Greetings and Salutations,
Hello and how are you? I have been busy trying to keep my head out of my ass and for the past two weeks and finally it was delivered this week. The storm (of grief) has passed and I am feeling much better. After a week of being physical every morning I am feeling oh so much better.
So this past weekend I went to the State Fair. It was a fun and low key visit. The thing that struck me was watching the police officer, who had stopped traffic to let us cross the busy road, screw with his smart phone. He never looked up as we were crossing the street. Now I fully realize that there was another officer helping with traffic as well, but it struck me as of all people that should be fully engaged in what they are doing, this dude clearly wasn't. I was struck by how unprofessional it looked.
We are a society that is hard pressed to be in one moment at a time. How many of you either observe someone texting while they are talking to you or you are doing that to someone else? That drives me crazy. Alittle of it I understand. Sometimes you need to touch base with someone you had texted earlier and they are getting back to you. Or you received a text. Excuse yourself and make it brief.
I'm talking more about when people text the entire time you are talking to them, or trying to anyway. Most of the time (certainly not 100%) I turn my ringer OFF when I am spending time with someone. I try hard to be aware of how much of my undivided attention I give to the person I am with.
We live in a world that is always on the grid. Its nice to get off of it with regularity and realize that you won't die if you don't answer the phone when it rings. That a message/text can go unanswered for HOURS or even a day if need be. That it is OK to be fully in the moment with the person you are with and not three people at once, two of which aren't even in the room with you.
Seeing that officer reminded me that it is a learned behavior to have cell phones such a part of our lives moment to moment. Ten years ago he wouldn't have had a choice to have a smart phone at work to distract him. Maybe that is one reason I actively chose to have an idiot phone. Less distraction.
I don't know the details of where, when, etc but I caught a story recently about someone on a city train that was shot and no one saw a thing that happened until after the fact because everyone was buried in their phone. How sad.
I am not saying technology is a bad thing. I am just saying it is my belief that use of the very things that make our lives easier will own us if we don't set boundaries. Not only for those around us, but for ourselves as well. How many times have you come off the grid for a few hours at a time? What about an entire 24 hour period? Have you ever left to go do an errand(s) and left your phone at home? (gasp)
I challenge those of you that need to, to do this. For the rest, I challenge you to be acutely aware the next time you are texting when you are spending time with someone else. Be engaged in the moment you are in, not your damn phone.
Tootles :)
Heather
Thursday, October 24, 2013
Monday, October 7, 2013
Alittle Random
Greetings and Salutations,
I'm sad. Again. On the other hand I am trying to fight it hard. I am happy to be blogging. I haven't listened to my music in quite some time. I have a candle lit. I miss my mom. Something terrible. The 14th is her birthday. She would have been 75. I keep hanging on. I keep praying for strength. For time to pass and weaken my sadness. Overall this weekend I'd give myself a D-. Got pissed last night and took a chunk out of my hardwood floor while smashing my alarm clock. Guess my hardwood isn't so hard after all. Oh well. Keep Calm and Polyurethane On :)
I have got to get some sleep tonight so I can get physical in the morning. I want to swim. I want to feel better and I know exercise will do that for me. I need to get back into the acupuncture chair. Can't tell you how much that helps too. Last night my meltdown costed me precious time so when I got up this morning I wasn't in the mood for shit. Just sleep. Hit the snooze a million times. Oh well, as I always say-- tomorrow. Tomorrow is another day. Try and try again I will.
I have been watching some really cool documentaries on Netflix. Do you remember the lady that sued McDonalds for hot coffee in 1994? Did you know that she got 3rd degree burns that required skin grafts? (I didn't at the time) I saw the pictures. Holly crap is about all I can say. Do you know that the family first contacted McDonalds only to ask for payment of medical bills that at the time were about $10,000 and McD's offered $800? That between 1982 and 1994 there were 700 complaints of burns from their coffee? The name of the documentary is Hot Coffee. Its very interesting. Goes into torts and tort reform. Super educational. Reminds me that when we read what ever it is that we do, most likely we don't know the whole story.
I'm amazed I still don't miss cable. Only a few times a month when you want background noise when you are futzing around the house. I try to do that with Netflix, but I keep choosing great flicks and I get distracted anyway LOL. I guess I have to admit I have filled in some of that "empty time" with too much time on the internet but overall I think I do pretty good. I need to shift my night time activity from less internet to learning to sew or painting. An alternative to concentrate on. I am thinking about saving for a sewing machine and painting supplies. Kinda my own party and paint at home.
I think I will get off here and practice painting my face incase I decide to go out for Halloween. I haven't dressed up in forever and I want to do a Sugar Skull face this year. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uxhER5cnwrE I'll take pictures of my own if I do it and see how it turns out. Hope you are all well and hope I have better inspiration next week for something meatier than my belly aching. I'm rolling with it and here is to determination. What is the hip way to post that these days #determination or something like that LOL. If I have nothing else in life I have lots of that.
Tootles :)
Heather
I'm sad. Again. On the other hand I am trying to fight it hard. I am happy to be blogging. I haven't listened to my music in quite some time. I have a candle lit. I miss my mom. Something terrible. The 14th is her birthday. She would have been 75. I keep hanging on. I keep praying for strength. For time to pass and weaken my sadness. Overall this weekend I'd give myself a D-. Got pissed last night and took a chunk out of my hardwood floor while smashing my alarm clock. Guess my hardwood isn't so hard after all. Oh well. Keep Calm and Polyurethane On :)
I have got to get some sleep tonight so I can get physical in the morning. I want to swim. I want to feel better and I know exercise will do that for me. I need to get back into the acupuncture chair. Can't tell you how much that helps too. Last night my meltdown costed me precious time so when I got up this morning I wasn't in the mood for shit. Just sleep. Hit the snooze a million times. Oh well, as I always say-- tomorrow. Tomorrow is another day. Try and try again I will.
I have been watching some really cool documentaries on Netflix. Do you remember the lady that sued McDonalds for hot coffee in 1994? Did you know that she got 3rd degree burns that required skin grafts? (I didn't at the time) I saw the pictures. Holly crap is about all I can say. Do you know that the family first contacted McDonalds only to ask for payment of medical bills that at the time were about $10,000 and McD's offered $800? That between 1982 and 1994 there were 700 complaints of burns from their coffee? The name of the documentary is Hot Coffee. Its very interesting. Goes into torts and tort reform. Super educational. Reminds me that when we read what ever it is that we do, most likely we don't know the whole story.
I'm amazed I still don't miss cable. Only a few times a month when you want background noise when you are futzing around the house. I try to do that with Netflix, but I keep choosing great flicks and I get distracted anyway LOL. I guess I have to admit I have filled in some of that "empty time" with too much time on the internet but overall I think I do pretty good. I need to shift my night time activity from less internet to learning to sew or painting. An alternative to concentrate on. I am thinking about saving for a sewing machine and painting supplies. Kinda my own party and paint at home.
I think I will get off here and practice painting my face incase I decide to go out for Halloween. I haven't dressed up in forever and I want to do a Sugar Skull face this year. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uxhER5cnwrE I'll take pictures of my own if I do it and see how it turns out. Hope you are all well and hope I have better inspiration next week for something meatier than my belly aching. I'm rolling with it and here is to determination. What is the hip way to post that these days #determination or something like that LOL. If I have nothing else in life I have lots of that.
Tootles :)
Heather
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