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MacGyver Online Forums > MacGyvering Your Life > Disconnected down time


Posted by: KiwiTek 27 July 2013 - 01:00 AM
One thing MacGyver was a big advocate of was enjoying his "down time" and using that time to, as he put it, "take the edge off".

In this ever increasing age of mobile connectedness where we can do everything online everywhere and at any time, it's becoming very difficult to switch off during, what should be, relaxation or down time. How many of you find yourselves checking email, Facebook, twitter, news sites, etc during work breaks, or in the evenings when you should be relaxing and unwinding? I know I do and I often do it without even thinking. It's just what we do now. We're always connected and always "on".

I was thinking earlier today about how long it's been since I've been hiking or even biking. We've had some really nice sunny winter days which would be perfect for either activity yet I've been so focused online that I haven't had any real down time for 5-6 months and it starts to show in some pretty obvious ways too. Sleeping patterns become disrupted, moods and mental states change even blood pressure goes up and stays up because we're in a constant state of alertness - thinking, pondering, worrying, planning with no reprieve from the stress it causes.

SO how do we get around this? I read an article the other day where a guy was spending 1 day per week disconnected. No phones, no computers, no internet, nothing. This seems like a pretty good way of ensuring you get the vital distressing time that we all need. Another way might be to set a time each night at which point phones, computers and internet are switched off and that's your unwind time before going to bed.

I'd be interested in hearing any other ideas for overcoming the constant state of "on" we now find ourselves living in.


sakopen.gif

Posted by: MacGyverGod 28 July 2013 - 10:42 AM
You know earlier this week I was thinking about that too. Twenty years ago this way of living was a dream. I got up, went to school, made my homework, watched some television or a video or played with my toys and went to sleep.

One might wonder do we actually need all this? But internet is our connection to the world out there now. It's been like that for the last fourteen years for me. I got internet since 1999. Before the internet it was actually the news and newspapers.

I think I'm one of the very few and I'm certain at work one of the only ones who does not check out facebook or e-mail when I'm on a break for the simple reason that I can't do that with my cell. I have a Nokia model made in 2005 or something and the bloody thing still works. It fell on the ground several times, front and back cover fell off, battery flew out, it just keeps working. Do have to say the speaker is slowly losing it. When I call or get calls the person on the other line often sound very distant or very far away. When I called my best friend a while ago, the line just flatlined or at least I think so, because she said she could still hear me, but I didn't hear her at all. Happened three times in one call. So I might wanna look out for a newer model with all the accessories.

Due to the lacking of an internet connection on a cell I still have to check everything on the laptop which also have had it's run after four years. I also think if I get a cell with internet connection so I can get on the forums and check my mails up there, I won't be using the laptop so much, but I heard in case of writing long posts a laptop or computer is much easier to use than. On my break I do wordfinds in a book. Maybe not exactly relaxing because if you look at a wordgrid to find the words it requieres concentration in a moment of relaxing.

Maybe we just turn everything off once you get home. Or maybe you don't turn anything on on Sundays. Mac also like to take nice quiet Sundays to read the paper. biggrin.gif

Posted by: Joe SAKic 28 July 2013 - 01:45 PM
Allocating an hour a day to fitness is easy. Being organized and motivated to do is the harder part. A short run or 2kn walk is easily done from home or the office and does wonders for both one's mental and physical health. And no, I don't take any personal communication devices with me when I'm exercising or enjoying nature You have to draw a line, I think, these days and with these increasingly invasive gizmos.

Club Med made a fortune on the concept of creating the ultimate relaxing vacation free from newspaper, radio, TV, telephones, and even door locks for awhile. They were right in their thinking that by eliminating the things that cause stress and by concentrating on the things that relax and energize you - you will have a more relaxing vacation. It worked well, although now I understand that the internet is alive and well there.



I think talking baby steps with regards to weaning oneself from the proverbially online umbilical cord is the way. Short outdoor stretches, with some breathing exercises and moving on to short walks would do wonders for just about everyone on this planet. And then just keep adding on to the routine ....

Posted by: Jediferret 29 July 2013 - 07:02 AM
Actually, my sister and I have been talking about this last weekend. The area I'm moving to has a lot to see and do. One thing I'm looking forward to is joining http://bernheim.org/, which is a arboretum and research forest where you can volunteer (full or part time). They even have nature break tours. I'm hoping to do that and check out the Kentucky State Fair in the next couple of weeks before I have to get back to the grind of working and being an adult. =P

Posted by: MacFan092985 29 July 2013 - 01:12 PM
I find that when I get home from work, usually after 10pm, I'm too tired and just don't care to get online, whether it be my laptop or my phone. I just take time to wind down and relax before I go to bed. The same goes for me on the weekend. Oh sure, I might get online, to check out this site, but I don't feel I "have to". Nothing is so important that I have to be online every waking hour.

Posted by: Scwilson 29 July 2013 - 10:02 PM
I know what you mean. Today there is no getting around technology. When I was a kid in the 1980's there was no Internet, cell phones, etc. when going to town I always had to have change for a pay phone. I know it seems hard for those who grew up with cell phones and the Internet to disconnect, but life is a lot simpler without a phone ringing in your pocket. People were less ant-social then they are now. You had time to sit and chew the fat. Communication was face to face, not texting. If you like the outdoors, go camping or fishing and leave the gadgets at home. The world will not come to an end.

Posted by: MacGyverGod 30 July 2013 - 12:59 AM
You know, if I get three phone calls or even more texts in one day, I can get really annoyed. Because I'm very used of not get any calls or texts. It always make me go like: 'Now what?'

Posted by: Daisy8577 30 July 2013 - 09:17 AM
I used to be that way MGod until I got my smartphone. I get hollered at for being on my phone a lot. The sad thing is that kids don't know how to unplug or unwind either.
Whatever happened to unplugging and playing outside with their friends?

Posted by: YopeGyver 30 July 2013 - 09:39 AM
My dad and I were just talking about this yesterday. People can get so wrapped up in their Facebook, internet, texting, and what have you - what happened to just talking to each other and hanging out?
Everyone just rushes and don't seem to have time for anything or anyone.
I spend a lot of my time outside either working with my dog, or drawing.
But, yes, it can be hard not to keep momentarily checking emails and such. I've found just shutting down my tablet works for me. tongue.gif It takes forever to come back on. laugh.gif

Posted by: Guest 31 July 2013 - 08:02 AM
QUOTE (MacGyverGod @ 30 July 2013 - 08:59 PM)
You know, if I get three phone calls or even more texts in one day, I can get really annoyed. Because I'm very used of not get any calls or texts. It always make me go like: 'Now what?'

Me too! And why do people always call when I leave my phone at home? laugh.gif

When I bought it I went to the store and asked for least expensive phone. As long as it's pink, I'm happy. biggrin.gif

Posted by: Jediferret 1 August 2013 - 08:47 AM
Today is my last day of having internet. It's getting shut off tomorrow morning, so I'll just have my phone (which has limited data usage). See how long I can go without it before I explode. XD Wish me luck...

Posted by: YopeGyver 1 August 2013 - 09:40 AM
*salutes Jedi*

Good luck and Godspeed, soldier...er, I mean Jedi. macsak.gif

Posted by: Daisy8577 1 August 2013 - 11:49 AM
Good luck Jedi!

