Well, bring the computer outdoors, then!
It’s a pity when you can’t tear yourself away from the computer to go outside. Such a pity. You’re sitting in front of the computer staring glassy-eyed at Facebook or WordPress or Gaia or whatever computer program with which you’re currently hypnotized. You can’t leave. What if someone else comments? What if you get a few hits? What about all those things you need to be doing on the computer?
You stare some more. You think, “I really should go outside.” Just to get the energy going you post your status on Facebook, “I really really need to tear myself away from this computer and go outside and enjoy the magnificent 52 degree afternoon. Please send energy to do so–right away!’
Because a few of your Facebook friends are blog readers or simply care, they comment back. Now, of course, you really can’t tear yourself away. What if someone else comments? You’re stuck. You know you should go outside but you’re stuck like glue to the computer.
Long shadows at dawn when you rushed out in your pajamas w winter coat and boots
Dawn, October 27th
Earlier this morning I left the computer-world and scurried outside in winter coat, boots, hat and mittens to the shock of…wait!…a rather warm morning. What had happened to freezing? It felt almost luxurious. And there was the Sun! The amazing sun was showing off in the sky. We haven’t seen the sun in so long we forgot it existed. Immediately, I became giddy. And remained giddy all day. (Thanks to the sun and a couple cups of coffee.)
Tamarack trees in the bright sunshine framed by blue sky
So in between dawn and dusk I spent some time running errands in town. Delivered this, banked that, banked some other stuff, grocery shopped, visited two friends (Hi there you guys if you’re reading!), and then sat down with my laptop at the coffee shop to drink java and wait for my visit with an 88-year-old friend. So you can ascertain this was a computer-filled day, can’t you?
Oh, oh. Looks like there are some outdoor chores to do.
So finally this afternoon, nearing the witching hour of 6 p.m., realizing that the outdoor adventure had not yet happened, with the help of Facebook cheerleaders, I tore myself from the friggin’ computer and headed outside prepared to look for interesting Things in the woods.
Except. Suddenly my husband’s words resounded in the memory, “Hey, Kathy, if you go outside could you rake some leaves?”
Oh. Yeah. Right. Raking to do. Sigh… Go find the rake, and get to work.
Leaf-raking job
So I raked. And thought about Facebook comments, WordPress comments, Gaia comments, emails, group notifications, weather forecasts and other Internet communications. Was I fully in the outdoors today?
…probably not…
Except for a magical moment with the sun sank into the forest and the light gleamed at just that beautiful angle. Suddenly I was right there. Not in computer land. In outdoor land. Completely present for this sacred moment of the day.
And then it's dusk
But then I decided to bring Miss Ellie (the laptop) outside on the porch with a cup of tea. Just to see who might have commented or emailed. You know how it is when you’re attached to this computer world, perhaps a little too much.
Don’t you? Or am I the only one?
Opening the door, walking outside 
22 comments
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October 27, 2009 at 10:18 pm
Sue
Well I sure am glad to see that you really did make it outside today……and you even made the sunrise and sunset. Beautiful! I hope Miss Ellie enjoyed all the fresh air! 😉
October 28, 2009 at 7:17 pm
centria
Oh did Miss Ellie love it outside! She begged, “Please can we do this more often? Remember when we sat under the tree in the kids old fort?” I said, “Well, Miss Ellie, it gets kinda cold out here in the winter time.” “Oh maybe just once?” she begged enthusiastically. “And do you think I could meet Sue next week when she comes to the Copper Country?” “I think that’s a good idea, Miss Ellie. Let’s see what Sue says.” LOL! Hope it does work out that we can get together!
October 28, 2009 at 8:06 pm
Sue
Oh, yes! That’s a mighty fine idea there Miss Ellie!
I sure hope that it works out too. I’ll keep you posted! ~*~
October 27, 2009 at 11:29 pm
Gerry
Nice tamaracks there, Kathy! And for a woman who was mesmerized by her laptop, you sure managed to get a lot done.
