I (Lore Sjöberg) recently took a vacation and, in a moment of deranged optimism, decided to take a vacation from the internet at the same time. I left my laptop behind and vowed not to access the web, my e-mail or any other facet of the Online Experience until I was back at home. The following is a diary of that experience, primitively scratched on a variety of wood pulp surfaces using graphite.[Wired News: I Survived My Internet Vacation]
I was left laughing by the end of the article. I have to admit that it is hard going without the internet for days, when you use it daily. A couple of days I normally am fine. But when I went to Hawaii for a week and later to Disneyland for a week, I found myself needing to say hello to online friends, make sure certain things where going okay… and oh yea a quick post to the blog.
The internet can be addicting, but for me its the lack of activity. I’ve come to expect to always be able to keep the mind entertained, busy. And on vacation, one of the things you do is unwind the mind, and it fights you. That’s why you go “stir crazy,” you want to be doing something but you can’t. The Disneyland trip wasn’t as bad for me as going to Hawaii because I was kept busy all day. But even then I found myself checking the news on my phone, or popping onto MSN on the phone and BSing with friends. The world has become striven to be interactive, and we gladly jump into it.
We can do things to not want it while on vacation. Have a book or dozen (in my case) with you and read them when you need stimuli. Bring a couple decks of cards and/or some board games. When you feel like relaxing, instead of wanting your laptop grab one of those out and play it. Nap; it may sound silly but that’s one thing you rarely get a chance to do on a normal work week, so kick back, throw on some chillin’ music, and relax. Make plans to do an activity with those you went with. Sometimes the more unplanned a thing is, the more fu=n it is. But a little planning will get you how to get from the boardwalk to that great restaurant you want to try much easier.
If you attempt fails as badly as Lore’s did in the article… then make sure you have a web enabled cell phone… and have long calls of nature. That way you don’t have to get in an argument with the wife on the fact you where on the internet while on vacation.
Tags: Humor, Interesting, Internet, Vacation
