Cutting off electronic tethers, etc.

[shootingstar]

Could you really cut yourself off from outside contact via any computer, tv, cell phone, ipod, radio and simply live with sounds of the environment around you (man-made or natural sounds) and be by yourself or with just your family/housemate(s)? Cut yourself off from all these devices..

And how long?

If you give me a pile of books and a bike that fits me, I would be happy for a few weeks. But then someone might phone us...on the land line.

I have a collection of CDs which I haven't listened to anything since Christmas (I forget), don't have ipod nor do we turn on radio. So the audio thing is not big for me. Don't have a cell phone, Blackberry, not yet on facebook nor twitter. We have tv but then I've lived without tv prior for many years.

It's the computer and no access to the Internet that might bug me after a few wks.

[smilingcat]

I have nothing against technology. My only beef with it is when people abuse it, get addicted to it or when we turn away from socializing face to face and socialize only through the computer.

I just do not have time for TV. There just isn't enough time in the day for it. Could I live without it? Honestly don't know because I haven't tried... Oh I have gone to Anderson Ranch (http://www.andersonranch.org/) for decompressing from work and have fun at pottery workshops. Two weeks of absolute bliss. No radio, no TV, no cell phone, not even a car. Just two weeks of bliss immersing myself in pottery work. Being challanged to bring my "inner voice" out through my pieces.

For the artists here, if you can find a way to afford it, It will be an experience of lifetime. I have always loved the place. And I am always so awed by the people who actually make a living from their art.

[Crankin]

I am much less tethered than most, but I don't know if I could give up what I have. My cell phone gets used maybe twice a month. I don't even turn it on anymore. I think it would be really hard for me to give up my computer, mostly because I wouldn't be able to "talk" to you guys! I also have to use it for research at grad school, since everything is available electronically. I have to say, it is a little uncomfortable to me when I have to register for classes on line, have electronic conversations on Blackboard (thankfully, none have been required in the classes I've taken so far), because I can never remember what steps I have to take to do each thing. I do like email, generally, because I don't like talking on the phone. I will call friends to make plans or if we haven't communicated for a week or so, but generally, I don't talk on the phone to just "gab." So email allows me to take care of a lot of business type transactions without having to use the phone. When I see all of these people texting, I really wonder, why do you have to talk so much? Like, how many friends do you have? I have a pretty active social life, but I just don't feel the need to be connected so much. I will never get a Blackberry or I Phone, especially since I don't even know how most of the functions on my regular cell phone work. I use a $3.00 day planner to write stuff down, but mostly I remember it all in my head.
I rarely listen to music and when I do, it's on the radio in the car or a CD. My IPod is programmed by my DH, since although I have been shown at least 3 times, I can't figure out how to download songs.
As far as cycling/running gizmos, I ditched the HR monitor about 4 years ago. As others have stated, I was focusing on it too much. I know when I am working hard or not! I do have a computer, with cadence on my road bike, but I mostly use it for keeping track of miles. My average sucks, so I don't look anymore! I got a Forerunner 101 for running, mostly because I needed to know how far I was running and I wanted to know my pace. Hey, I was pleasantly surprised when I first got it, but it's the cheapest Garmin around and it doesn't work if the g-ds aren't smiling the right way. I barely can use it.
With electronics, as with mechanics, every time is the first time for me.

[redrhodie]

I just went 10 days without TV, stereo, computer or phone. I did use a pay phone a few times to check in with family. It was great, very relaxing.

If I had no obligations, job, or bills to pay, I could easily adapt to this long term.

[lph]

I could, and have gone for weeks without "devices". But that was typically either as a hut warden in the mountains, where I'd meet new people every day, or on long hikes, ditto plus see new landscapes all the time. I'd get bored and lonely after a week or so in one place with just my closest family around. I love them dearly, but I'm accustomed to and prefer daily contact with more people than that. It has little to do with devices really, more to do with where I live and where my friends are.

If all phones and all computers disappeared off the face of the earth in one fell swoop I'd adapt quite happily. But if I lose my cellphone I panic a little, because I know lots of people rely on getting hold of me that way.