We had a particularly fine day, too, with three, count ’em, three walks with matching photo opportunities. In practical terms, this meant go out, wander blissfully in the sunshine, come back to the WSBS and write it up, go back out, repeat. It was a really great day. And utterly unmarred by leaf-raking.
October 28, 2009 at 7:18 pm
centria
Yeah, maybe you’re right! I thought I spent the whole day on the computer…but a bunch of other things also got accomplished. I am glad you had a wonderful day. THREE walks! You are doing awesome. I hope you had an equally wonderful day today.
October 28, 2009 at 6:29 am
Susan D
Oh, lovely! You found a good balance! It was wonderful to see you in the flesh … what little you have…. The lighting in the pictures is stunning. It is hard to get off the computer …. so much of your job/s and mine involve statistics … and all of mine exist in Excel World … going back and forth between work and play happens for me … all on one machine. The time flies … it gets dark … It truly takes a strong, dedicated committment to go outside every day …. so glad that you do …. Love you!
October 28, 2009 at 7:19 pm
centria
Oh this computer world, Susan. You love it, you hate it, you love it some more. OK, I don’t really hate it. As for you, I hope you get all better soon so you can go outdoors and take a walk! But right now just concentrate on healing and getting better. Love to you, as well, and am still so happy that we were able to exchange that hug. Although don’t know about that hug now that you’re so sick….aw well, you needed one bad! Get well.
October 28, 2009 at 7:02 am
Cindy Lou
It was a beautimous day! I’ve been taking my camera along with me and got a few good shots…..not like yours though. I love the tamaracks at this time of year – they’re still that misty gold when all the other trees have lost most of their leaves.
You actually rake? Yuk! One of my LEAST favorite outside chores….usually I have Johnny run the mower over them and blast them over my flower gardens for winter mulch. Any little piles left in the spring get raked, but not happily! 🙂
October 28, 2009 at 7:21 pm
centria
Those tamaracks were near the head of the bay, back on Menge Creek Road and they were oh-so-misty gold. Love that description of them. Actually, I don’t usually rake. This raking adventure had more to do with our septic tank adventure. Which you shall hear more about tomorrow, if you can stand it! 🙂
October 28, 2009 at 7:37 am
H. Forward
It happens to me too except my title would be “when the computer interferes with your work time.” Thankfully we cannot get a connection in our home.
Your description of all of your day’s doing seemed eternal. How in the world can you get so much done?! Kudos!
October 28, 2009 at 7:23 pm
centria
You can’t get a computer connection in your home? Oh no! I am sorry about that…but wait a minute…you said THANKFULLY. I guess it’s all perspective. Weird, though, I think I left out half the day’s activities. Wonder why it sounded like so much? Probably because it wasn’t a work day and you could get in all those little extras.
October 28, 2009 at 10:25 am
Emma
Well, I think you and I have talked about this a little when we discussed why I stopped blogging at TreehouseJukebox.
In my own experience, it’s very easy to get hooked on all these comments, etc. What would going outside every day mean if you didn’t show/describe it to others? And if we did not acknowledge it? Would it be more/less meaningful? Just questions that I think are interesting to ponder.
October 28, 2009 at 7:28 pm
centria
Emma, I have been thinking seriously about writing another blog about what it means to go outside if you’re not sharing it wih others. Thought about this most of the day. And then remembered: Oh! That’s what I did for the previous 30 years before discovering this blogging world. Went outside and just walked. It was much more solitary. No need to entertain or explain, much more inward-focused.
Strange, I’m not as hooked on comments as I am checking stats. That is something I try very hard not to care about, but never have yet succeeded.
There is so much to contemplate with all these pros and cons of blogging! It shows us where we’re attached, I think. So it’s a big learning lesson.
