My Cyber Absence

It has probably been a few years since I have gone this long without using the computer. You should all try it. It sort of felt like 1995 to me. Although I can access the Internet from my phone, respond to e-mails, change my facebook status, etc., I decided at some point before the weekend to forgo the computer and e-mail thing altogether. I was wanting to use it on Friday, but while sharing my computer, and not getting a chance to use it, I decided on Saturday to "become celibate" until Monday morning. So, I hadn't been on since Christmas Eve.

This season kept me busy doing random activities. I saw the Christmas lights at Olin-Turner Park on Christmas Eve, watched "A Christmas Story," for the 100th time, did some outdoor running, of course, and hiked with the dog. I was introduced to this neat shop, down the street from the dog park, Paoli Local Foods: http://www.paolilocalfoods.com/ The owners could not have been friendlier, and everything is organic, the produce grown from down the street. They offered us free, organic coffee and cookies. I had the most delicious spinach I have ever had - no exaggeration. You could eat it right out of the bag.

Christmas morning was celebrated with wine and toast - the most festive breakfast ever. By dinner time, and no Christmas dinner plans, the spinach was put to use, sauteed over some pasta, along with garlic, fresh Parmesan, onions and olive oil. While this meal was construed up and plated in about twenty minutes, I mentioned that everything on top of the pasta was local, fresh, and luscious. Another reason why you should all be supporting local farms, people! The quality of the food makes any meal so much more enjoyable.

May I add that while dining at my sister and brother-in-law's house, a few nights before Christmas, we realized that between what I brought and she made, our entire meal was from the farmer's market.

Besides cooking, running, and hiking, going for winter walks around the capital square, constantly witnessing tourists photograph the beautiful architecture of our capital building, I saw a very interesting documentary called "Surfwise." This is about a family who had nine children, lived in an RV, started a surfing camp, lived a very nontraditional life, always on the road. No schooling. Smart kids. Very interesting. Rent it.

I avoided the computer to plow through a book I wanted to finish for book club this evening. I chose the book this month: "Unaccustomed Earth," Jhumpa Lahiri's latest book of short stories. While avoiding the 'net, I actually read two books. The first one, a trashy novel that was turned into a movie. A real spooky page turner, "Into the Cut." If you want a junky, scary, sexy, fast read, this is for you. If you haven't read Lahiri's other two works, I highly recommend them, as well as her new book.

This topic brings me to the uselessness I have found for the tube. While going several months without television at all, I decided to order cable about six weeks ago. I cannot tell you how little I use it. I canceled it today.

I do think that television watching is a "class thing." I do not know many wealthy intellects who have a tv in their bedroom. I got so much done while playing computer hooky, that I certainly didn't feel the need for any garbage on television.

I am just out there. Living life. Enjoying the outdoors. Doing a little reading. Spending time with family. Yet, feeling like I need to contribute to society a little more. I am looking into a volunteering job, like I had in Cleveland....