So, just in case you are reading this and you don't know me very well, I am a chronic procrastinator. Please do not confuse this condition with conditions such as being chronically late, or chronically missing deadlines. I am most often early wherever I go, and I meet most of my deadlines... task to be completed at the deadline may have begun 20 minutes earlier, but that's not the point. The point is that I have been procrastinating on this post long enough, and it's time I get to it.
Anyway, it has been almost 2 whole weeks that I have been living without a cell phone (and what a wonderful two weeks it has been). I haven't gotten any 3 am phone calls, or forwarded messages that threatened my well being if I failed to pass them on, or awkward messages from "that guy" that every girl tries to avoid.
It's been lovely.
Granted, I have missed out on a few things. During week one, my boss was constantly forgetting that I had no phone, and sending me text messages about everything from updates about work to invites to movies. I'd always see her the next day and she'd say, "Did you get my message?"
I'd just give her that look (you know the one). The Girl, You Know I Don't Do Those Things Anymore look. It would take maybe half a second for the glance to register, and then she would be super apologetic about it. She always feels bad because she totally supports this whole endeavor, and she doesn't want me to feel out of the loop just because she forgets my changed methods of communication.
But really... who are we kidding? We all knew there would be an adjustment period, and I don't hold it against her at all (in fact, I am more appreciative of the fact that she supports the experiment. I feel like most bosses would just consider me to be a huge pain in the "you know what").
After being on "the grid" for over 5 years, people expect to be able to contact you. Anywhere. At anytime. Which is part of the reason that I decided to cut the power... to curb the power.
Your attention, and where you decided to focus it, should be under your control. If other people have the power to draw your attention with a buzz or a beep, when you should be paying attention to something (or more importantly someone) else, it's time to take back control.
These past couple of weeks have been liberating. I feel less worried, for some reason, when I go to the lab to work and I don't have to worry about rushing back to someone who "needs" to talk to me. I also feel lighter. This is literal folks. I'm not turning to a fruit loop flighty, trying to explain some light, out of body, metaphysical experience. I actually enjoy being 3.9 oz lighter (that's the weight of my cell phone for those of you who didn't make the connection). It's 3.9 oz that I normally carry in the pocket of my jeans, and I can feel the absence.
C'mon ladies... I've watched y'all tryin to lose some weight below the waist for years. This is the perfect solution.
I've also been getting notes under my door, instead of text messages, from residents. I like notes. I can learn something different about you from every note that you slip under my door, and I just don't feel that way about texts. Mind you, I don't want notes all the time. Anything all the time is just a bad idea, very overwhelming.
So, in short... I've been in The Honeymoon Phase. Normally this phrase would refer to new couples, just fallen in love and thoroughly twitterpated with each other (how sweet *gag*). However, I've decided to adapt the phrase to fit my situation. I am in The Honeymoon Phase... of my divorce... with my cell phone.
As everyone knows, the honeymoon can't last forever. Slowly, but surely, the frustrations associated with my disconnect are starting to creep in. I spent all of this past Monday going out of my mind, wishing I could just text someone in the lab. In the end, I sent an email. It worked just fine, possibly better than a text.
Then, I went out for a night on the town at the local Bowl-a-Roll, and I lost my keys and wallet with all of my IDs. I was a wreck and had to use a co-worker's cell to call home. It was interesting leaving my name and contact information with the man at the desk. Thinking to myself, "What phone number should I leave for him?"
Guess what... I found my keys in the parking lot back at school. No big deal.
This is not going to be an easy year. I've been very dependent (though not as dependent as most Americans my age, which I think is sad) on that 3.9 oz of technology for quite a few years. I hope it will be worth the frustration. I hope I'll get more out of this year than just a feeling of freedom. I hope for a lot of things.
There is only one way to find out if my hope is justified...
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*** a side-note to anyone who actually reads these posts, and anticipates the posts to come: 1) Thank you for actually caring, and 2) I will not be posting anything for a little over a week because I will be in North Carolina for spring break, building houses and whatnot.
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