Tuesday, March 04, 2014

Quiet

I could tell you that the reason this blog has been quiet is that I don't have much to say, but that is rarely true. I am a person with lots to say about lots of things. (My husband knows this well).

However, I think this nasty, incredibly harsh winter has taken its toll on a lot of people. Those who have been hit with snowstorm after snowstorm and temperatures below freezing on a continuous basis know what I'm talking about.

Bottom line: I'm tired of being cold. And I know I'm not alone. People are weary of the weather, and I'm no exception. It's now affecting my mood. I'm ready for spring!

But that's not the only reason the blog has been quiet.

The other reason is that I'm searching for the quiet I used to have two or three years ago, before my husband got cable t.v. and a giant flat-screen t.v. hooked up to a powerfully loud Bose speaker. Way back when, I blogged about how quiet my life had become. I didn't watch t.v., but only had a DVD player. My house was blissfully serene. If I wanted to watch a television show, I found it on my computer and watched it at my leisure. But the t.v. certainly wasn't on 24/7.

Since my husband is a garage/car/get your hands dirty type of guy, this winter has driven him bonkers. He wants to be out in his garage working and tinkering, and he can't. (Our garage isn't heated). So he ends up spending most of his time downstairs watching t.v. And if I want to spend time with him, I end up watching t.v., too.

Which means I've become addicted to t.v. shows, the latest being Sherlock starring Benedict Cumberbatch (which has led to an entirely new obsession with the British actor). Of course, watching t.v. or movies isn't all bad. In fact, after a very challenging day at work, I don't mind sitting in front of the t.v. for a few hours to relax. Friday nights are movie night for our family, complete with pizza and snacks, and I love being able to enjoy a movie without worrying about getting up for work in the morning.

But it's not just the noise, literally and figuratively, from the television that has started to consume me. Add the constant noise of social media to the mix - keeping up with Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, my blog, and email - and my head is about ready to explode.

It almost happened last night.

Since my daughter was sick yesterday, I worked from home, which means I sat in front of the computer all day, only on my living room couch instead of my desk. Spending that much time on the computer finally got to me and, in a dramatic departure from my normal routine, I decided to go exercise. My body simply couldn't take sitting in front of a screen anymore. It needed to move.

Later that night, I shut off my laptop and went into my bedroom. No radio playing. No t.v.  Just silence. I picked up the book I'm reading, Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier, and determined to focus on the story and nothing else. No getting distracted by any type of social media notification.

It was heavenly.

And I realized that my brain had become consumed with noise, and it needs to stop.

I have to believe I am not the only one who feels like this. My recent social media fast (over one weekend) showed me that I wasn't alone in feeling overwhelmed by today's technology.

So, what's the solution? I'm not sure. But I think I have to be pro-active in finding one.

Wish me luck.

8 comments:

  1. I have been totally obsessed with British TV in general. Downton Abbey, Call the Midwife, anything with a British accent. I like your idea of turning it all off. I don't do that enough and reading is a great way to unwind after a long computer filled day.

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    1. I love British tv! When I was younger, our PBS station played BritComs on Sunday afternoons and I always loved watching them. Have loved them ever since.

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  2. I find if I'm on social media - or heck, just the internet where anyone can chime in - I get depressed. It's a weird thing. I won't recognize it at first, but by the time I am mopey and feeling bad about life, I'll realize I've been too much online, and I have to walk away for a while. The snow days and having kids home was good for that. I don't get to watch much TV, so that is my treat some nights, but nothing beats going to bed with a book. :)

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    1. I'm the same way! It does get depressing after awhile. I think our brain just goes into overload and says ENOUGH.

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  3. I so get what you're saying. So much of our lives these days is noise. And it is hard to get away from it. I have days where I wish the internet didn't exist, heck some days I wish tv wasn't even around! You're right, I think we need to be creative in finding some silence. With the terrible weather you have been having that must be hard. Not a good idea to go sit under a tree in freezing weather!
    I find it a hard thing to balance even though I've cut back to just FB and Pinterest. (My poor blog is on a very long hiatus.) I'm aiming to avoid FB for the whole of lent, I'm not sure how that will go. :)
    And Sherlock - isn't it wonderful. We have been rewatching the first 2 series and are eagerly awaiting the third series which starts screening this Saturday. Yay! Sherlock and Dr Who are almost interchangeable in this house - have you discovered the Dr?
    Sorry, I've rambled on - can't have used all my words today yet!

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    1. I would like to cut back more on social media, but I'm not sure where to start. I use it all for promotional purposes for my book now, and I also have made some amazing connections with people through it, too. So it's a catch-22 situation.

      I watched a few episodes of Dr. Who and didn't get into it like I did Sherlock - which is probably a good thing. I can't handle another addiction to a tv show! =)

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  4. Elizabeth Parker10:18 PM

    Ahhh, REBECCA! One of my favorite books. :)

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  5. My husband is in the same situation - going stir crazy because he can't do his usual outdoor stuff. He's been watching lots of TV. I crave the quiet too (for my birthday, I took the day off from work, farmed the kids off to other places, and had the whole house to myself ALL DAY - blissfully quiet! Loved it!)

    Love those quiet days with a good book...you're tempting me to pick up Rebecca for a re-read...

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