[tulip]

Technology is how I am able to work from home. Without my computer and smartphone, I'd have to be in a cubicle all day. No way!

Since TV went digital, I no longer have a functioning TV. So far I have not missed it. I like listening to the radio.

[OakLeaf]

I'd get bored and lonely after a week or so in one place with just my closest family around. I love them dearly, but I'm accustomed to and prefer daily contact with more people than that. It has little to do with devices really, more to do with where I live and where my friends are.

If all phones and all computers disappeared off the face of the earth in one fell swoop I'd adapt quite happily. But if I lose my cellphone I panic a little, because I know lots of people rely on getting hold of me that way.

+1 to all of that.

The phone in particular, since both my parents and DH's are getting elderly and infirm.

And, I don't think I'd adapt quite as quickly as you, because apart from gardening, I don't have a lot of practical knowledge or printed reference manuals at my fingertips. I rely on the internet to learn precisely the things I would need to do (or find the people I'd need to hire to do them, if those systems were still intact) if the internet suddenly disappeared.

Also the weather. That's mostly a function of never watching TV I suppose, but it seems that whenever I do put on the weather channel these days, it isn't like it was 15 years ago, and you have to wait for-freakin'-ever for a radar loop. :rolleyes: And they don't give you the hourly weather graph or the option to zoom in or out on the radar loop. Now that I think about it, it seems that what I need the internets most for, is preparing for things that are going to happen outdoors, without it.

[ny biker]

I live alone. My nearest family is 300 miles away. Without electronics I would not have sufficient contact with my family.

I would also not have a job, since I'm a software developer who works on internet applications.

[OakLeaf]

Another thought:

without the internet (you wonderful wise women in particular) I'd still be riding an ill-fitting saddle and using a less than ideal chamois lube.

It hasn't been so long ago that I don't remember it. OUCH.

[indysteel]

Like Crankin', I hate talking on the phone as a general rule. I used to like it, but the only person I talk to these days is my BF and, then, only because he lives an hour away and we don't see one another most weekdays. So, for that reason, I'm "addicted" to email and my Blackberry. I rarely talk on my Blackberry; most people know better than to call me on it.

I don't have a home computer and lived without an Internet connection at home for many years, but again, the Blackberry is helpful in that regard. I like the fact that I don't sit at home in front of the computer, as I do that most days at work. I love the Internet though; I would have a hard time living without it for any length of time. I love doing research on just about everything, so I get a lot out of it.

I could take or leave television I suppose. I've lived without it and could again if I had to. I certainly don't miss it when I'm on vacation. And I love the radio, mostly because I'm an NPR junkie. If I had to choose between giving up my tv and giving up my radio, it would definitely be the former.

Speaking of NPR, I heard a story the other day about Google's attempt to create a digital library. That's where I'd probably draw the line. Reading is as much about curling up in my bed or in a cozy chair, preferably with my cats or my BF by my side, as it is the book itself. I don't think I'd enjoy reading a book online.

[GLC1968]

I live alone. My nearest family is 300 miles away. Without electronics I would not have sufficient contact with my family.

I would also not have a job, since I'm a software developer who works on internet applications.


Ditto this except that my family is 3000 miles away. Plus, if it hadn't been for the internet, my goat would have died during child birth, I never would have met my husband, I'd have no job (I'm an EE), my husband would have no job (computer security), we wouldn't have found the last three houses we owned and all of my real life local friends and I would not have met.

That said, if it all went away, I'd be totally fine with it. I don't need TV, I only listen to the radio or music when I drive, I am never on the phone unless it's for work or with family, I don't play video games, I don't have a 'smart phone' (but everyone should keep buying them, please!) and we are carefully building up our real life home library with the information we need so that we can be less reliant on the internet in the future.

[ny biker]

Another thought:

without the internet (you wonderful wise women in particular) I'd still be riding an ill-fitting saddle and using a less than ideal chamois lube.

It hasn't been so long ago that I don't remember it. OUCH.

Word.

BTW, I admit it, I like watching TV. Lots of what's on is dumb or uninteresting, but I still manage to find things I like. And sometimes you can actually learn from it.

