Week 35 brings back to the surface the idea of the "Look Up" video that I posted earlier this year during Week 23. My mom called me excitedly a few days ago with news that they had just seen two black bears in our field, something that happened because they weren't wrapped up in watching television or tinkering around on computers or phones. More of this, less of that is sort of what this year is all about.
The process which I had to undergo to have my text messaging cancelled fell in at the top of the list of things that made me think twice about whether I should do it or not. Passwords, automated robots on the phone, more passwords, and five phone calls to Verizon later I finally got it sorted out. I will still be using my email for the next month or two before I cut out the internet.
This goal brought to mind another short video that I enjoyed. Similar to the "Look Up" video, Charlene deGuzman brings up some good points on just how phones can affect every day social interactions. If there were to be a bible on "wireless courtesy" I think she did an excellent job with the first few verses.
The process which I had to undergo to have my text messaging cancelled fell in at the top of the list of things that made me think twice about whether I should do it or not. Passwords, automated robots on the phone, more passwords, and five phone calls to Verizon later I finally got it sorted out. I will still be using my email for the next month or two before I cut out the internet.
This goal brought to mind another short video that I enjoyed. Similar to the "Look Up" video, Charlene deGuzman brings up some good points on just how phones can affect every day social interactions. If there were to be a bible on "wireless courtesy" I think she did an excellent job with the first few verses.
I feel I should be clear now that my goal here is not to become the North Pond Hermit (story courtesy of Paul R., thanks!) but to see a little less screen and a little more of the world. Although doubtless this will be inconvenient at times, I already feel I have loosened my technology cuffs a bit and I'm starting to enjoy it. So here is to cutting back once again and seeing how another ray of simplicity will shine on the rest of my year.
End of Week Update
There was a total of about three times this week when a text message would have been more convenient. In the end, without a doubt, this was a good move. Not so much the not being able to "chat" with friends but more so the unleashing of the dependence on my phone. I even found myself sometimes during the week checking my phone. What for? I have no idea. Sort of like when I gave up facebook, the first few times I signed on to my computer I found myself on the the facebook sign in page without even thinking about it. A little scary indeed.
In other events this week for some reason the idea of giving up processed sugar has been on my mind A LOT recently. I already did high fructose corn syrup, but sugar is coming soon. I even made a huge German Chocolate cake as my one new dish that I cooked this week. It seems like I am eating more sugar than I normally would just because I know I have to give it up. The psychology behind it is sort of boggling my mind.
This was the first week I was not able to complete my goal of running a 5k six days a week due to an injury. It is a minor Achilles heel strain but I had to decide to take 4 days off and not run the race I was signed up for in order to heal properly and be ready in time for the Barkley Fall Classic. On to week 36.
End of Week 35 Totals
Soda - 0 ounces
Water - 126.55 Gallons
Liquor - 0 shots
Tea - 448 cups
Trips to unhappy places - Jimmy Johns (1)
$ to support neighbors = $648.30
Fried food consumption - 2 dorito chips
Breakfasts eaten - 196
Pushups - 1280 Crunches - 1160
Days Flossed - 180 (missed two days)
Coffee - 0 cups
Sunrises attended - 32
Beers drunk - 0
Gallons of Trash Collected - 637
Items planted -12 jalapenos, 12 bell peppers, 8 yellow pear tomatoes, 30 canna bulbs, 1 chinese pistache, 30 sensitive plants, 24 carolina reaper peppers, 12 ghost peppers, 31 scorpion peppers, 5 brussel sprouts, 12 tyria hybrid cucumbers, 14 congo watermelons, 6 hybrid prizewinner pumpkins, 45 devils tongue peppers, 14 black sea man tomatoes, 33 peruvian white lightning habaneros, 16 mammoth russian sunflowers, 30 big smile sunflowers, 100 zinnia's, 100 basil plants, 100 green onion plants, 12 chinese lanterns, 30 garden beans, a bed of mint, 50 Celosia flowers, 7 Red Maple Seeds, 30 brussel sprouts, transplant 34 pepper plants, transplant 13 sensitive plants and 3 watermelon plants, transplant 15 pepper plants and 6 sensitive plants, transplant 21 pepper plants, 12 sorrel seeds, 50 cilantro seeds, 50 sorrel seeds,
50 spinach seeds,
Letters written - 21
Meat eaten - none
Donations made - Bike the US for MS, Personal Mission Trip, Schistosomiasis Control Initiative, Against Malaria Foundation, Deworm the World Initiative, Project Healthy Children, charity: water, Schistosomiasis Control Initiative, YMCA Thrift Store, Volunteered at Plenty!, Against Malaria Foundation, Food supplies to Plenty! food pantry, Deworm the World Initiative, Edisto Island Preservation Alliance, Edisto Island Land Trust, Adopt-a-Nest Sea Turtle Program, Wikipedia, Project Healthy Children,
Movies watched - 0
Glasses of wine - 0
New dishes cooked - Vegetable Korma, Ukranian Vinaigrette, Lamb's Quarters Quiche, Thai Spicy Eggplant with Sweet Basil and a side of Bean Sprout Salad with Peanut Chili Dressing, Pan Bagnat with grilled peppers and basil vinaigrette and a side of Classic Gougères, Vegetarian Feijoada and Brazilian Bananas, Baked Eggplant Parmesan (mixture of this and this recipe), Somalian Fataa'ir Farmaajo and Barooddo Qudaar, Portobello Burgers and homemade pesto, Stir fried tofu with yellow curry powder,
Okra Gumbo with Chickpeas and Kidney Beans, African Peanut Soup and Fufu, Vegetable Lasagna, Quinoa
Bugers with Homade Rolls, German Chocolate Cake,
Miles ran - 609.20
Facebook and Twitter time = 0 minutes
Books Read - The Education of Little Tree by Forrest Carter, The Other by David Guterson, The Last American Man by Elizabeth Gilbert, A Thousand-Mile Walk to the Gulf by John Muir, currently reading The Wilderness World of John Muir edited by Edwin Way Teale and loving it!
