Digital Detox

Not the most original of titles, I know. Much web space and many high-word-count articles (not to mention books, magazines, TV shows, and podcasts) has been devoted to the idea of eliminating, or at least decreasing, the influence that technology has over our daily lives. This post is just a short little self-note about my situation.

I already consider myself to be fairly "technology-light," aside from having to be on the computer most of the day for my job. My smartphone use is limited to about 2 hours a day, mostly concentrated between 7:30pm and 9:30pm, as Mrs. and I relax on the couch once the kids are asleep. Other than that, use is limited to any texting/calling that I need to attend to during the day, checking weather. In other words, sporadic, necessary use. TV is limited to a couple hours at night as well. 

Still, I feel like I can do better. So lately, instead of scrolling through Instagram, Facebook, and Reddit each night, I've pulled out my watercolors and paper. I've always loved painting, and last year I had started to make a concerted effort to improve my skills, making decent progress until the pandemic upended everything and snapped me out of new habits just as they were being formed. So now I paint in front of the TV for a hour or so, then go on my phone for 30-45 mins. My next step is to swap out that final bit of phone time and pull out my Kindle to read one of the many books on my to-read list (yes I know, Kindle, technology, but it's still reading). 

I'll see how it works out. I'll still need to go on my phone for at least some amount of time each day, if only to catch up on the latest local and national news. I don't watch TV news or read many news websites, so it's really the only way I stay up on current events (I'm still searching for the best way to consume news that doesn't involve sensationalism, bias, selective reporting, etc, but that's a story for another post.

That's all for now. Remember to stay mindful!

Appreciating Spring (and Nature in General)

In the past, I never truly appreciated the spring season. As everyone does, I have an internal ranking of favorite seasons: summer for its long days, warmth and profusion of green; autumn for its mercurial transitional nature; winter for its cold bleak desolation. Spring was always last on that list. It's warmer than winter but not quite warm enough. Other than Easter, there are no major holidays to look forward to. Spring was always that period you just have to get through in order to move into summer.

But all that changed this year. In a previous post I chronicled the transformation of our yard. This spring, the stress and frustration of wondering "how can we fix this yard," and transformed into appreciating it and planning for the future. I've also taken interest in the living things that call our patch of land home, all the birds, bugs, beasts, grass, flowers, and trees that make up our little biome.

So here are some of the things I've done, am doing, or plan to do to get more in tune with the local nature:

One Yard's Journey

Our backyard transformation started last spring, when the pandemic first began gripping the country and we were all forced into our homes. When confined to a bounded space, one tends to embark on a closer examination of one's surroundings. With the weather improving, in a warm, sunny rebuke of tragedy beginning to unfold, naturally my attention was focused outside. Our backyard had been a source of frustration nearly every season since we moved in, and with most activities cancelled and visits with family and friends out of the picture, it seemed like a good time to tackle it.

Haiku

Some Haiku, Written 

in the Early Light of Day, 

Sitting and Thinking

1. Sitting in my chair
   wind making leaves dance outside
   tea and a good book


2. Patter of raindrops
   outside.  The smell of coffee
   brewing.  Peaceful dawn.


3. The first breath of Fall
   stirs the leaves in the morning
   light.  Late August dawn.


4. I get up early
   in the morning, drink two cups
   of coffee, and read.


5. Little rituals:
   a sniff of air, glimpse the stars,
   going up to bed.