People talk about being "unplugged" from all of their electronic devices, tv and newspapers for a day, a weekend or even longer. Heck, there have even been times when I would take a break from the laptop, cell phone and maybe even the TV for an afternoon or an evening, but it was always of my own choosing. Well this past weekend it was THRUST upon me and I didn't like it one bit.
I had been doing some heavy cleaning on Saturday, curtains blinds, cleaning under furniture and shampooing carpets. I was exhausted so by that evening I was looking forward to sitting back, relaxing and playing some games on the laptop and watching TV. The Big Bang Theory was on from 8pm to 11pm and I was looking forward to watching
Then it happened, some strong storms moved through the area and a tree branch came off my tree and pulled my cable wire out of the house. Now I had no cable TV or any TV of any kind, no internet and no phone (landline). Saturday night on a holiday weekend, which means the earliest I could be back online would be Tuesday.
Thank goodness I still had electricity and my cell phone and a radio. My cell phone is not a fancy one so I could text, make calls and get on facebook. I enjoy listening to talk radio during the week at work, but on the weekend there is not much to listen to and I don't want to listen to music all day. As much as I missed my laptop, I could handle not being able to use it for a few days. BUT it was the loss of the TV that drove me up the wall. I like my TV.
First of all, the first big college football game of the season was on TV Saturday afternoon and it killed me not to be able to watch it. I did listen to it on the radio, but it just wasn't the same. I missed watching the news, local and national, I missed seeing the weather. Sure I could get some of that information on the radio, but it wasn't the same.
When I am home I always turn the TV on, kind of like background noise. When I'm cleaning or cooking I like to watch movies or the History Channel or the Discovery Channel. I very seldom sit and just watch TV during the day, I'm always doing something while casually watching or listening. In the evening, when I'm done for the day, I like to relax on the couch and watch the shows that I like to watch. Now I don't pass up going out to do fun things to stay home and watch TV (that's what DVR's are for) but if I'm home I want my TV. I was home cleaning all weekend and I thought I would lose my mind.
How many crimes had been committed, what major accidents on the highway, what is going on in the local politics, what's the weather forecast for the week, what are the sport's scores???? I was in the dark, no outside information, there could have been a zombie apocalypse and I would never know it was coming....oh what is happening out there in civilization?
I know in the scheme of things, being without some of the conveniences of everyday life is a small thing. There is a lot more things in this world to worry about. But for me, on this weekend, I felt all alone (she say's with just a hint of melodrama). But is was fixed on Tuesday and all is right with the world again.
Next time I'm unplugged I hope it's of my own choosing.
Kathy
No comments:
Post a Comment