[shootingstar]

I don't even like wearing audio headsets or ear buds for a long time. So I have sat on plane flights for several hrs., without a headset and simply watching the movie images..or my mind thinking of other things if there isn't anything interesting to read.

I don't mind doing it for an hr. long skype session but anything else, I just don't. I seem to get headache and don't like sound coming directly into my ears even if turning down volume.

Other than family members and some very close friends who are 4,400+ kms. away, I rarely spend a long time blabbing on the phone with acquaintances locally. Things have just worked out that it's more enjoyable to see each other face to face to chat up at length.

But even with close friends living in same city, the friendships are deep but not the sort of style where there's alot of weekly chatter by phone.

To me, the deepest friendships (for myself) are experienced in person, not just frequently phoning up someone on small matters. Even if the friend walks with me and we don't say alot..there's still alot of valued time shared together.

Good points made, that we still need tools to reach out beyond our families.
I only asked the question 'cause I see people so engrossed in their cell phone or texting on their PDA as they cross the traffic intersection on foot. 1 woman in Toronto was recently killed by a car because she was so engrossed in her cell phone conversation as she walked across a road. Or going to a restaurant and seeing a bunch of people with children, where over 1/2 of the people are on their PDAs or cell phone.

[Crankin]

Geez, Shootingstar, I thought I was the only one who refuses to "listen" to a movie on a plane. I would rather sit and stare into space, if I have nothing to read. But, I usually bring a big thick book, or last time, I brought my lap top and wrote a 12 page paper.
And I was just thinking the same thing as I was out doing errands today. Almost everyone in the grocery store had a phone glued to their ear. I splurged and went and got a manicure; two women were in there, who seemed to know each other slightly. They were blabbing very loudly across the nail salon about their kids... in a very vapid way that annoyed the heck out of me. If I go do something like that (get a manicure), I want to relax and have peace and quiet. Yes, ladies, you are not the only ones whose children have gone off to kindergarten...
I know. I am getting old and crotchety.

[Owlie]

My cell phone is my only phone, so I need that to talk to family and order pizza when I get lazy.

TV...I could live without it. I enjoy watching it, but I don't need it. This past school year, it wasn't hooked up to cable, but we had 4 video game systems hooked up to it, not that I played much. I need the internet--my university is trying to become a paperless campus, so everything is done online. It's also how I keep in touch with my friends from high school and how my research papers get done.

[surgtech1956]

Hello, my name is Nancy, and I'm addicted to electronics. I love anything electronic, the newest gizmo that comes on the market. I don't buy everything, but I do read up on it.

[tulip]

Still no TV since it went digital and I did not. I did discover hulu.com and can watch useless shows like Kitchen Nightmares and House while I iron once a week. That seems to be enough for me.

[Reesha]

In 2005 I live without electronics for about a year in Becket, MA while working for a program called Nature's Classroom. It was bliss! Perhaps one of the happiest years in my life.

One of the things that made it possible was living in a staff house with other young and usually interesting people. I learned to play guitar, took up painting again, swam under the stars, snowshoed, mountain biked, hiked hiked hiked. We had a conventional phone in the house to communicate with our family and friends because there was no cell service. We would sit around campfires and drink beer, played random yard games like Stump (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stump_(game)) (sometimes as a drinking game but usually not) and Kubb (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kubb). We ran around the woods with children all day teaching the things we were most passionate about. We played games, sang songs to fifth and sixth graders every night. Sometimes I really miss the simplicity of it all!

I especially enjoyed being without the internet-- actually a shocking amount! At least I know I can go without when need be!

[Zen]

"The seasoned veteran may choose to light the stump on fire before play. A crowd favorite."
Stump sounds like what you end up with at the end of your arm with this game :eek:

[Reesha]

Yeah, fortunately I've never seen any accidents. Those who play are usually pretty cautious. The flip of the hammer is more controlled than it sounds and those not presently "hitting" usually stand back.

I can picture a bunch of inebriated college boys lighting the log on fire though!

[bmccasland]

Seems the opposite thing to do. Because of being a club president, and the certain actions of one of the well meaning members, done in the name of the club, I had to very quickly come up to speed (or at least get introduced to) the social networking forums. This took a long distance phone call to my 16 yr old nephew to talk me through it! The lad did very well, telling me what to skip over to get registered, and once I had a home page, what would be on it.