Posted by: Matrix 1 August 2013 - 02:09 PM
Good Luck Jedi! biggrin.gif

Posted by: Jediferret 1 August 2013 - 05:43 PM
Thank you everyone! happy.gif I'll miss you all! See you when I get my butt back online! smile.gif

Posted by: MacFan092985 2 August 2013 - 06:27 AM
You will be missed. Take care. Return soon.

Posted by: MacGyverGod 10 August 2013 - 01:19 AM
I just read an article about downtime in a magazine. It's about this woman who is writing books about it.

She says you have got to find the off switch, rest more and consume less because the results speak for themselves. One out of three children that are going to the elementary school suffer from stress according to Dutch/Flemish research. And according to research one out of ten employees young than twenty-five already suffered burn-out because of years of chronic overload. Everything has to go faster and faster. It doesn't matter if you're on the internet, watch television.

She also says you should take a brainscan if you're constantly exploited to digital activity, you'll see for yourself your brain is in a slight overloaded condition. And you need the downtime so your brain can relax and take in all the information. And her advice is very simple and cheap: go at least offline for three hours everyday. Find the off switch. Because it's like we are becoming scared of going offline.

When she says offline, she does mean offline. Be unavailable. No internet, no cellphones, no tv. You might think you can exorcise loneliness out of your life once you turn on the tv or the internet but you'll only reach the opposite. It's like we have forgotten how to have an intermezzo: turn off all screens, put a little music on, read a book, take a walk, work in the garden, even stare into nothing might help. Because running from here to there while you're on Twitter, you'll remove you from yourself so far that every silence becomes scary.

Because we are always running for our jobs ourselves, we're always busy, constantly online, she likes to have a new debate on what the working hours should be. She says she wants a 25 hour workweek because we need more rest and less consuming if want to leave behind an inhabitable planet for future generations. Than everything should become less loaded. It's always about I work so I am, I consume so I am, I have six screens so I am... Turning back the clocks is impossible but our current situation should be adjusted/corrected and we should be asking questions about it. According to her we should look for new inspirations, because without new ideal we'll estrange from each other and ourselves which would and in a cold in selfish world.

Then next to the article is a small article about an American journalist called Paul Miller age 27 who spended a whole year offline. Might be worth checking him out. He was tired of the constant incoming mails and newsfeeds and was hoping to focus on what was valuable in life. But it didn't turn out the way he thought it would. He didn't became a better human being. Though it started well.

On April 30 last year one minute before midnight his internet connection got cut off and lived a little zonked out for a couple of months. He lost some weight without problems, became interested in Greek mythology and was according to his boss too productive. He wrote half a sci-fi novel, something he dreamed of since he was kid and according to his therapist he looked good. Paul noticed he opened up more to his environment and instead of spending time on cellphone on the subway he was looking for interaction with others. Than he noticed who much we can forget the world if you're only busy with your friends online. Though it did hurt him that a lot of his friends started to forget about him because all invitations are being send through facebook nowadays. But the new pace his life took still made up for a lot of things. The boredom and the lack of stimulation drove him to the things he always wanted to do, like writing, spending time with friends and family.

In August last year Miller was convinced he wouldn't like it to go back online after a year, but when winter started in New York stayed at home on his couch with a silent cellphone and only videogames to play. In the end he had to admit that the lack of action didn't came from the internet but from himself and that the problem he experienced before manifested themselves offline on a different way. He missed his friends who slowly forgot about him because he was no longer part of their world. It costed them more trouble to make a simple phone call than to send a tweet, text or e-mail. The first months felt right because the pressure of the internet fell of his shoulders but once he saw his life no longer in context of 'living without the internet' it didn't seem so special anymore. The power of internet is connection and it seemed he needed more of it than he originally thought.

And next to that article there are some hints on disconnected down time called the digi-diet. Some of those hints are quite obvious like read a book, go on a trip, go offline. Apparently there are apps that can close down the internet for eight hours. Or if you go out is to place all cellphones on the table and the first one who checks their phone have to buy a round.

This topic and those articles really got me thinking about disconnected down time. And the tip of the woman of just going offline for like three hours a day seems like a good idea. Maybe it's something to try out and maybe even a full day somewhere in the week. I wonder if I can get the feeling back of ten, twelve years ago. But that means turning off my autopilot of immediately turning the laptop on. I don't know, what you guys think of his.

It was long, I know but this was my 4000th message. biggrin.gif

Posted by: Wheeljack 15 December 2013 - 08:47 PM
QUOTE (MacGyverGod @ 10 August 2013 - 10:19 PM)
Because we are always running for our jobs ourselves, we're always busy, constantly online, she likes to have a new debate on what the working hours should be. She says she wants a 25 hour workweek because we need more rest and less consuming if want to leave behind an inhabitable planet for future generations. Than everything should become less loaded. It's always about I work so I am, I consume so I am, I have six screens so I am... Turning back the clocks is impossible but our current situation should be adjusted/corrected and we should be asking questions about it. According to her we should look for new inspirations, because without new ideal we'll estrange from each other and ourselves which would and in a cold in selfish world.

I'm kinda late to the table replying to this, but I've had dealings with issues that arise from being plugged in all the time recently. My ex-girlfriend CONTINUOUSLY checked facebook on her phone, so much that it made me feel like I was interrupting or intruding when I'd try to talk to her. It sounds ridiculous saying this about a phone, but it was like there was a third person in the relationship that I had to compete with. I found myself pausing until she looked up before I spoke, other times it felt like she wasn't even in the same room with me, her focus was so intent on it. Eventually I tried to talk to her about it, but got nowhere. I'm not saying facebook is all bad, but some people take it way over the edge. Further, I don't really see the fascination with who got married, who got a new car, or new dog or whatever with people you hardly even know and are no real part of your life whatsoever, especially when it's at the expense of people who are actually right there in person and care about you. I know someone else who's girlfriend has this same issue, and I'm sure there's millions more people just like em out there. So yeah, disconnection badly needed, some more than others.

MacGyverGod, I've read numerous articles saying essentially the same thing and have discussed it at length with friends. Having worked both part time in the twenty hour range and full time around fifty hours, I have to say there's something to this. When I worked fifty hours a week I had zero time for anything, all I did in my free time (haha, joke!) was sleep and on my day off I was too tired to do anything. This is no way to live. It's not living at all, really, it's going through motions like a rat in stuck a cage. Even forty hours is too much, although saying that aloud will get people to jump down your throat before you have time to pled your case. They don't want to hear anything like this, they want to stay in their bubble of believing they know exactly how life and the world should run. "You're just lazy, how dare you say that working long hard hours isn't a good thing!" Hogwash I say. We should all be paid a living wage that lets us get by on a twenty hour work week, so that we have more time for ourselves, time for people we love, time to think and time to enjoy being alive. Of course banks, corporations and politicians don't want this, they don't want you to think, they just want you to work continuously until the day you die in order to keep them rich and living the good life. "Just shut up, punch the time clock and move along..."