Nights camped - 2
Ice fails - 1
Items dispersed - 49
Hours volunteered - 24.25
Piping Hours - 6
There was a total of about three times this week when a text message would have been more convenient. In the end, without a doubt, this was a good move. Not so much the not being able to "chat" with friends but more so the unleashing of the dependence on my phone. I even found myself sometimes during the week checking my phone. What for? I have no idea. Sort of like when I gave up facebook, the first few times I signed on to my computer I found myself on the the facebook sign in page without even thinking about it. A little scary indeed.
In other events this week for some reason the idea of giving up processed sugar has been on my mind A LOT recently. I already did high fructose corn syrup, but sugar is coming soon. I even made a huge German Chocolate cake as my one new dish that I cooked this week. It seems like I am eating more sugar than I normally would just because I know I have to give it up. The psychology behind it is sort of boggling my mind.
This was the first week I was not able to complete my goal of running a 5k six days a week due to an injury. It is a minor Achilles heel strain but I had to decide to take 4 days off and not run the race I was signed up for in order to heal properly and be ready in time for the Barkley Fall Classic. On to week 36.
End of Week 35 Totals
Soda - 0 ounces
Water - 126.55 Gallons
Liquor - 0 shots
Tea - 448 cups
Trips to unhappy places - Jimmy Johns (1)
$ to support neighbors = $648.30
Fried food consumption - 2 dorito chips
Breakfasts eaten - 196
Pushups - 1280 Crunches - 1160
Days Flossed - 180 (missed two days)
Coffee - 0 cups
Sunrises attended - 32
Beers drunk - 0
Gallons of Trash Collected - 637
Items planted -12 jalapenos, 12 bell peppers, 8 yellow pear tomatoes, 30 canna bulbs, 1 chinese pistache, 30 sensitive plants, 24 carolina reaper peppers, 12 ghost peppers, 31 scorpion peppers, 5 brussel sprouts, 12 tyria hybrid cucumbers, 14 congo watermelons, 6 hybrid prizewinner pumpkins, 45 devils tongue peppers, 14 black sea man tomatoes, 33 peruvian white lightning habaneros, 16 mammoth russian sunflowers, 30 big smile sunflowers, 100 zinnia's, 100 basil plants, 100 green onion plants, 12 chinese lanterns, 30 garden beans, a bed of mint, 50 Celosia flowers, 7 Red Maple Seeds, 30 brussel sprouts, transplant 34 pepper plants, transplant 13 sensitive plants and 3 watermelon plants, transplant 15 pepper plants and 6 sensitive plants, transplant 21 pepper plants, 12 sorrel seeds, 50 cilantro seeds, 50 sorrel seeds,
50 spinach seeds,
Letters written - 21
Meat eaten - none
Donations made - Bike the US for MS, Personal Mission Trip, Schistosomiasis Control Initiative, Against Malaria Foundation, Deworm the World Initiative, Project Healthy Children, charity: water, Schistosomiasis Control Initiative, YMCA Thrift Store, Volunteered at Plenty!, Against Malaria Foundation, Food supplies to Plenty! food pantry, Deworm the World Initiative, Edisto Island Preservation Alliance, Edisto Island Land Trust, Adopt-a-Nest Sea Turtle Program, Wikipedia, Project Healthy Children,
Movies watched - 0
Glasses of wine - 0
New dishes cooked - Vegetable Korma, Ukranian Vinaigrette, Lamb's Quarters Quiche, Thai Spicy Eggplant with Sweet Basil and a side of Bean Sprout Salad with Peanut Chili Dressing, Pan Bagnat with grilled peppers and basil vinaigrette and a side of Classic Gougères, Vegetarian Feijoada and Brazilian Bananas, Baked Eggplant Parmesan (mixture of this and this recipe), Somalian Fataa'ir Farmaajo and Barooddo Qudaar, Portobello Burgers and homemade pesto, Stir fried tofu with yellow curry powder,
Okra Gumbo with Chickpeas and Kidney Beans, African Peanut Soup and Fufu, Vegetable Lasagna, Quinoa
Bugers with Homade Rolls, German Chocolate Cake,
Miles ran - 609.20
Facebook and Twitter time = 0 minutes
Books Read - The Education of Little Tree by Forrest Carter, The Other by David Guterson, The Last American Man by Elizabeth Gilbert, A Thousand-Mile Walk to the Gulf by John Muir, currently reading The Wilderness World of John Muir edited by Edwin Way Teale and loving it!
Nights camped - 2
Ice fails - 1
Items dispersed - 49
Hours volunteered - 24.25
Piping Hours - 6