The Ordinary Times

A Scientific Study.

I have a plan and a hypothesis.

For the entire month of September I will leave my cell phone in my bedroom, tethered to the wall.

I’ve become convinced that life before technology was somehow better, and that our brains can’t deal with – or haven’t had time to adapt to – so much stimulation. I thought a lot about this on Saturday when I was working in the garden at my house. My housemates and I installed another raised garden bed and I must have thought about checking my phone for calls or text messages three or four times during the time we were out there, pushing our hands into the soil.

I’m not certain that my theory is true, that life was better before technology, but I’m going to give it a shot. I want to slow my life down and enjoy my time, rather than speed through my days, wondering where else I could be, or what I’m missing out on. I’m going to have to make plans with people and stick to them. Brrrr!

It’s not going to be easy. Already the lack of the convenience is showing. I can’t call long-distance from many phones because people don’t bother localizing their numbers when they move. I don’t have a timepiece anymore. I wrote down a few, but I just don’t know people’s phone numbers.

I’ll let you know how it goes. If I don’t call you back right away, you might have to just drop by the house to say hi.