#64 Disengagement
When I was young, if you had told me how much time I would eventually spend attached to computers I would have thought you were nuts.
Computers were so completely outside the realm of day to day activities for everyone except scientists and NASA engineers. And maybe scriptwriters for movies about dystopian futures.
But here we are.
I don’t know the actual numbers but it feels as though eighty five percent of us are glued to a digital display for ninety percent of our waking hours. (The other fifteen percent are Amish.) Phones, tablets, laptops, desktops, automobile navigation screens… Heck, even restaurant menus have been taken over by computers.
Note to the hospitality industry – if I enter your establishment and have to tap my meal preferences into a kiosk with a touch screen, or use some stupid gadget at my table, instead of placing my order with a live person, I will turn right back around and eat elsewhere. It’s not just the impersonal nature of the technology – it’s also about swapping germs with god knows how many people. It’s just gross.
Except for that food ordering thing, I’m as tied to my devices as everyone else and I admit that I struggle to unplug.
I can’t really do much about all the hours I spend engaging with technology for my job. But I find myself drawn back to my gadgets in an almost continuous loop for no better reasons than to grab a quick game of solitaire or scroll through my social media and news apps to find out “what’s going on.”
I didn’t used to spend so much time obsessed with knowing what other people were up to.
I miss that.
I miss living in my own little analog world.
I admit that this is largely a problem of my own making.
I’m an adult.
I should be able to just walk away or turn things off. Regardless of all the ploys used by the makers of smart phones and apps and social platforms to keep my eyeballs glued to a screen.
But, as of now, the only way I seem to be able to truly unplug is to bury myself in some good old fashioned chores.
The dogs are very helpful in this regard. They guarantee that, at any given moment, something needs to be swept or vacuumed or mopped.
In fact, a collie fur tumbleweed just rolled by with my name on it.
I think that’s my cue.
Copyright© 2024 Anne Morse Hambrock All rights reserved.
The Crop That Wasn’t
Generally at this time of year I am looking at this:
And getting ready to settle in with a cherry pitter and turn them into this:
Instead, I have this:
Or as my husband said, “You could make a pie for a mouse.”
I think not.
I have no idea what happened this year - the cherry tree was full of blossoms. Perhaps, as with the devastation happening to the olive groves in Europe, it was a combination of “too hot” and “too cold” temperatures at exactly the wrong time.
Whatever the reason, no pie for us this year…
Books Are Here!
I am thrilled with how the new book turned out and think you will be too! Kudos to my husband for his awesome design skills and to Pat at ProForm who makes sure these books live up to my high printing standards. I am proud to say both of my books are printed here in America. I think that’s an important thing and I’m willing to sacrifice some profit on each copy to support a local printer.
The new books are listed in my online store where they await your purchasing pleasure :-)
If you are on my pre-order list, I will be contacting you via email so we can work out payment and shipping - especially those of you who have ordered several copies.
Kenosha Book Festival
Thanks to everyone who braved the rainy weather and bought my books at Sunday’s Kenosha Book Festival! As you can see from the flyer I will be selling again on the last Sunday of July. Let’s hope for better weather!!
Porch Progress
Back in issue #59 I whined about our leaky porch. It’s getting a makeover.
On Friday I walked out to see absolutely no sign of a roof - something that has not happened since we bought the house years ago.
On Saturday the kids came up and pitched in with our own version of a barn raising. We now have this:
There are some more cross pieces to add before the panels go on but things are definitely moving along
Blooming
Some morning glories have self seeded and sprung up in a new part of my garden. I’m happy to have the “volunteers”.
Keep The Messages Coming!
A big “thank you” to all of you who have messaged me commented or hit “like” after reading my poems and commentary!
I appreciate the feedback and knowing how often I have struck a chord with your lives.
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