I still have the club issues to deal with at our meeting tuesday, and I don't know how much time I'll spend on FB but I'm there.
I want to
turn
the
computer
OFF.

(except for time on TE of course!)

[OakLeaf]

Hee, hee, I survived three and a half hours this morning, and here someone's revived this thread when I log back in.

I woke up to find that a raccoon had gotten into my electric transformer overnight. Luckily there was enough water in the thermos from yesterday that I could fix myself a cup of tea - once I found a match to light the stove.

I did have to boot up my computer to find the details for the appointment I have this morning. I hadn't transferred the exact directions onto my iPod.

Other than that, I amused myself by reading until the electric company guy came. I'm lucky to be on a co-op so their repair crews are super responsive. I feel ever so much better now that I've had a shower. Flushing the toilets is nice, too. :p

[Zen]

I recently received an offer ot be part of an electric co-op but they could only guarantee rates for 2 years. I don't know how much of a difference there was in KW hours but there were four of us discussing it and I left it to the others (all pretty well versed in these things) and ended up dismissing the offer.

[Crankin]

Reesha, you worked at Nature's classroom? I have been 4 times: once in Groton, once in Charlton, and twice in Connecticut (it was very near the MA border). It was fun, but probably more fun for the counselors than the teachers, who had to sleep in the same dorms as the kids...

[Reesha]

Haha, yeah it was always a blast. We'd get paid a loooot :eek: of money to sleep in with the kids though, so it was always attractive if the need arose.

Was the site in CT Colebrook? That's a massive site! I worked at Charlton for a month in January. My favorite site was always Silver Lake on Lake George in NY. It was paradise-- and they have the coolest haunted buildings. :D

[deeaimond]

shootingstar,

i think i will die without being connected somehow. I don't need to be actually talking or communicating to anyone, but I have to be connected. I often brush off offers to go out so that i can stay home with a book but without the internet and a working cellphone connection I can't sleep at night. I'm a product of my times definitely... (with no internet i'll probably sleep more)

going to shut off this computer and go to sleep so that i can start my 'wake-up at-5-am-and-ride-fo-an-hour-to-start-my-day' tmw! (wish me determination)
DEe

[Crankin]

Yes, it was Colebrook. In December. Brrrr

[MartianDestiny]

I can go backpacking and not miss technology in the least (for at least a week, could probably go longer).

If I'm in civilization though I want my Mac and my internet at the least and see no reason to go without them.

[shootingstar]

My partner and I make jokes we should get cellphones...maybe every 2 months or so, when a situation comes up that having it would be nice.

But none, so far have precipitated into an emergency at all. And emergency to us is life/health situation, not where we are going to meet after he or I finish an appointment/meeting. I guess we just operate at a slower pace and hope the other person made the right purchasing choice in the shopping aisle. :o And usually the person does.

[grey]

I wish I could lose my cell phone. I have no interest in TV, I catch what i want on hulu.com or rent it. However... I need my computers for work.

If I didn't... I'd like to think I would not miss my glowing monitors... but the reality is, I love looking up stuff online instead of in a book when I'm in a hurry.

[OakLeaf]

I recently received an offer ot be part of an electric co-op but they could only guarantee rates for 2 years. I don't know how much of a difference there was in KW hours but there were four of us discussing it and I left it to the others (all pretty well versed in these things) and ended up dismissing the offer.

I don't think our rates are much different from the IOU's. Where the co-op really shines is in the service.

We've been in this house almost 12 years and the longest we've been without power was a little over two days after the hurricane last year. A tree came down across our lane and took the power lines with it. Lots of people with the IOUs had no power for a week or longer. With the ice storms about every other year, we might lose power for a few hours, people on the IOUs are out for days. Before the hurricane last fall, the longest we'd ever been without power was 18 hours, once.

It took about two hours after I called yesterday morning, for the guy to get out here, throw the dead raccoon into the woods :p, and install a new fuse. It was cool, he didn't even have to climb up to the transformer, did it all with a telescoping fiberglass pole with a hook on the end.

