Oxygen, food, water, love and the internet – these are the five ingredients that sustain us. Without any of them, we die. Or so I thought.
Last week, I met a tropical storm named Irene. As she rolled over my home in Rhode Island, I lost electricity (and thus the internet) for some 12 hours. When the lights first went out, I felt a bit of panic. Truth be told, it reminded me of scuba diving and breathing underwater for the first time. For the first few breaths, the body is stricken with anxiety. Breathing underwater, just like life without the Internet, feels unnatural; but the body learns to adjust.
Fast-forwarding to this past weekend, I drove up to my aunt and uncle’s vacation home in Jackson, NH for a few days as a pit stop on my journey to Toronto. Upon arriving and after unpacking my various laptops, iPad and iPhone, I realized that there was no internet. Again, I had a moment of panic.
But a very curious thing happened: Instead of checking my inbox and messages, I went outside. Instead of updating Facebook and tweeting, I hiked down to a creek called Jackson Falls – and spent my afternoon playing in the gentle cascades and small plunges; it was beautiful and soul-charging.
Last night, after driving through Vermont, Quebec and eastern Ontario, I arrived in Toronto. And guess what? All those emails, tweets and messages… they were still there. Moreover, the world hadn’t stopped turning – and I was still alive.
I’m not advocating for life without the internet – after all, it is my livelihood and passion! But there’s certainly something to be said for balance.
That is all.
September 6, 2011 at 11:09 am
I was wondering why there had been no updates from you, never figured Irene had gotten to you as well.
In any case, I’m glad ur well.
It’s good to escape from the whole tirade of techno for a while and get back to the basics.
September 6, 2011 at 11:23 am
U take care DW
September 6, 2011 at 11:24 am
A lesson well learned~
September 6, 2011 at 11:58 am
My partner and ‘unplugged’ yesterday afternoon and hiked in the Santa Cruz mountains. Wonderful!
Davey, when you go to Kalani (next month?) be sure to explore the water attractions in the area…the warm pools heated by volcanic activity underground, the Emerald Pool, the river pools above Akaka Falls and swimming with the dolphins. Also visit the botanical gardens an hour’s drive from Kalani just above Hilo http://htbg.com/tour.html at the back of Onomea Valley…another way to enjoy being in nature…aloha
September 6, 2011 at 12:20 pm
You’re spot on Davey! Balance is bliss and it’s nice to get out in nature without distractions sometimes
September 6, 2011 at 12:28 pm
Its good to unplug every once in awhile, glad you enjoyed your break
September 6, 2011 at 3:28 pm
When and where will you have a meet up in Toronto? Pick a place you haven’t been to before.
September 6, 2011 at 3:48 pm
Wow, my home town is about 30 mins north from Jackson, NH. Small world!
September 6, 2011 at 6:39 pm
My family convenes at my parents’ hunt camp for Thanksgiving, yearly. The camp has no grid-power. Our only electricity comes from a propane generator that we use for about 2 hours per day. Internet access? We don’t even have cellphone access LOL! It’s always a good time with 3 generations of family telling stories, cooking over fire, hunting, 4-wheeling, target shooting, archery, and drinking (after the aforementioned activities LOL!)
BTW, welcome back to Canada and to Toronto
September 6, 2011 at 6:45 pm
Unplugging is a great thing to do from time to time. I seem to do it best when I have no other choice.
September 6, 2011 at 10:03 pm
It is good to unplug every now and then, sometimes the Internet keep us too tied down. I love the Jackson NH area I live just noth of it, Jackson Fall during hurricane were crazy, I have never seen so much water go through there, it almost went over the stone bridge by the Wenteorth Hotel.
September 7, 2011 at 12:56 am
again and again DW shows us how to impovise just how to cope in an otherwise hostile world.really doessnt matter if youre str8 or gay-or someone in the middle-DW-is the beginning and end of life survival-but then again i am very very prejudice.i am at a so so much better realisation now-thank you/merci beaucoup/DW.Bienvenue a Canada-Welcome to Canada.
