Do people still read blogs? Is this still a thing?
I'll open with a cute, real-life picture from today of my darling kiddos. Because, well, maybe you've forgotten what they look like.
Okay, so I know you haven't forgotten what they look like. But, aren't they darling?
Let me also start this off by saying that this post is no-where near as articulate and well-thought out as it could be. This comes as I lay in bed next to a sleeping husband, typed full-speed as fleeting thoughts fly through my mind. This comes after our first five hours of having the internet in our home in over two years.
I'm re-entering the world of high speed internet after a two-year 'experiment' if you will. Well, a money saving experiment.
Society tells us we need a lot of things these days. Smart phones, botox, cars with electric windows....the internet.....
What? You think you can't live without internet?
Or are you still stuck on electric windows?
- no more netflix
- no more using my computer (because, if we're not using the internet, what do we really use our computers for...)
- no more watching any kind of videos online at home
Some things we still had, but at a SIGNIFICANTLY slower speed...
- Marco Polo
- FaceTime
Here's how things changed--
- Our internet use became extremely intentional
- If we needed to send an email through the Church's website or actually accomplish many things online, it required going to the library. This sometimes meant late night trips to the library, sitting outside on our phone, sending an email through the wireless internet.
- I spent less time on social media
- We all question the value of social media. But, there's nothing that will make you question its value more than having to wait 45 seconds or more for ONE picture to load. Yeah. I spent significantly less time on social media.
- We got shows and movies from the library
- Yes. You can still find ways to watch shows and movies without Netflix and Hulu. (Or TV, which we don't have, besides one to watch dvds on...)
- Doing anything on our phones took FOREVER
- buy something on Amazon? Forever. Download an app? Forever. Listen to a podcast? Forever. Watch a thirty second video? FOREVER. Email or message a video? FORget it.
- I changed where I got my news
- certain news sites have too many pop up ads or side videos for my slow data to handle. I had to find a newsite with "reader view" on every page.
- 'READER VIEW' became my best friend
- Never heard of it? That's because you've never tried loading a million articles without the internet.
Here are my take-aways for you:
- You decide what you 'need'. If you want to save money or pay off your house faster, find ways to do it. Don't let other people dictate what you 'need'. Also--if something is sucking the life out of you--be okay with cutting it out of your life for awhile.
- We can waste time with or without the internet. Sometimes I did wait ages for a dumb video to load. Or for pictures of people I didn't even know to load. But I will say this--most of my time 'wasted' involved the internet. I don't ever feel like time I spend doing other things is time wasted. Staring at a wall? Thought-provoking. Sneaking into the basement to eat candy while my kids are distracted? Often helpful. Scrolling mindlessly because I'm stressed or need a break? Well, kind of time wasted. How much more renewed would I feel if I took a second to myself, without my phone, to breath. To be present. To meditate.
- There are great things about the internet. Well, obviously. But--the things I missed most were inspirational church videos that I couldn't access or view. I also missed being able to look up videos of animals to show the kids on youtube.
- You don't need high speed internet to use social media There are benefits from social media--being able to keep in touch and updated on college roommates, extended family, old neighbors. I do love that aspect of the internet. But--you really don't need high speed for that.
Today.....
We got the internet again! After our two year hiatus, we've decided the benefits of working more effectively in our callings and having access to a lot of resources for gospel learning and teaching in the home are worth the steal of a deal we managed to secure.
Right now...
I'm looking forward to using the internet INTENTIONALLY, by
- performing tasks related to our callings in church that really are important, and so much more efficient with fast internet.
- keeping up with people I love WITHOUT waiting 20 minutes for a MarcoPolo to load... or for a video to load
- Not spending time looking at a social media feed filled with people I wouldn't actually greet if I saw in person somewhere.
- Sharing meaningful videos with my kids about the gospel, nature, dance, and sports
Honestly, being able to share my thoughts as they enter my mind is truly cathartic. My fingers type SO much faster on a computer than my thumbs do on a phone. I've missed this.