As far as disconnecting myself, sometimes I don't turn on my computers for a day or two, sometimes I leave my phone at home or turn it off all day. The world can wait, if it's that pressing people know where to find me. Generally. I don't go on long outdoor treks like I use to but want to start again. Honestly I need calm and peace, I can't handle people texting or calling all the time, bothering with facebook, rushing around with a billion things to do, or being at work endlessly. Others can handle it all, but I'm not them, I shut down and have to walk away. This coming year I'm planning on buying some land in the country where I can garden and grow some of my own food, camp, be outdoors and eventually live, happily disconnected from technology much of the time. smile.gif

Posted by: Wheeljack 3 April 2014 - 06:42 PM
This article is about what MacGyverGod and I were saying. Part of disconnected down time is having time for yourself.

http://www.antipope.org/charlie/blog-static/2014/04/a-nation-of-slaves.html

I'm taking my first step towards a slower paced and less stressful life. I'm moving in a couple days and no longer going to support a landlord. I'm buying and remodeling a camper for year round living (think Mac's houseboat) and I hope to have enough money saved to buy my own land sometime this year. smile.gif More time reading and doing things I love, less time OMG I need to get ready for work and OMG rent or bills are past due.

Posted by: denizen 3 April 2014 - 09:27 PM
Yup, life has certainly taken a turn into the freeway. Everything is crazy paced nowadays.

Sometimes its amazing to unwind and relax.

Posted by: MiracleMac 8 June 2014 - 02:41 AM
I started use internet in 2007, not daily of course. But now I feel my pc is useless, I mostly use it as encyclopedia, if I need.

I stopped to use completely my computer couple years back, kind of trying the pause and also because the older was mini pc and I couldn't download upgrade for the browser, you were only able to somehow program the browser to it. ..Well, two weeks later, the birth day present...new computer... biggrin.gif

Also Its not hard to live as my opinion, without internet...I probably waste just 20 minutes, not in day...in one week.

This reminds the computer, what once in a while we played with in kindergarten...aahh good old times laugh.gif

Posted by: Harry1982 8 August 2014 - 03:04 PM
I used to be heavy internet user and I had a terrible Facebook addiction. I also had a youtube channel, I was a member on several different forums and all. I spent way too much time on computers. At some point I decided to make a change in my life and I left the Facebook world, followed by all the other places I was involved with. For example now I have been without Facebook for 5 years and I don't miss it. As a result of all this, started to spend more time with the kids, slept better, outdoor, fishing, swimming, running and gym came back to my life. Overall the quality of my life improved a lot.

Nowadays the problem is my wife as she spends way too much time over the internet and facebook. I understand that the enterprise she's running requires some attendance over there, but it has started to feel like the Ipad is integrated to her hand. If I ask her to come with me and join to watch a movie for example, the pad travels with her, always in the need of checking the very important messages. If it's a case of quick reply, it often becomes a novel. The device has become a 3rd person in our marriage and it's annoying as hell.

Posted by: cmbj67 8 August 2014 - 05:44 PM
I guess I'm addicted to the computer, it's an escape from reallity to me.

Even if I decide to avoid internet for a day, when I turn on my laptop with the intention of just watching DVDs, I get the curiosity to see what's new in this forum, the other forum and twitter. I have no facebook or youtube account. My daughter is kind of jealous of my computer because I spend less time with her. It's true about the sleeping disorder, in fact it's 3.45 a.m. here and I'm texting instead of sleeping. Well, tomorrow I don't have to work. biggrin.gif

In fact I feel some stress but I learned how to manage it. My disconnected down time is usually my lunch time, I spend it in my car relaxing, reading or enjoying the scenery (a park) or even taking a nap. yawn.gif I turn on my cellphone only half an hour a day.

Posted by: Wheeljack 11 August 2014 - 08:55 PM
QUOTE (Harry1982 @ 9 August 2014 - 11:04 AM)
I have been without Facebook for 5 years and I don't miss it --- Overall the quality of my life improved a lot.

Nowadays the problem is my wife as she spends way too much time over the internet and facebook --- The device has become a 3rd person in our marriage and it's annoying as hell.

Harry1982;

I was on facebook very early, before most people had even heard of it. While I was never an addict, it was a time waster for the most part. I wound up deleting my account because I hated the idea of my rotten cheating ex gf being able to snoop in my business. I went for 4 years facebook free, then decided to make a new account. And shortly after I deleted that one for the same reason. smile.gif Never making another, and don't feel I'll be missing much. I do still wrestle with how much time I spend online though, both reading and on forums, I'm not as active as I use to be. The world spins just fine without me, though. I'd rather live life and actually do things instead of just reading or commenting.

If you read my post above then you know I sincerely feel your pain about the 3rd person in your relationship. That really stinks. I know that when (or if) I meet someone again that's not gonna be something I accept, I just can't deal with it. I hope you can talk to your wife and solve it, it's not right that you have to feel that way.


Posted by: Wheeljack 11 August 2014 - 09:13 PM
QUOTE (cmbj67 @ 9 August 2014 - 01:44 PM)
My disconnected down time is usually my lunch time, I spend it in my car relaxing, reading or enjoying the scenery (a park) or even taking a nap. yawn.gif I turn on my cellphone only half an hour a day.

Lunch break is all you need to unwind? Wish it was that easy for me. Either that or you have a really long break. lol I turn my phone off pretty often, too. Weird that is, nobody calls when it's on, but turn it off and everyone does - Grrr!

Posted by: cmbj67 12 August 2014 - 01:48 AM
My lunch time is one hour, but I forgot to say that it's disconnected down time also when I watch MacGyver, that is one additional hour or longer everyday. biggrin.gif I put my earphones on and my husband and daughter know they must not disturb (or I'll byte). laugh.gif

Posted by: MacGyverGod 12 August 2014 - 03:17 AM
I have a 45 minute break. Almost everyone is busy with their phones. I'm usually there eating trying to get my thoughts in order. Inside of my head is always a mess while looking out the window or reading the newspaper. I already consider myself spending too much time on the forums or Facebook while there is nothing to see actually. Even when I'm away for almost twelve hours a day, I consider having too much time on my hands on my days off. And also when I get home from work I dare to spend an hour or more on the forums first before getting dinner ready. This makes it mostly like 9pm when I get to dinner, watching my soap and then a movie and go to bed. The next day same thing.

Now I have two weeks off of work. Might be a good plan to adjust my way of living. I can try but I think the hardest part of that is maintaining it. Yesterday, my day went like this: got up, checked the forums, took a bath, checked the forums again, looked up some info during lunch, took a (too long) nap, read a book, checked the forums again, watched television during dinner, checked the forums again, watched a movie, final forum check went to sleep.

Still I have plenty of other things to do, like cleaning up the kitchen, doing the laundry and all. And they always only takes up twenty minutes tops. Of course that was my first decent day off in at least five months.

Maybe I should use these weeks to reconsider some things because it's really necessary and I'm on my own to try and keep it up but falling back is always so near around the block.

