I have a splinter stuck in the palm of my left hand, and I don’t mind.
The splinter came from my (eventually successful) efforts to light the fireplace in my new apartment this past Saturday evening. I spent the rest of the night sitting on a cushion in front of the fire reading The Morning News Annual and sipping tea.
I had almost forgotten the joy of sitting and reading by a fire. While I often consciously make time to disconnect, relax, and engage in personal reflection, living in a continuously-connected world makes it difficult to step back and slow down.
My issues with Comcast over the past week have meant that I have spent the past ten days (and counting!) without any access to the internet outside of work. My iPhone is with AT&T for repair, and I don’t have a television to fall back upon when I’m looking for quick entertainment.
Instead, I’m spending my time reading magazines, building fires, and chatting with strangers in cafes. I’ve been living in a lo-fi world, and I’ve been so happy that even a splinter in my palm can’t bring me down.
Eventually, I’ll get back to my always-connected world, and when I do, I want to be reminded of the wonderful things I’ve done in the past few weeks — things that are decidedly unconnected and lo-fi, but have been full of small joys and an appreciation of the people and things around me.
Activities like:
- Skipping rocks on the Potomac River at 9am on a Sunday morning.
- Climbing trees on large hills to get a better view of the city.
- Helping a local fruit farmer sell pears at the farmer’s market.
- Writing heartbreak poetry collaboratively with strangers at a cafe.
- Playing dodgeball with kids at the local after-school program.
- Singing with the busker playing the guitar at the metro station.
- Discussing a recent Economist article with a stranger over lunch.
- Sitting on the roof of my building and watching the sun rise.
- Sipping oolong tea outside on the curb while I watch shivering strangers bump into each other as they hurriedly rush to get out of the cold.
What do you do when you’re disconnected? What are the little, lo-fi joys in life that keep you smiling? How do you remember to savor those joys and that beauty even when the world is moving so quickly around you?
(The gorgeous photo of the fire in this post was taken by Jim Frazier.)
What a great post Sameer! I’m glad you are adapting to your new be it disconnect surrondings.
I think everyone needs to try and unplug for a day or two. That was my Saturday. It was wonderful yet a little surreal since Rylie was visiting my mom for the weekend so it was just me and my knitting.
If you have no TV, then how did you watch the superbowl???
Sameer you’ve inspired me (as usual), I’m going to clean out my fireplace tonight and bring it to working order!
Ah, I’m very much looking forward to a nice night, sitting in front of the fire, with my laptop open, reading the interwebs. =D
thanks!
d_c
How lovely those things are!
I have one weekend a month where i have instituted the no email/facebook/phone rule…suffice it to say it’s nice not to be inundated.
I love going for walks, and hanging about bookstores and coffee shops when I can’t rely on the telly…it’s great fun.
Hope DC is treating you well :)
cheers!
Iris, I watched the Super Bowl at a sports bar. Not quite as good as a big game party, but was lots of fun. And OH WOW what a game!
Darren, glad I’ve inspired you again. There’s a certain beauty in fire that escapes me, and it’s a beauty I plan on exploring more often.
Mehnaz, that one weekend a month rule sounds like a fantastic idea! Though I have to admit, two weeks unconnected is getting to be a bit tedious…
i meant to comment days ago, but things are super busy.
i love sitting by a fire. we have a wood fireplace and am automatically drawn to sit in front of it. (maybe because it’s been awfully cold)
normally i go to camp/cottage to get away from technology. when i was growing up all we had was a 8” tv, with rabbit ears. 4 channels, CBC, TVO, TFO and CTV.
now things have changed. the cell tower on our lake is now digital, we have a phone line, satellite tv, hyrdo, and i hear that wireless internet is coming in the near future off the cell tower.
i can’t imagine bringing my laptop fishing up the Dog River and reading facebook. I don’t think i’ll ever do that either.
I like the time without being connected and in the future i will have to actively choose not to be ‘available’. I will need to protect the time i spend connecting with myself and nature.
hope all is well. talk soon.
How’s the traveling going Kate? Have you left yet on your trip across the pond?
You’re absolutely right about making time to be disconnected. Sometimes we feel like we have to be connected and forget that it’s good to get away.