The rise of nerd-power has been awe inspiring, but I have mixed feelings about what their amazing technology has done to my life. The pressure to keep up with the latest technology really gets to me sometimes. I want to learn it all, but the mental capacity on the left side of my brain is sadly limited.
Sometimes, I’m a little embarrassed about not keeping up, but have decided instead to concentrate on reinserting more physical activity into my days. A front row seat watching this neighborhood crew pour a new concrete pad in our yard reminded me how far from physical labor I’ve drifted. The prep work alone took us my husband days, but the pour, well… concrete is heavy. No way could I have kept up, not did I really want to wade into the muck. But I know bodies are built to move, not sit for hours in front of some kind of screen, so I have a new mission. