IslandRoar

Spring Break Unplugged

Daughter #2's Spring Break is next week and the two of us are going to visit my parents in Florida.

Where, in their case, the year might just as well still be 1994 when it comes to technological advancement.

I'm serious. There is no DVR, no digital camera. Half the time their answering machine isn't even turned on. No Wi-Fi. No (gulp) internet access of ANY KIND.

And, dare I say it, there is No Computer. That's right. You heard me. No PC, no Mac.

Therefore, after a long and intense inner debate, I have decided to leave my laptop at home. Because really, what would be the point?

You know as well as I do that if I decide to bring it I'll spend hours roaming the streets in my rental car trying to "borrow" someone's Wi-Fi. Or I'll search for a library or Starbucks just to check my email.

Next thing you know I'll stop by Facebook. And let's face it, from there it's one split second click to your blogs. Daughter #2 will get cranky and impatient and make snide remarks. Then demand to use the computer when finally I am through.

It would not be pretty.

So.

The laptop will stay home.

I'm not sure whether to drape it in black as a sign of mourning, or to jump up and down with anticipated delight.

A whole week without a computer? Whatever shall I do? Read? Write? Lie in the sun and freckle? Do a psychosocial study on the daily habits of a certain retired couple who still insist on living in the dark ages?

The possibilities are endless.

Thus I beseech you, please excuse my absence from all your lovely blogs while I'm away. I'll be sure to stop by ASAP upon my return.

Okay? Are we good?

Great. Now I'm feeling really sad. What'll I do without you guys?

Just say a prayer for me that they still have electricity and running water, would you? I'm going to need all the help I can get.

 

Blog Award

A blogger I am very fond of, Jane, over at Theycallmejane's Blog, was kind enough to bestow this award on me a couple of weeks ago. Jane's blog is clever and honest, and I make sure to check in there every day.

Before passing this award on, I am supposed to share 7 random things about myself. I am so bad at this but here goes:

-I always wanted to be an actress. I have a secret hankering for the stage and plan on getting back to community theater when Daughter #2 goes off to college (I know, I've said that one before; I told you I was bad at this).

-In 5th grade I brought a baby picture of me to school and told everyone I had a baby sister. Wishful thinking I guess. I probably also wanted to see how many people I could get to believe me. I confessed the truth only days later.

-I wrote my first complete novel when I was 11 (and no, it's not available at Barnes & Noble).

-I am addicted to the TV shows Lost and Friday Night Lights. Okay, and America's Next Top Model, but that is secret info that is not to be shared beyond this page.

-One of my dreams is to go live in Ireland for at least 6 months one day and work on a novel.

That's it. Only 5, I know. Just deal with it.

 

The 3 bloggers I would like to pass this award on to are:

-Mama Badger over at out of the boondocks and into the burbs... : Been following her blog for a while now. She never fails to make me smile.

-Ocean Girl at Live High: A fairly new discovery. Her world couldn't be more different than mine, and I am intrigued by everything she has to say.

-Heather at Welch Happenings: Also a new discovery. She has a friendly, open style of writing that always leaves me feeling like we've just sat down together for a cup of coffee.

Okay. Now go check out these women, and say hi from me.

 

Virtual Parenting

My son called me from his cell phone the other day. He was walking on the Lower East Side in Manhattan, shopping for a Halloween costume. He wanted me to find him a certain costume store on-line and tell him how to get there.

So, from my couch in my house on Martha's Vineyard, I directed him to a couple of places within blocks from where he was. Next, I transferred the necessary funds right then and there on-line into his account so he could make the purchase.

I still find all this technology pretty trippy at times. It can bring people together in incredible ways.

I had to laugh a couple of weeks ago when Daughter #1 called from college to tell me she had just downloaded Skype onto her laptop. Skype, for those of you as technologically challenged as I, is pretty much a live video-chat via computer.

Since I have it on my laptop too, Daughter #1 wanted me to video-call her. But wait; not, as one might naturally assume, so she could see her much-longed-for and loving mother, but rather, so I could show her the dog and cats, significant beings she is apparently pining away for.

Then, the night before we went off to Parent's Weekend, she had me do the Skype thing again, this time carrying my laptop upstairs here on the Vineyard to her bedroom, and holding it in front of her closet so she could see and tell me what clothing she wanted me to bring to her at school.

"Show me the scarves behind my door," she ordered impatiently. "Hold that one up. No, not that one. Yeah, that one."

It was arduous work. I think I prefer the telephone.

"Why are you in your pajamas already," she demanded. "It's too early. You need a life."

It was enough to make me want to shut the laptop lid in, or literally on, her face.

Technology is an awesome thing. But I shudder to think what might be next.

Perhaps my kids won't come home for Thanksgiving dinner; we'll just put laptops on the table in the places they should be sitting, and we'll Skype our way through the turkey and cranberry sauce.

Maybe the pumpkin pie will be virtual? Less calories, yes, but I'm not so sure about the taste...