Take a Break. Just Once In a While.

Yesterday I spent two whole hours uploading pictures to my Facebook account. Two whole hours! And I could have kept going for many more! What is the fascination? I'm pretty sure that there are about three people on the planet who have seen my Facebook page and even fewer who have seen this blog (me and my wife make two). So why is it that I find so much gratification in adding pictures to my Facebook page, tagging everyone in the picture, captioning each picture and arranging the albums if almost no one is going to see it but me? I don't have an answer. Perhaps it is akin to the pleasure that scrapbookers get from their work, but without the expense and hassle of buying and cutting out paper shapes and gluing buttons on each page (nothing against scrapbookers - I recognize that it takes more patience and creativity than I have).

All of this leads me to wonder, however, if technology has made it so that we no longer need to exercise our creativity? I know that in many ways the advent of computers and the Internet have introduced new mediums for expressing creativity, but have they also all but eliminated other forms? When was the last time you tried doing something the old fashioned way, not out of necessity, but for the simple sake of doing it the old-fashioned way? Next time you have a speech to prepare, try writing it by hand instead of typing it up (just once in a while). Try driving to the supermarket with your windows down and without the air conditioning blowing (just once in a while). Try writing a letter to a friend and sending it via postal service instead of shooting off an e-mail (just once in a while). Can't bring yourself to do it without e-mail? Well, then at least try capitalizing appropriate words in your e-mail and using the spell-check (this one should be all the time, not just once in a while). While you're at it, use the old-fashioned spell-check: your brain.

I'm not saying to throw yourself back into the nineteenth century. I realize and acknowledge that technology is a God-given gift (one which can be used wisely or with mankind's unfortunate trademark stupidity) and I am grateful for it, so that's why I say to just try it once in a while. And yes, I see the hypocrisy in posting this blog on the Internet about trying the old-fashioned way. Again, I'm not saying that we should shun technology, but maybe we should take a five minute break once in a while. Helps us appreciate where we've come from and how far we've come. Who knows? Maybe you'll find out that we enjoy a few things more the old-fashioned way. Think about it. Just once in a while....