Imaginary Journey to Africa Day 2 - Heat, light, power (no media)

The best way to describe the day would be to take a child put him at a table every day for months and give him a cookie to eat then one day have him come to the table put a cookie in front of him and tell him not to eat it. So this is how my day went (sorry that it is so long but this one was hard)....

...So I woke up today and decided to check the challenge for Day 2 of My Imaginary Journey to Africa before I did anything else (I have 30 minutes each morning to shower, get dressed, eat breakfast, and get out the door). When I opened up my document and saw that it was no media day (no computer, ipod (zune in my case), tv, radio, phone, etc.) I was a little dissappointed. Today is that day that Jack Bauer saves the world (again) in 24 hours. I need to write my post/update for the Day 1 challenge (I did that anyways but thats it). I need to talk to Becca throughout the day and figure out when we were going to hangout at night. There is a certain anxiety that comes over me when I think about not checking my gmail or searching the internet for stuff or thinking about leaving my phone at home all day. Then I thought about work. The initial thought was trying to make an excuse for why I could not do the challenge for today. I quickly threw that out and decided I would only do work stuff; no gMail, no amazon, no ESPN, no mint.com, no google Reader, no google Docs, no VT email, no twitter, no wedding stuff. I would only get on facebook to write my note for the Day 1 challenge (because I didn't plan very well). I would only send one text message to Becca to let her know it was no media day then leave my phone in my room.

While thinking about all the media I use in a day I remembered that I normally play a game or two of Call of Duty when I get home from work, well not today. I had to leave my Zune at home, no sermon or music on the train. When I got in the car I had to turn the radio off, no Mike & Mike on the way to the train.

It seems like every five minutes of work I go to click on Firefox to check gMail, gReader, or surf the internet (its pretty sad).

Its 11:00 and I really want to get online to see if there have been any comments on my note/blog post from the Day 1 Challenge (its only been up for an hour and a half). I think there is a little desire for affirmation and/or approval.

I want to konw if VT men's basketball cracked into the top 25, the pool probably doesn't come out until later in the day but I would want to check all day (it would be an excuse to go to ESPN).

Whats the weather going to be like today and the rest of the week for that matter. Is march going to be really bad in terms of snow fall?

I want to look at wedding stuff online.

I want my phone to check and send texts (especially to my fiance)

I need to look into getting a passport. Where are the rush offices?

Its lunch time, I would probably check out nbcolympics.com to check the TV schedule and medal count. I would check out the US men's curling schedule and record to see what they have to do to finish well.

So I just decided got around to reading the verse for today Philippians 4:8 and OUCH!! As you can see my thoughts have been on all kinds of trivial things.

The day is going by really slow. I think it is because I am so preoccupied by fighting the urge to get online. Its 12:34 and I just want to go home and go to bed so this day will be over. I know that is really sad. I think it is because I have to sit at a computer (like the child with the cookie) but can't get online and do what I normally do.

I just walked to Starbucks with a co-worker and I started talking about my no media day and the 30 hour famine. I was able to find out that he has practiced some Hinduism. Although we didn't get into a deep spiritual conversation it is a stepping stone for the future. I have wanted to ask him about his religious beliefs so this was good and God is good.

The afternoon has gone by a little bit faster. Its 3:01. There still seems to be some anxiety about not having my phone or checking my email or surfing the web.

Normally on the train I text Becca and see how her day was and figure out what we are doing at night. I tried to remember what it was like before cell phones, I do remember (barely) life before them but I never had a reason to talk to someone everyday like I do now.

I got home and Becca was nice enough to leave me a note letting me know her plans and when she would be by even with some options of some media free things to do.

We were busy enough at night for me to stop thinking about doing my media things. The day ended well and will probably be the hardest day this week. I wish I was able to think about and reflect on the reason why I was doing this more through out the day but I think struggling through the day was eye opening.