Posted by: Duckt tape 12 August 2014 - 03:27 AM
I wonder if people actually even notice how much they spend time online now that we have the smartphones to allow us to be always online.
I just saw some of my friends yesterday. One I haven't seen in two years and my best friend I haven't seen since May Day. We had a great time together except for the fact that they were all the time checking their phones. I study on the other side of the country so we really don't see that often. They never come to visit my place so the only time we have opportunity to see each others is the couple times of year, namely summer and Christmas, when I come home for a longer time. So that little time we do have together I'd really appreciate if they would spend that time with me and not by busying themselves with facebook. Yesterday one of them actually had a good reason to check his phone all the time as he was trying to change his work schedule for visiting a sick grandmother. But generally: What ever happened to the days friends actually spend time together doing things together instead of sitting side by side staring their phones?
Before facebook we actually called to our friends to ask how they're doing. Now there's no need as we see all we wish to know from facebook. Like I learned from facebook that the brother of my best friend got married and my other friend got pets, which has been her life time dream. It used to be so much more real and personal when you heard the big news on your friends life from your friends themselves instead of reading it from facebook. Just feels like real friendships doesn't even exist anymore and people don't know each others anymore. Just read facebook...

Posted by: denizen 12 August 2014 - 04:31 AM
The birth of the social network ultimately became the death of socialism amongst people. It is true. We have become very lazy and stick more to our habits than our potential to do more.

Lately, the misses & I have been watching reruns of The Wonder Years again and I almost wish we lived at a time like that. The future was still a valid dream of those living in an open society and it was safe for a kid to walk the block. Practicality reigned supreme over innovation and life was a little more simple.

I must confess that I too carry the iPad around like it was stuck to me. I don't even know why I do it. It is as if my mind has been brainwashed into thinking I need to seek answers to the outside all the time, when in reality I really don't.

We definitely have changed. It is important however to teach our kids of the values we learned. Because even if they are born in a world of technology, they will have the knowledge and option to obtain simplicity in their lives.

Posted by: MacGyverGod 13 August 2014 - 12:00 PM
The only thing I said kinda goodbye to was my MP3 player. I don't need music in my ears in the morning on my way to work or at night at the way home anymore and since then the whistling tone I used to hear doesn't bother me no longer. It is one thing though. I never liked the second one anyway and once out of frustration because of work and stress, I destroyed the damned thing and never bought a new one. But I do have to say, I'm easily annoyed by others on the bus mostly children so that's not exactly what it should be either.

Anyway I've seen The Wonder Years back in the day too. Everything seemed so much simpler back than. But that's what I say about the '90s as well. Our only connection with the outside world back than was the news or CNN. Further we had just Sega or PS1 and Windows 95/98 and no internet. What more did you need? You could play games on the computer, work on your documents, print it and deliver them personally to your superiors instead of simply mailing them. What more do you need a computer for? You want the news? Read the paper or watch it on tv. You want music? Listen to the radio or buy a cd. You want a movie, go to the movies.

Posted by: denizen 13 August 2014 - 08:44 PM
The irony of our feelings is that every generation have complained about the now and said how better life was back then. biggrin.gif Yet living back then seemed to be rather tough at times.

I am grateful I did not live during a war like my folks did. The only horrible stories my son will ever have to hear are my bad days at work if ever. biggrin.gif

I just wish he could grow up like I did. Walk the block, leave your door unlocked, ride around on his bike till whenever, watch a movie unsupervised. But in this day and age, there is no chance of that happening.

Posted by: MacGyverGod 14 August 2014 - 12:51 AM
Sometimes I think about it. Mostly about the war. And what you say about living back than and how tough it was. I can understand that during WO II times were tough. But sometimes I just can't help but think, how the hell did they go through the day? During WO II I can still think of a few things like helping around in the neighborhood. But as a kid and also later in the '50s and '60s. TV's were still a dream for a lot of people. The video gaming industry was yet to be born. Though it may not have been, it seemed very boring.

Posted by: KiwiTek 14 August 2014 - 01:14 AM
QUOTE (MacGyverGod @ 14 August 2014 - 08:51 PM)
Sometimes I think about it. Mostly about the war. And what you say about living back than and how tough it was. I can understand that during WO II times were tough. But sometimes I just can't help but think, how the hell did they go through the day? During WO II I can still think of a few things like helping around in the neighborhood. But as a kid and also later in the '50s and '60s. TV's were still a dream for a lot of people. The video gaming industry was yet to be born. Though it may not have been, it seemed very boring.

It's today which is boring.

Today kids sit around playing video games about war, or skate boarding or whatever. Back then kids actually went outside and played war for real. We built our own toy guns and weapons, we made bow and arrows and catapults and wooden swords and actually played out the action scenes that young kids only watch on a screen today. We built rafts and dirt bombs to have battles on the water against each other. We had the most intense games of http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_square you've ever seen where your entire reputation was on the line. We spent days builting forts out of old trees or mountain biking tracks and jumps out in the woods. We'd make our own adventures complete with hidden treasures and secret maps.

We did everything this generation does, except we did it for real.


Posted by: MacGyverGod 14 August 2014 - 01:21 AM
I should've joined the boyscout as most of my friends. Except it never came to mind. Not to mine or my mothers because I think if it did, she would've send me at the starting age of 6.

Posted by: Harry1982 17 August 2014 - 05:47 PM
We didn't need no boyscouts. We went to forrest, built treehouses and had some war there or treasure hiding. During night we had flashlights and played hide and seek. Cops and robbers with bikes, soccer & ice hockey tournaments, building ice castles, digging tunnels, adventures to old abandoned houses etc. I mean we did all kinds of things together in the outdoor. There were many times when parents were searching for us as we runned around the town, sometimes missing a whole day, but we never felt scared to be out there.

Nowadays it's so different. You definitely don't walk into neighbours house just like that. Now you hardly even know your neighbours and everybody keeps their doors locked. Back in the old days, everybody knew eachothers and we spent lots of time together, both parents and kids. Someone always had a party or barbeque where we gathered to have some food and spend time together. I really miss those moments and I don't think the times are getting back as we're so cautious and isolated nowadays.


Posted by: MacGyverGod 18 August 2014 - 12:52 AM
To compensate it, though I haven't seen any of it this year, during the summer some streets organise during a whole day (mostly Sundays) a play street. Meaning people in the street go out, let their kids play with other kids have a bbq and get together. But I haven't seen those this year though. These are also usually one-way streets and they close down the street for the day.

When I was young, I usally played on the square across the street.

Posted by: Wheeljack 15 September 2014 - 07:21 PM
I literally did whatever I wished as a kid. Within reason of course, I wasn't allowed to make fires near the house or outbuildings for instance. tongue.gif Just about anything besides that was fine and looking back it was great to have such freedom. I don't think it would be boring living in the past, although I would probably miss a few things. Eventually I'd get over it and find stuff to take it's place, I'm sure. And less people in the world would've meant more solitude and quiet for me. Me, my cat, a comfy chair, a pile of books, and sitting in front of a fireplace with no one around for miles. smile.gif Disconnected down time forever.

