Question: What happens when you take this NYC chick and plop her right in the middle of paradise?Answer: She runs around the beach with her cell phone searching for a hint of WiFi and stressing over her laptop's battery life.
When I nearly lost it in St. Lucia struggling to upload a vlog instead of heading to the beach, I knew it was time to let the electronics go. It's crazy how easily these things can take a hold of you. And it quickly spirals into an addiction; this constant need to be "connected," to have something on hand to occupy the mind at all times, a fear of boredom. I have a hard time disconnecting and just walking away. Lately, my priorities have become so skewed that choosing between a sunset over the Caribbean or checking my Gmail is now a no-brainer. Like Pavlov's bell, Gchat's *ding* causes an instant pleasant feeling.
My struggle to Let Go and Experience doesn't end there. When I'm away, it takes me days to renounce my NYC "Go, go, go!" mentality and accept relaxation as an alternate state of being. Unfortunately, as soon as I land back home, the cell phone's out, the hyperventilation begins and I'm speed-walking back into the life I'd temporarily left behind. You can take the girl out of the city, but the city never truly leaves her. Perhaps someday I'll learn that the rat race is only leading me straight into an early grave.
Do you have a hard time unplugging and relaxing during your vacays?
what is a vacation?...lmao...i think the problem is we sometimes forget the world can run without us...by the way i'm thinking about a trip to St. Lucia, how is it there?
ReplyDeleteOh no. The jitters last less than a day for me. Then again, I'm preparing myself for said 'net outage days before we leave.
ReplyDeletePavlov's bell... so the GMail bell makes you drool these days?
*makes note to send a few drooler bibs to Dorkys for Christmas*
When I was in Jamaica on vacation, I couldn't stand the how long I had to wait for my food after ordering. On average, we waited 1 hour each time!
ReplyDeleteWe were also connected at the hotel, even though it was super slow. But for the sake of Internet, I waited and waited. Crazy. Could've sat out by the cliffs...
I'm one of those people who is happy enough to spend ages on the computer, or fiddling with my mobile phone, but I can just as easily spend ages curled up with a book away from electronic gadgets, or sitting quietly in the clearing of a wooded area. The internet is great, because it keeps me connected with my friends... Many of whom I probably wouldn't have had the pleasure of knowing without the internet. On the other hand, if I don't have access to it for a bit... *Shrugs*... I honestly don't mind. I only have my mobile phone with me all the time, because others insist on it, since it gives me a way to get in touch if I lose my bearings and end up lost or something. But, personally, I wouldn't mind a nice long holiday withh no mobile phone or computer in sight.
ReplyDeleteBut then, I'm no city girl, I'm a valley girl, and the mountains call to me in a much louder and stronger voice than any electronic gadget ever could.
I remember going to college in the Midwest (Indiana) was like stepping into slow lane. It was nice decompressing - I didn't mind adjusting - it was the return home that took a bit of stress to get back into the fast and furious and use the horn and not the brakes mode.
ReplyDelete