLEAR.

And your new glasses are awesome.

And also, are you all wearing GLOVES? I would DIE in gloves right now it's so crazy hot hear already. Ugh.

R Royal Family said...

I am thankful you find time to hang out with me :-) even if I am a bad friend and never noticed your new glasses yesterday.

AuntyTeeni said...

Awesome glasses - you trendsetter you!
Woman, do you read my mind or what? I was seriously crafting a post (in my head) about how disconnected people are these days. It's weird to see two friends (teenage girls) arrive at the mall together, each with her own cell phone, engaged in conversation with OTHER people. I saw this and thought to myself, "Now they are going to go home after their shopping trip and realize that they spent absolutely no time talking to each other. So when they get home they will probably be calling each other and catching up THEN. You know, when they could be studying or spending time with family." I may still do my own take on this idea in a post but if I do, I will link to you. You usually say what I mean much better than I do. LOL. Great post. And by the way, don't guilt yourself about so many things. You are the type who recognizes a problem and then works on resolving it.

BeachMama said...

Balance is such a hard thing to achieve. Sometimes I just get tired of it all and ignore it for a few days. I certainly go back and forth on it.

That is a sunspot in your photo. I love them, some people don't it all depends on what it gives to your photo :).

Great glasses!!p

Ed said...

Seriously!! Is that moose on a leash?

Kristin said...

I don't know, I never would have "met" you if I was unplugged and you are a real person, aren't you? however I did find myself IM-ing my husband earlier tonight and he was just upstairs. I think you can have real relationships that are virtual as long as the in-person ones don't suffer. Cute glasses!

tracey.becker1@gmail.com said...

Life is a looooong balancing act. I don't think I ever want to be TOO balanced. I have a feeling it won't ever be a problem for me, anyway.

Nice glasses.

Jen Wilson said...

LOVE the top photo!!!

We should hang out. For real.

Kami said...

Oh it's so easy to the the hours slip by on FB and blogging, isn't it? That's basically why, with a rampant two year old in the house, I have no time for either these days. Part of me is sad about that, then the other part of me is having a silly tea party and doesn't miss it at all!