Ya know, I've the same thing about not locking your doors in the olden days soooooo many times I kinda wonder if that's somewhat of a myth. I think leaving your house open to any passing hooligan in any era was a pretty dumb idea. I like the idea that there's at least some measure of barrier between me and a thief or creep while I'm sleeping. Also coming to mind is a time I forgot to lock the door when a girlfriend was over and my mom dropped by. :blush.gif:

Posted by: Duckt tape 15 September 2014 - 11:00 PM
I wonder how it would be like to be a kid nowadays. Seems like kids aren't allowed to do much anything except for being online all the time. If, for example, some kid runs away from kindergarten it's always on the news. When did 'kids don't want to go to school/kindergarten' become a newsflash? When I was kid me and my friend run away everyday! We just got bored and walked to my friends house and came back to kindergarten before our parents came from work to pick us home. Sure it wasn't allowed but it wasn't that big deal, kids just used to want to explore things. Now when that same happens with the kids today people blame society, social services, teachers and wonder is there something wrong inside the family. What happened to the simple kids want to explore?

But fortunately there's still many things that haven't change. We still keep our doors open when ever some of us is home (except for the nights) and once in a while forget to lock it when we go out. And even when we're not home there's usually some door open in case we forget to take keys with us (which happens quite often). And I've always known my neighbors smile.gif



Posted by: Wheeljack 16 September 2014 - 09:41 AM
QUOTE (Duckt tape @ 16 September 2014 - 07:00 PM)
We still keep our doors open when ever some of us is home (except for the nights) and once in a while forget to lock it when we go out. And even when we're not home there's usually some door open in case we forget to take keys with us (which happens quite often). And I've always known my neighbors smile.gif

Years ago I was putting things away in a closet near my front door when I heard the knob rattling. I looked out the peep hole and there was this unsavory looking girl standing there. I watched here go to other apartments checking to see if they were unlocked. I lived in a larger city at the time. I wondered if she was just working alone, or had other people waiting to follow. Also what would've happened if someone where home.

A couple years ago I was living in a small town, nice area, zero crime, but one night someone tried to get in through the back door. They knew someone was home, I'm quite sure. They were trying to force the lock when their cell phone went off, which made me aware of their presence and they fled. They left so fast they even dropped some of their personal items, headphones and some other junk.

Food for thought. Keys are easily carried and only cost a dollar at any hardware store. smile.gif

Posted by: Fly_airdalton 16 September 2014 - 09:15 PM
Oh wow. I can relate. I do remember those times before the net came along.
I empathize with my children. I just wanted them to have a vivid, and very active childhood like me.Sometimes I look around the world I live in now...*shakes head in disbelief*

It wasn't all fun and games. However, some kids don't know how to be a kid anymore and that's a waste. We got into scrapes and scuffles with each other, but came back another day.
Bike racing, mountain climbing, playing sports, trick or treating,after school activities. Not to.mention scouts, choir, church, swimming in the summer. I was the king of my kingdom.
Maybe a laugh to some, but my room became my castle, defending it against anything that went bump in the night. My parents would have get togethers with famil,friends, and sometimes conducted business with dinner and a handshake. It was really "connecting" with people.I remember. holidays were a great time with extended family. We would play board games, cards and relax. I miss that interaction. Now its all about safety? Expensive security systems ,cameras everywhere; what happened to everybody? Luxury and consumption. Me,me,me.Crazee. I'll take my vinyl records, hot wheels, baseball cards,books, and the like any day. Now, I only use e-mail, internet when I have too. Kids don't get online unless it's homework related, and even then, only an hour. And no phones for them.No social media here .

Posted by: MacGyverGod 17 September 2014 - 12:32 AM
If there are minimum ages for Tobacco and alcohol and driving, why not one on social media? Like at least 16?

Posted by: Jediferret 1 November 2014 - 02:46 PM
A friend shared this with me, and I thought I'd pass it along here too. smile.gif


Posted by: cmbj67 2 November 2014 - 03:33 AM
That's true, thanks for sharing.

Posted by: MiracleMac 16 November 2014 - 05:33 AM
QUOTE (Duckt tape @ 15 September 2014 - 11:00 PM)
If, for example, some kid runs away from kindergarten it's always on the news. When did 'kids don't want to go to school/kindergarten' become a newsflash?

That is so true, I have always thinking that too, plus sounds like everybody are today calling police and TV truck to home when somebody have played little ding dong ditch... I just dont get those news doh.gif big deal

only in Finland

Posted by: Mac2Nite 15 December 2014 - 04:42 PM
I for one no longer watch the news. When the local news started showing mostly national & international news I gave up on it. Always made me feel like the world was falling apart when it really is mostly like others said... pulling news stories in from everywhere... and making mountains out of mole hills...

When I retired I noticed that I was still spending a lot of time online even though I no longer worked using a computer... so now I take one week out of each month and simply go off the grid... no computer... no cellphone... it's amazing how good it feels...

Posted by: Barry Rowland 17 June 2015 - 02:26 AM
It's funny, but my wife and I have had this conversation a good bit. She is cell-phoneless, and could get by very well without the internet. I have a cell phone, initially because of my job, but it has grown to be as big a part of my EDC as one of my SAK's. I like the internet, probably mainly because it's like having a library at home and I love to learn, as well as an escape. I've found myself leaving my phone at home and going out into the woods, fishing, hiking, or just enjoying the disconnect time. I can easily understand where Mac was coming from. You need the time to regroup or you just start to fall apart. He was WAY ahead of us I guess!

Posted by: Joe SAKic 17 June 2015 - 06:57 AM
I think it's easier nowadays in many ways. Although, having said that, I don't have a cellphone or any other mobile communications device. No minute to minute urgency in my line of employment. So, when I leave the computer, I leave the communications world. When I get back, there are all my messages and 'calls' listed in chronological order ... and I can get to them when I please. The evening news & newspaper has already become yesterday's news by the time it arrives and thus time saved there as well. And email saves a ton of time & money. No more heading to the post office and bank each day/week. Also, I have some legal proceedings going on ... and email saves so much trouble and time-wasting snail mail correspondence. Sure, it's all addictive like any stimulant that hits the same part of the brain ... but all worth it and better in the long run.

Posted by: KiwiTek 17 June 2015 - 01:27 PM
Yep.

I guess the trick is to use what you need when you need and not let it become an addictive part of your life - which can be much harder than it sounds. laugh.gif


Posted by: Joe SAKic 17 June 2015 - 04:56 PM
There's a guy on another website who limits his internet time to exactly 1/2 hour a week ... to the second. If he's in the middle of type/thought on a post .... he just hits send wherever he's at and with a disclaimer at the bottom saying that he will be back next week to finish anything that is unfinished. Love it! If we were all only half that disciplined .... laugh.gif

Posted by: MacsJeep 13 July 2015 - 09:48 AM
I have old 80's cars that I like to tinker with in my spare time. I guess this constitutes my "down time." I even used the old duct tape on one last week.

As a teen in the eighties, I really do miss the simplicity we had back then. In fact, part of me still lives there, I think. I still love to watch eighties tv, drive eighties cars and listen to eighties music!

Posted by: Jediferret 14 July 2015 - 09:27 AM
From what I remember of the 80's, it was a bit more optimistic about technology, communication and the future. I remember going to Epcot Center as a kid, and the premise behind it was the importance of communication and understanding through technology, arts and science. That was back in 1982 though.

But, I'm right there with you. Things were always so much simpler when you're a kid.

