2012 has had its share of surprises, a whirlwind of activity and some major changes. Not a lot of time to think. Getting from point A to point B and in some cases back again. It is interesting how we become dependent on technology and media. As quickly as things were happening we did not realize all the things that needed to be done. Being without internet and TV has the potential to make one feel lost. And yet, it actually can be a benefit when you are staring at a pile of boxes that need to be unpacked. There are no excuses. It’s amazing how much work you can get done without distraction.
A few short days after the move we left for a week in the Dominican Republic. A trip that was booked before we had any idea of all the changes that were coming. I suspect we would not have booked the trip had we known. But again, the timing was good. We were able to move before the trip and so did not have that daunting task on our return. Now it’s a matter of settling in. The trip was awesome. We went down with some of my wife’s family and had an enjoyable time. We were able to reacquaint ourselves with family. Get to know each other better. There was only one rule. We would not discuss religion or politics. Obviously with a group such as that there can be a vast array of opinions. If the others are anything like me, and I suspect they are, it is far too easy to become passionate and that could lead to uncomfortable feelings.
Of course, I could not leave home without my trusted Blackberry. I felt I needed to stay connected. It was handy being able to text back and forth with our kids. That way we knew that, if needed, they could send us messages. At the same time it was frustrating. Every time I switched it on I would notice that I had new voice messages. The curiosity killed me. I needed to know. My emails and texts downloaded but I could not for the life of me find a way to retrieve messages. Deep down I knew that it could wait till I got home but for some reason I needed to know. Finally sent a text to my son asking him to retrieve messages and let me know who they were from. He did send me the names of the people who had left messages but the closing sentence in his text was; “ what the %#**% do you want your messages for? Get back to the beach!” Guess what? After all that angst and wondering it turned out that they could wait. I could have ignored them. I wish I would have left the darn thing at home. Now I am waiting for my phone bill to see how much my curiosity will cost me. I suspect I am in for another “I told you so”.
The bottom line? It was fun. It was relaxing. Good company. Good food. Nice resort. Warm temperatures. A laid back holiday. Now, however, it’s time to get back at it. Begin this new chapter in our lives. I keep looking out our windows at the golf course. Hoping that soon the snow will melt. Hoping for Spring. More new beginnings. It will come. Till then I better get at the boxes. Make it a good one.
I really love reading your comments. Life is all about change. Its nice to read you are enjoying your move. Do you remember life before all these electronics? Have we really progressed? Has our angst, frustration and pressure increased due to trying to keep up with it all? Do you ever sit back that think about how many new devices or Generation has been challenged to add to our daily living / methods of survival has changed most definately. Are we further ahead, or was it simpler back in the 60's?
ReplyDeleteI hear you. I often get frustrated with my dependence on technology. What is even more interesting is why I can't let it go for even 1 week. Life was much simpler years ago. I remember well when all we had was one phone in the house and that was part of a party line. Sometimes I wish we had that simplistic life style and other times I am thankful for technology. It becomes a matter of priorities. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
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