September 7, 2011 at 3:57 am
I know exactly what you mean. When I traveled to England for two weeks earlier this year, I turned off my smart phone (my HTC Thunderbolt) when I boarded my connecting flight in Chicago and did not turn it back on until I landed at JFK on my trip home. It felt weird not carrying it around with me. I think I had more anxiety by the end of the two weeks. I was ready to be connected again. And I wasn’t completely disconnected from everything. My friend that I was staying with had a computer that I used to check emails and facebook real quick. But it was still odd not to be connected to it whenever I wanted… or not to have the ability to text message a friend if I suddenly felt the urge. But I managed. I usually had plenty of other stuff to occupy my mind. As a man of the media industry, I’m just used to having information at my fingertips when I need it. I know i’m better off for having proved to myself that I could do it. and oddly enough… when I turned the phone back on… there was only one text message and one voicemail message waiting for me. I didn’t miss anything at all.
September 7, 2011 at 7:59 am
its so gr8 to turn that cell-phone off-but then again theres texting-i had a dream just yesterday about a guy everyone at work knows about-he dated my niece.news of my dream spread like wildfire-and he knows it now-plus i got hott and bothered-i woke up with a boner.everything we do-dont think for an instance what with social media-that your inner thoughts can be suppressed or that youll stay closeted-and gone undetected.
September 7, 2011 at 8:16 am
I spend a month every year staying with my wonderful freinds in a coastal village in Fiji. There’s no electricity, mobile coverage is sposmadic at best and anyway unless somebody works out how to get power from coconut trees they go flat pretty quick. There’s no TV (see previous comment). You know, Davey, I don’t miss being connected to the outside world at all; instead its just nice to spend time with people who have time to tell stories, joke – all in one of the most beautiful parts of the world. I think you would like it there.
September 7, 2011 at 2:22 pm
Good for you. I learn something new every time I read your page.
September 8, 2011 at 1:58 am
Davey you are so right. There is huge merit in re-evaluating what you really need to survive and whether you need all the “stuff” or whether it is just tying you down. Minimalism is a movement that goes against this by keeping only what you really need, but it can be somewhat radical. It isn’t a “one size fits all”. What is important is that we live deliberately, looking for meaning in what we do and have. Simply hoarding more and more “stuff” does not lead to happiness. Untethering from all the possessions and the daily grind might not be the answer either. You have to find your own groove and work it so that you feel comfortable with it. When you do find your fit, you’ll find that you are happier, more productive and contributing more in general. Getting out and living in that childlike state (or holiday mode if you prefer) where you notice things and enjoy experiences for the sake of the experience is a good place to start.
September 8, 2011 at 6:46 pm
seriusly dude how do you keep so in shape? whats ur secret? i am 19 and ashamed over my body on the summers i never take of my shirt. i don’t even take it off during sex can u give me some tips please
September 9, 2011 at 1:23 am
The IDEA of being unplugged is great,and can be fun.Problem is that F-ing technology is so addictive that one becomes dependent:Up until late today[yesterday,rather],my laptop was in the shop [2nd time in 2 weeks ] & my cell was dead because the battery was un-rechargably dead.That,in combination with yet another tropical storm’s deluge made me feel like an illeagal alien in my own country.Wow!!:# gayboy problem 69.
September 9, 2011 at 10:02 pm
No offense Davey but you lost power for 12 hours. Thats nothing my power went out Saturday the 28th at 11:50 pm and didn’t return untill Thrusday the 1st around 11:30 am. You act as if you lost everything. I literally did lose everything. We couldn’t even go out to eat as the stores had no power. We had to live off chips, pretzals and bottled water. We couldn’t even take a shower. It was horrible. Trust me I would have rather not had Irene come. Btw I live in New Jersey.
September 9, 2011 at 11:46 pm
I’m glad you were able to experience being unplugged and appreciate everything else around you. My aunt and uncle’s lake house in Vermont is the same way – no Internet and no cell service. On a visit earlier this summer, I turned off my Blackberry, jumped in the kayak and enjoyed the beautiful surroundings. My uncle and step-dad enjoyed watching TV inside. I was at least able to get them out for a campfire after dinner. Some people can’t disconnect but I find it healthy to remove yourself from our modern addictions and take in the natural beauty around us.