Posted by: MiracleMac 29 September 2015 - 06:09 AM
Finally I got rid of the computer, meaning I only use it when I check my email and pay the bills (and write this message) that all takes max 5min per week even if I check the email every day. If there is boring day, then it's boring day, no need to go to internet to spend that boring time away. And this isn't just some temporarily "pause", this is completely totally finished and I'm going to keep this way because after 1 week off time, this just feels so much better and easier for my brain cool.jpg

Posted by: Maclover 2 December 2015 - 01:09 AM
I've been able to limit the 'social networking' to a single bulletin board at any one time and only ever two in total (currently this one - much nicer folks here than the last one). No Twitter (ever), no FB (Ever) etc. and I run LinkedIn for business use only. I have a Flickr account, but its just for me. I have a PAYG mobile and only top-up for calls no (data package), I shouldn't think I take more than 2 calls a month and the only text's tend to be from/to my kids - possibly 10 a month. The mobile is for me and mainly for urgent stuff/getting the kids sorted. I tend to carry it switched on, but occasionally it runs out of battery ad sometimes I don't notice, sometimes I forget it. My brother who had a mobile surgically inserted in his back pocket at birth rants when on the rare occasions he needs to call me if I don't have it and gets most put out when I tell him that I don't carry it for anyone, but me!

I use my tablet occasionally for maps in cities, keeping up with the footy scores when my son is at a match and need to be aware of the result when I collect him), and for reading - I do use it at night before going to sleep - I do occasionally post on here from it, but it isn't that easy to type on and I prefer my portable or PC for proper typing (as now). My worst addiction is emails and I do often check for these, but very few people write to me and I guess I respond to a couple a week that aren't work. I switch work-work off at 5pm, but my own work often runs into the night so then I am using IT until late.

In terms of growing up, my kids haven't had the freedom I did. Now the fields I played on all have houses on them, my old riding school is built on, but the old tree I used to climb is still there. I also had neighbours (lived on the outskirts of a town) and all us kids played outside in the square and as we got older, yes, we roamed the local streets on our bicycles.

I was pleasantly astonished to visit friends in Canada in the summer and find that their estate had front facing garages and the whole community still enjoyed a kind of 'open garage' mentality and everyone sat at the front of their houses and still knew everyone - a bit like my growing up area 30 years ago. I don't think it would happen in the UK now.

My kids have no neighbours, we live in an separate house in the countryside, but I have always let them have friends round when they have wanted it. However, they have had our land to grow up on and spent much time outside when younger. I let them have phones and portables when they went to school (everything at school seems to be done online - this change in education can't be good - they would struggle without a PC for school work which is incredibly bad I think for anyone that can't afford this luxury for their kids as they would have to do it all after school in the library!). Daughter is good with them, I have to watch my son who is a bit addicted to cerebral type games (not shoot 'em up), they also have PAYG phones with no data package - I pay so they have to watch the text bill with their mates. They also have no social media accounts so far. I am a mean mother?

Posted by: KiwiTek 22 January 2016 - 03:23 PM
Here's an http://www.stuff.co.nz/content/dam/images/1/9/6/o/2/l/image.related.StuffLandscapeSixteenByNine.620x349.18zban.png/1453501213592.jpg about people living "off the grid"

http://www.stuff.co.nz/content/dam/images/1/9/6/o/2/l/image.related.StuffLandscapeSixteenByNine.620x349.18zban.png/1453501213592.jpg

Posted by: MacGyverGod 22 January 2016 - 05:11 PM
All I see is a woman cleaning her solar panels.

Posted by: Barry Rowland 22 January 2016 - 09:40 PM
I'd love to have solar panels to clean! I've always been tempted to try to make my own generating station with a windmill and a generator, just to see if I could do it.

Posted by: KiwiTek 23 January 2016 - 01:25 AM
interesting article about leaving Facebook.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/76191082/i-left-facebook-because-it-made-me-lonely


Posted by: KiwiTek 23 June 2016 - 06:59 PM
Interesting little article about downtime and mindfulness.

http://chriskresser.com/how-distraction-is-rewiring-our-brains-and-how-mindfulness-can-help/


Posted by: denizen 23 June 2016 - 08:51 PM
It would seem that technology has the better side of us. unsure.gif

Posted by: KiwiTek 23 June 2016 - 09:35 PM
It's preparing us for assimilation!

Resistance is futile!

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Posted by: denizen 23 June 2016 - 10:16 PM
roller.gif Scary but true. We are slowly becoming a one collective.

Posted by: Maclover 24 June 2016 - 12:37 AM
QUOTE
Scary but true. We are slowly becoming a one collective.


Maybe, but not in the UK this morning!! roller.gif

Posted by: denizen 24 June 2016 - 12:52 AM
You can say that again! surprise.gif

Posted by: KiwiTek 5 July 2016 - 08:52 PM
Here's a great article and video about a guy getting the work/play/life balance right. Lucky guy!

http://www.outsideonline.com/2005376/guy-has-perfect-work-life-balance-you-can-too


Posted by: Jediferret 6 July 2016 - 11:37 AM
That's awesome... There's something about nature that has such a great recharging effect. I have a lot of friends that keep telling me how burnt out they are. I've told them to take a day trip or a long weekend out of town. They don't seem very keen on it though... most of them just want to stay home and do nothing.

When I was burnt out at my previous job, going out of town actually really helped me a great deal. Couldn't explain why that was... but I was in a MUCH better mood when I returned.

Two things I've always wanted to do was rent a cabin on a lake somewhere... cookout and just kinda enjoy nature. The other was to go back to Lake Placid in the Fall and stay at Whiteface Lodge. So far... none of my friends are interested. They all want to go to Vegas... =P

Seriously... how can you say no to place like this: http://www.thewhitefacelodge.com/


Posted by: Maclover 6 July 2016 - 01:58 PM
Jediferret - tell you what, when I get those 6 numbers up I'll come with you! biggrin.gif

Seriously I love the outdoors, I really hate the fact that I have an IT based job, but working mostly from home is a plus as I can spend some time having tea breaks in the garden. I sometimes think I'd like a job building something like dry stone walls, but cash gets the nice things in life and so I work on my PC. I'd like a cabin by a lake too, but I don't think we have such things in the UK - it's nice to dream about though. Anyhow, I've just booked a weeks camping trip on the South coast of the UK at the end of August with the kids. We will be on a formal camping site so not hiking with a tent - though we will go out for daily hikes and visits. I have a large tent that you can stand in, and we take things like airbeds, tables, chairs and a decent 2-ring gas stove - it more than roughing it, but not as posh as glamping. I never have an electric hook-up though. However, we won't go entirely off the grid, we will take mobiles and I'll have internet access for things like the weather forecast. They will charge slowly from the car when we are out and about - it isn't that I can't manage without a phone, but when it is just me looking after the kids the fact that they exist provides a little reassurance. I have a very basic GPS system if we hike somewhere a bit obscure - no map display - just figures so I can double check a map reference (I like a bit of redundancy in a system, and I've already purchased the 1:25000 Ordnance Survey map - we always take basic emergency hiking gear with us and I know a good deal about emergencys. If it was just me, yes, I'd be up for some back-packing (which I've never actually done), but I don't know if I'd entrust the safety of my family to just me. Does that sound daft?

