I am attempting to unplug. I know, crazy Amy up to some crazy scheme again. But here's the thing: recently I learned just how much control Facebook has over me. I am not comfortable with that. I could get into the gory details, but suffice it to say that my keyboard warrior has emerged many, many times over things of no significance many times and I became a red-faced, shaky, angry baboon with (so I thought) righteous anger that someone disagreed with me. How dare they? Both husband and myself have frequently begun referencing Little House on the Prairie as a model we'd like to get closer to emulating. So, with that in mind, here's the breakdown of my looming changes.
1) This blog stays. I know, how does one blog when they're trying to unplug? Here's the thing. I can't go completely without technology, and the reason is not because of addiction. I still have a girl child to talk to, and so I still need a phone and Internet capabilities, to skype her. So, phone and data stay. What leaves are my time suckers, and based on the amount of time between posts, you can guess this blog isn't one of them. Facebook, therefore, is the only thing that's really leaving. I don't spend as much time on Instagram, Mewe, tumblr, and even pinterest, though I declare it my love often enough.
2) Constant screens will be no more. My LCD-tired eyes will be spending more time on fabric, paper, food, dishes, and most of all, faces. Haha. Again, ironic. I say this on the screen of my phone in my blog. Laugh away.
Fitness has been a focus here lately, and 2 days ago I was inspired to walk the almost 2 miles to the closest bookstore. It was enjoyable! Stop the presses! I loved it. While there, husband told me to get a book, as inspiration/reward/bribery to keep up the good work. I told him I was just excited to walk around Barnes and Noble without his impatient sighs and pleas of "can we go now?" I love window shopping at the bookstore. I still had J and he's difficult when he's tired but for the most part he did very well.
Today when I woke up I was greeted with a premature lament from husband. "When you Google how to build a house by yourself, not one option comes back with anything other than, 'hire a pro.' It's not built by myself then. Might as well Google how to call the contractors yourself." What followed was a complaint from both of us about how dependent on "professionals" America has gotten. I'm sorry, Charles Ingalls, your log cabin on the prairie and the well you dug weren't done so by professionals, so your home couldn't have existed, therefore the whole series is a THRONE OF LIES. Oh, sorry. Got carried away here. Why is it that society thinks that unless we hire a professional who, really, is a professional because he observed the knowledge he was given and then put it to practice, we will light our homes on fire or other some such nonsensical disaster? It's ridiculous.
We are perfectly capable of doing what needs to be done ourselves, or with the help of willing neighbors, so why is it such a strange idea? I'll tell you why. Laziness and greed. If Joe doesn't have to get off the couch, why not pay for someone else to do it? If Mark can charge Joe an arm and a leg by making him think he'll blow himself to smithereens doing himself, why not?
There IS a caveat to my soapbox rant. Jobs are hard to come by right now. If Joe is handicapped and has the money to do it, it is wiser of him to employ Mark, to put food on Mark's table, to get it done. But in most circumstances, my husband should be perfectly capable of building our home without spending money for supplies on a contractor. Come on now.
