Should we ever find ourselves at the same dinner party, wine and conversation flowing, you will inevitably hear me ask, “Is anyone worried that one of our enemies will hack into our power grid and turn off our electricity? I am. And if it happens we will be cave people because we are helpless without our devices!”
Every time I bring this up (ah-lot!) I expect an emotionally charged consensus. After all, the fact that we are WAY too dependent on technology is impossible to dispute. And since technology is WAY too dependent on electricity and electricity goes out, we’re sitting ducks. But no one bites. Instead, guests start clearing dishes and bathroom lines form. My guess is that no one wants to talk about it because a technology apocalypse is out of our control. So I choke down my paranoia and soldier on.
And then it happened.
Yesterday morning at 9:00am my power was shut off and remained off until 6:00pm because SoCal Edison was drilling on my street. Just like that my world went dark. No phones, laptops, tablets or TVs. No lights, flat-iron, or refrigeration. I couldn’t blog, tame my frizzy hair, ice my swollen knee, or keep up with anything resembling 2018. I was forced to day-read, write with a pen, and nap. Much like driving with my left foot it felt awkward, but exhilarating.
During this unsettling time, nary a ding or swoosh had stolen my attention. I listened to my own thoughts instead of Howard Stern’s. And instead of responding to my ex’s latest bullying e-mail I had to sleep on it–a good thing since I’m usually quite reactive. In other words, I became a human being, not a human doing. I felt capable and adaptable. Present, relaxed, and focused. It was electrifying.
How’s that for irony?
TTYW,
Lisi
2 Comments
But if we didn’t have internet, I could never read your blogs.
Ha! True. I would send a newsletter in the mail. Write for a magazine. Skywrite it. I would find you.
xoxo Lisi