Posted by: Joe SAKic 6 July 2016 - 02:07 PM
Air pollution is a major contributor to oxidative stress. I'm not going to list the chronic diseases that this kind of stress is linked to, but it is extensive and you guys are well adept at Googlin' by now. wink.gif So, with that little ditty in mind, a woodsy retreat with fresh country air 'should' start to work wonders on your system within minutes of intake and within hours begin to scrape the cerebral rust from your circulatory pipes. Spend a week and you may never leave for "The Big Smoke" every again. biggrin.gif Heck, if you could ever combine your true calling/passion with a more country lifestyle, that would be the ultimate in therapeutic lifestyles. Where there is a will, there is a way!

Jedi, Whiteface looks really cozy and there are plenty of maple reds in those Adirondack autumn hues. I love sitting out on the verandah at twilight in those kind of places, with a slight crispness in the air and drink in that woodsy/earthy aroma of decaying leaves combined with the faint hint of a distance wood fire. Heaven on Planet Earth!

Posted by: denizen 6 July 2016 - 08:04 PM
Well, darn gosh, im just not so sure anymore Jedi. Just did a search on Lake Placid on my trusty Google bar and look what popped up!
user posted image

Think I'll take my chances at home with the rats outside. biggrin.gif

(Just kidding. Whiteface Lodge looks incredible!!!)

Posted by: Barry Rowland 7 July 2016 - 07:12 AM
I agree! Count me in!

Posted by: Jediferret 7 July 2016 - 08:38 AM
LOL! Denizen... XD I remember for years after that movie came out, that's all my mother would talk about. OMG! We're going to Lake Placid! Look out for alligators!! lol

Maclover - You bet!!! I think one of the hardest thing for me to find in friends is a willing travel buddy. They're either not interested, don't have the money and/or don't have the time. I would probably get a cabin with indoor plumbing and electricity, just because I wouldn't be able to completely rough it... well, at least, not my first time doing something like that. Eventually, I would love to do the whole camping thing once I know what I'm doing. haha!

Joe - Completely agree with you. The town I live in has a lot of pollution from the bourbon distilleries, and it's been linked to the areas high cancer rate. I've done a bit of research on it as well, just because there's been this black gunk on everything here... it was all over my truck when I had it. Found out it was a fungus that is caused by the ethanol(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baudoinia_compniacensis). So far, there's no proof it's hazardous, but I don't think it's completely harmless either. The smell alone from the cooking bourbon is not only gross, but it's very strong and heavy, and it's even worse in the summer humidity.

Fall/Autumn is my favorite season for many reasons... the changing of the tree colors, the smell of wood smoke and the cooler temperatures. In fact, Fall is when I'm the most active because the weather is so nice... so, I know what you mean. lol When Fall rolls around, I'll try to get some nice pictures from Bernheim. It's lovely there and I don't go there as much as I'd like. =P

Posted by: denizen 7 July 2016 - 08:51 PM
So there you have it! Whiskey fungus does onto gators what radiation does to lizards!
user posted image
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Posted by: KiwiTek 25 September 2016 - 04:48 PM

Posted by: Maclover 25 September 2016 - 11:11 PM
KiwiTek, As with so many similar things, the irony is always how you viewed it, isn't it?

Posted by: MacGyverGod 2 December 2016 - 05:03 AM
In recent news the importance of disconnected down time has been discussed. And it seems more important than ever before. I have liked a Facebook page about a person who suffers from burn-out and who dedicates the page to peoples with burn-out. She says and this has been confirmed by a neuro-psychiatrist that it's important not be online all the time because 20% of peoples between the age of 25-35 wake up exhausted because we are always connected. You're constantly alert and we want to do and be too much at the same time which makes you so inefficient. Burn-out is something that happened mostly between the age of 45-50, but the last few years the age of 25-35 took the lead in this. And it happens more and more.

The neuro-psychiatrist says it's important to learn how to use technology and how to divide your workday: being connected, being disconnected, deal with real people, when to work.

The issue has been addressed in recent programs: the news and other talkshows. I hope they start realizing now we are dealing with a serious problem here. People who are barely out of school are burned out only after a few years.

It sure makes me look on the current situations and I'm pretty sure we're destroying ourselves with what we expect from ourselves. So make sure you disconnect in time.

Posted by: Macgyver1985 2 December 2016 - 06:51 AM
QUOTE (MacGyverGod @ 2 December 2016 - 03:03 PM)
In recent news the importance of disconnected downtime has been discussed. And it seems more important than ever before. I have liked a Facebook page about a person who suffers from burn-out and who dedicates the page to peoples with burn-out. She says and this has been confirmed by a neuro-psychiatrist that it's important not be online all the time because 20% of peoples between the age of 25-35 wake up exhausted because we are always connected. You're constantly alert, and we want to do and be too much at the same time which makes you so inefficient. Burn-out is something that happened mostly between the age of 45-50, but the last few years the age of 25-35 took the lead in this. And it happens more and more.

The neuro-psychiatrist says it's important to learn how to use technology and how to divide your workday: being connected, being disconnected, deal with real people when to work.

The issue has been addressed in recent programs: the news and other talk shows. I hope they start realising now we are dealing with a serious problem here. People who are barely out of school are burned out only after a few years.

It sure makes me look on the current situations, and I'm pretty sure we're destroying ourselves with what we expect from ourselves. So make sure you disconnect in time.

So very true indeed, MacGyverGod!

I hardly ever am online, seeing that I have other responsibilities to take care of in the real world, in any case, I completely agree with this observation...

Posted by: MacGyverGod 12 December 2016 - 09:47 AM
Here's again something I found very interesting on disconnecting.


Posted by: uniquelyjas 1 May 2017 - 03:48 PM
Wow, another great thread to comment on!! Though I must point out the irony that as we are complaining of technology taking over our lives, we are sitting at a computer!! Anyway, at work the computer is my life-line. E-mail is THE way to communicate, even with co-workers in the same office area. Sometimes I'll walk into someone's office and literally say: "I was going to e-mail you but it's easier to just tell you..." I also make a habit of "unplugging" before bed. About an hour before I go to bed I turn off my computer and sit in the den with my mom and read a book. A REAL book, with paper pages and everything! My major time to disconnect comes once a year when my parents and I rent a house on a lake. There is no phone so we take our cell phones mainly for emergencies and safety matters (we both still just have an old fashioned flip phone that just makes phone calls). Unfortunately, due to the way society has almost forced tech upon us, we now also take a laptop because we found we could get NO information about events, attractions, restaurants, etc. without going to their website.

Posted by: Barry Rowland 1 May 2017 - 10:31 PM
I like it! Unfortunately I've been spending waaaay too much time on my phone. I really need to disconnect and go back to smart phone free days....

Posted by: MacGyverGod 28 July 2017 - 07:49 AM
It's been a few months in this topic but I just wanted to share something here. Since the past month or so during several weeks, I've been sleeping with my cell phone off. I can tell you one thing, I've been sleeping better and deeper without that thing on. Anyone else who has tried to before and what were your experiences? Sleeping with a turned off cell phone for the first since perhaps the day you bought it?