October 29, 2009 at 5:18 am
Emma
Yup. 🙂
October 29, 2009 at 12:37 pm
Reggie
I loved this post – it so perfectly encapsulates my own relationship with computers, the internet and blogging.
I too check my stats page FAAAAR too often, and always wonder WHO my readers are and whether they’re regulars or fly-pasts. I also wonder WHY so many don’t leave comments – then I go into that self-doubt and self-criticism spiral, you know? Maybe I don’t write well enough, or maybe it’s just not that interesting, or maybe I’m not contentious or provocative enough? Urgh…
Isn’t it strange how one gets so emotionally attached to getting approval in the form of readers and commenters and followers?
But I really do love to know who they are so that I can pop in on their blogs and see what they’re interested in, what they write about, and where they live in the world. It’s so nice to forge links and friendships with all these like-minded people all over the world.
October 29, 2009 at 6:45 pm
centria
Reggie, thank you, thank you, thank you! I am glad not to be alone in this obsessive stat-checking behavior. I often wonder why the heck I do it. Does it REALLY matter how many numbers of people read? No. What always warms my heart is the few who comment, who interact, who share, whether by comment, email or telephone. So why do we get obsessed by stats? It’s crazy! If I could get rid of this checking, I would.
And there are so very many people who don’t leave comments, who never say Booo! (Sorry, must be thinking about Halloween.) My husband says he would never leave a comment on a blog. In fact he thinks it’s ridiculous to even think anyone would. He’s the editor of a newspaper and he’s been writing for almost 30 years and he thinks the vast majority of people never ever bother to say anything. And then they comment on the most unlikely columns.
Anyway, this is such an interesting subject, and close to our hearts as well! Thank you for sharing so honestly.
October 31, 2009 at 8:12 am
flandrumhill
I too have that love-hate relationship with the computer. My biggest concern is with regards to what computer time is doing to my health in the way of non-exercise. So many of the things I love to do are sedentary (reading, sewing, drawing, writing).
I hope Reggie knows that if people don’t comment, it has nothing to do with the quality of her writing (which is great BTW). Maybe they just feel that all has been said that has to be said already. Some of us always feel compelled to add our 2 cents worth, which may be even more of a mystery than why some people don’t.
I’m no stranger to the compelling practice of checking stats. Maybe we should start a self-help group. If we created a collective blog for Stat Checkers Anonymous, I wonder how many page views we’d get? 🙂
October 31, 2009 at 8:17 am
Reggie
Giggle… Stat Checkers Anonymous?! What an AWESOME idea, Amy!!!
But man, it would be *HARD* not to check the pageviews at least a dozen times a day, though. Perhaps the functionality should be ‘disabled’ in some way? Perhaps one could ask WordPress to set it up so that you can ONLY check your stats ONCE a day?
Gawd…
No, actually, that may not be a good idea at all. I think I’d need some serious tension-release therapy if they did that…
October 31, 2009 at 7:04 pm
centria
Oh good, Amy, glad to hear that we’re starting a self-help group to get us through those stat checking challenges! Today was one of those “good” days when I only checked three times. This feels sooo much more relaxing. Rather than–oh Reggie, what if we actually kept a tally of the times we’re wandering by the computer and we click on stats?–way too many times.
For awhile there, I limited myself to ONCE A WEEK. Oh my! On Mondays. But then whenever you give yourself permission to do whatever you want to, it’s check, check, check. I’ve noticed the times I only check once a week or even once a day, I feel much less attached or interested in the blog. At least when we’re checking we feel like we’ve got a baby we’re taking care of, or something. Pros and cons…
October 26, 2010 at 6:38 am
Elisa's Spot
roflmao
and
roflmao
some more!
October 26, 2010 at 8:52 am
Kathy
Ha ha, this was fun to read again this morning! Thank you, Elisa. I’m not quite so addicted this year…or am I??? roflmao too!
October 27, 2010 at 7:21 am
Elisa's Spot
ugh i thought yesterday was today, now i have to go backwards!!!