It seems weird to me that co-ops are competing with IOUs in your area post-deregulation. I think of utility co-ops as a holdover from their origins (the REAs, when it wasn't profitable for IOUs to run electricity to less densely populated areas).

[wannaduacentury]

Could you really cut yourself off from outside contact via any computer, tv, cell phone, ipod, radio and simply live with sounds of the environment around you (man-made or natural sounds) and be by yourself or with just your family/housemate(s)? Cut yourself off from all these devices..

And how long?

If you give me a pile of books and a bike that fits me, I would be happy for a few weeks. But then someone might phone us...on the land line.

I have a collection of CDs which I haven't listened to anything since Christmas (I forget), don't have ipod nor do we turn on radio. So the audio thing is not big for me. Don't have a cell phone, Blackberry, not yet on facebook nor twitter. We have tv but then I've lived without tv prior for many years.

It's the computer and no access to the Internet that might bug me after a few wks.

I could probably do it. When we go on our road trip every december I only have my cell phone w/ me but that is a safety phone anyhow. I really don't use it much. I can forego emails and facebook too. It will all be there when I return. I think we allow ourselves to get hooked to these devices, in that meaning if we use them for work, we can train ourselves to use it within reason. The one's that stay hooked/addicted will have a hard time at first, but they'll adjust. I don't think job performance should be justified or measured on how available we are. You can be 100% dedicated to your career and set boundaries for your family time and hobbies. Just my opinion. Jenn

[OakLeaf]

Two of my club members, men in their 70s (or perhaps one of them is in his late 60s, no one seems to know except that he's been retired for over 20 years), are in their second week of the Great Divide ride.

They took cell phones - which will work for an estimated 15% of the route - and no satellite communications. No SPOT (very inexpensive) and no satphone (which can be rented for a small % of the total cost of their trip).

Honestly, I consider that extremely irresponsible. If I were one of their wives or children, I wouldn't have stood for it.

Why would someone intentionally refuse safety equipment? It's like saying, "up until the 1970s, people rode in leather helmets or no helmet at all, so there's no reason for me to wear a helmet now."

[shootingstar]

Two of my club members, men in their 70s (or perhaps one of them is in his late 60s, no one seems to know except that he's been retired for over 20 years), are in their second week of the Great Divide ride.

They took cell phones - which will work for an estimated 15% of the route - and no satellite communications. No SPOT (very inexpensive) and no satphone (which can be rented for a small % of the total cost of their trip).

Honestly, I consider that extremely irresponsible.

Maybe they didn't know about problems of working cell phones and better technological solutions. Sounds like a useful short newletter article for any bike club to inform the membership.

[OakLeaf]

No, they knew. I asked them about it myself. These guys did the Lewis & Clark trail three or four years ago. They got their maps for both trips from Adventure Cycling, who I know provides lots of great planning information. This is a more challenging trip than they've done before (and the latest report is that they're doing fine but behind schedule, and already shipped a bunch of stuff back that suddenly seemed unnecessary when they had to pull it on rough trails :p) - but they're not in the least inexperienced.

They just wanted to "cut off electronic tethers." :( Or save a little money, honestly I don't know what their motivation was for foregoing satellite communications, but I just think it's very irresponsible.

[HappyTexasMom]

I rely on my computer and internet for a job (I'm a software developer who works from home). I also have plenty of electronic vices: I play world of warcraft, play on here and facebook a lot, and I do watch TV probably a couple of nights a week (some weeks more, some less). I hate the phone so would be glad never to have to talk on it again, but I wouldn't really want to lose complete contact with my family (who live in another state). I have a dear friend in Canada who I text or IM regularly (our phone plans don't allow us to talk without charges). The one really useful thing I use the internet for is to learn things I need to look up (cooking mostly; lately a lot of stuff about riding and my bike).

My dream is to live in a remote forest location. I would gladly give up most of this if it meant I could give up the negative parts (basically the grind of working and living in a place that I hate) as well. I could live without the internet for research purposes (I've used libraries before, I could do it again). I guess the thing that would really be tough is contact with my family and my Canadian friend. I suppose we could go back to old fashioned letter writing.