Posted by: Barry Rowland 28 July 2017 - 12:10 PM
Ever since I switched out from a flip phone to an Android I've found myself glued to the thing. I need to try that! biggrin.gif

Posted by: MacGyverGod 28 July 2017 - 01:03 PM
I still have my very first phone I talked about here. Turning it off is a good thing.

Posted by: MacGyverOnline 28 July 2017 - 05:34 PM
QUOTE (uniquelyjas @ 2 May 2017 - 11:48 AM)
Wow, another great thread to comment on!! Though I must point out the irony that as we are complaining of technology taking over our lives, we are sitting at a computer!!

Oh it's much worse than that!

I'm typing this reply on a smart phone!! doh.gif


Posted by: Barry Rowland 28 July 2017 - 06:27 PM
And I'm reading this on mine!!

Posted by: Maclover 30 July 2017 - 02:28 AM
I lot my alarm clock for a while following a trip (its a travel one and I've always taken it on trips) and for about 6 months I've used my mobile as an alarm and clock in my bedroom, I have one of these stands and it charges as it sits on it and it has an 'always on' display that runs on minimal current which shows a clock.

However, what I discovered is the phone also has a 'do not disturb' setting on it. I can set a time night and morning and between those it won't ring, buzz, bleep etc. The only permitted action is the alarm in the morning. The only slight problem is that if a message arrives a blue light flashes on the front of the charger, so I just sit something in front of it so I am not disturbed by the flashing. Though this is only an issue when I charge it upstairs and have it plugged in apart from that I just use the stand to hold it upright.

I quite like the flexibility that this allows and I must admit the phone is easier than remembering to flick the clock alarm each night and constantly changing it for my odd different days. When I need the 0415 alarm I just flick that on and the other one off and even that is easier than the palaver involved in changing the alarm times on my other little clock. It does seem the best of both worlds.

Posted by: MiracleMac 13 August 2017 - 02:12 PM
I'm soon changing my smartphone back to my old basic cell phone. I have owned my first smartphone like two years and I still haven't got used to this habit that I had to charge this phone very often. That leads sometimes to the problem when I'm waiting my friend to call me, so hours later I realize that my battery have been dead, so no wonder that nobody called. I had to charge my previous phone like only once in 1 month and I still have that routine printed into my brain.

Couple years ago I was considering to get long-life battery for my basic cellphone just for fun, to see if the charge holds a life over an month, but before that happened I suddenly got the smartphone as a gift so here I am struggling with battery life.

It doesnt really matter if I would change back to the older one, because I'm using that smartphone anyway as the old phone = haven't found need to use that wifi in public place or in home. I like to use rather computer in home and writing emails on my "office" table and when reading some interesting articles in web I'm kind of more focused in quiet place like home, so I don't have to interrupt my reading and focus where I'm going like in local bus or train.

Posted by: MacGyverGod 13 August 2017 - 03:02 PM
Must be a real old model than. I still have a 2005 model which needs to be recharged about once a week. Currently what's holding me back to buy a new one is indeed the same reason as you. If I want something from the forums or Facebook for instance, I'd rather do it on a decent computer than to have to stare on a small cellphone display. If I would buy one, I think I'd more do it for the games on it than anything else.

Posted by: MiracleMac 13 August 2017 - 10:39 PM
The time when I had that old phone I was in school and I guess back then I didn't really made so much phone calls because all my friends were studying in same school so we saw each other face to face everyday so we didn't have to call to ask that can anyone hang out after the school. I also made more those "How you're doing" phone calls with my relatives couple times in month which were probably the only calls which duration was in minutes. So that kind of pace kept my phone alive about month.

That actually wasn't so old phone, some 2010 released. I read a while ago reviews from my old phone first time and I was surprized that everybody was complaining about the battery life that it's too short. I guess you have to make super duper so much calls, but in my experience if it stays on table not completely OFF but with key lock ON or you make only seconds long calls every day, it doesn't eat anything from the battery. And when the battery shows very narrow red bar, you can still use that phone like 48 hours and make average amount of calls. That eased my panic when once I had to make very important phone call and I noticed the bar changed to red.

Now in job life I haven't experienced to use that older battery life, but these days if I'm hanging out I first send a message rather than call to say only couple lines, so that can still make the older phone stay alive longer, if I take it back.

Posted by: MacGyverOnline 14 August 2017 - 01:45 AM
Using your computer and phone separately like that is probably a pretty good way of controlling the constant connection. It's like having a built in down time.


Posted by: MacGyverGod 14 August 2017 - 02:22 AM
I barely make phone calls and I hardly ever get called. There is occasional texting but also rather on the rare side and to be quite honest, I consider it a disturbance.

Posted by: Barry Rowland 14 August 2017 - 06:05 AM
Now that you mention it, I probably use mine more for the internet than anything else. With a couple exceptions, my phone doesn't ring and only a couple people text me with any degree of regularity. When I had my flip phone, it hardly saw any use. I'm almost tempted to find one again..... biggrin.gif

Posted by: Jediferret 14 August 2017 - 08:16 AM
I actually hate using my smart phone for typing up messages. When typing up posts for here, I always use a computer. Less likely for autocorrect to make me look like an uneducated heathen. I don't need help autocorrect, I can do that very well on my own... =P

Like you guys, I don't really get a lot of calls... mostly spam. My friends will call me out of the blue every now and again. We mostly text or talk via Skype.

I loved my first phone, which was a Motorola Razr. That flip phone was awesome. I'd love to go back to it actually, but I don't have it anymore.

I'm not the world's biggest fan of social media though, mostly because I've seen the damage social media can cause... mostly back when MySpace was still a thing. Who remembers MySpace? XD I don't use Twitter much only because I feel a tad exposed there. I prefer Facebook because I have privacy settings in place.

Call me weird... lol

Posted by: Maclover 14 August 2017 - 11:54 AM
Another advantage to the Mobile that I've discovered is the option to check my emails on it. I run my business through a large desktop computer. Without the phone I used to turn on the big computer with associated monitor, printer etc. by default with the on button just to check to see if there were any emails that I needed to sort out a response for (most of my work comes via email). Now the emails also come to the phone (which tends to already be 'on') and so I only need to turn on the big system when I have an email to sort out. It therefore saves on power and time to have the phone.

It did take me a while to spot this advantage for my use, but it does explain the popularity of the mobile for e-communication, I think they have supplanted the PC/Computer because they tend to be always on. Checking is as instant as looking and with a sound alert you don't even need to look. As opposed to a computer which sometime take minutes to boot just to check for messages - no matter of what type.

The interesting thing though is to enduring use of written language - the advent of things like Duo are working on face to face communication, but the written word still continues to have vital importance in our communication life. I wonder how long that will last for?

Posted by: MiracleMac 14 August 2017 - 02:38 PM
QUOTE (Jediferret @ 14 August 2017 - 08:16 AM)
Like you guys, I don't really get a lot of calls...

Same here. Often when I go out for a walk or bicycling with exercise in mind, i leavy my phone to home. If I'm bicycling like miles away from home very fast as usually, I don't want to interrupt my exercise by answering the phone

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