We all know the digital world can cause a bit of brain drain, or at least electro-fatigue. I've never been comfortable sitting in front of a computer for hours, but this year I've had to do it more than ever before. Like many Americans, I realize that I spend far too much time watching television, staring at my phone, or watching Lil B videos on youtube. Even so, I realize how important it is to "unplug" sometimes and do something in the real world.
Today's Think Kit challenge was to unplug for a while and write about the experience. I took a few hours to turn off the computer, my phone, even my record player (and that's a big deal folks), and enjoy some good old-fashioned analog fun.
I know this isn't too exciting, but I spent a couple hours reading. Normally, I'd try to get outside since it's a weekend, but today was a little gray and gloomy - perfect for curling up with a book. I'm in the middle of Cloud Atlas, which is pretty good, but definitely not my favorite novel in the world at this point. I'm just past the central portion of the story, and I'm looking forward to being finished soon. I'm not sure if I want to see the movie, but I know I'll probably watch it someday.
On the subject of books, I like real ones, not electronic. Which means staring at paper with ink on it is one of my favorite ways to take a break from staring at an electronic screen with words and images on it. Hmmmm...
After reading, I made some coffee and went out to my garage to write some songs (didn't even take my phone!). This was a really big deal because it has become very difficult for me in the last few years to find time to write and record music. And I hate trying to "force it," so I rarely schedule time to write songs. They used to come very regularly, and I just made time whenever I needed to. But that's been happening less. So this turned out to be a great way to ensure that I would have the time and isolation necessary to create something new.
Sticking with my promise to stay "unplugged," I didn't record demos on my laptop or even a digital 8-track machine. I wrote the chords and lyrics out with pen and paper, and I ended up with two new songs after only an hour. They'll definitely need some development before I know if they're keepers, but I'm definitely surprised at how easily I could create them when I just set aside the time and made myself do it!
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This post is part of Think Kit by SmallBox
Today’s prompt: Unplug for an hour, a half day, or a whole day. Choose a time that feels a little uncomfortable. How did you feel? What did you do? Reflect on your experience. How much did you unplug this year? How does this experience make you feel about unplugging in the coming year?
Today’s prompt: Unplug for an hour, a half day, or a whole day. Choose a time that feels a little uncomfortable. How did you feel? What did you do? Reflect on your experience. How much did you unplug this year? How does this experience make you feel about unplugging in the coming year?
I really enjoyed Cloud Atlas. I think it's a challenging read, but I admire the unique style of storytelling. The movie was better than I expected. It's an ambitious undertaking, with some pretty fine performances and a way more accessible pacing than the book. The movie comes off a little more heavy handed preaching the good v. evil message, however, all things considered I think it's one of the better movie interpretations of a book I've read/seen. Usually the movies just ruin the books they're based on completely.
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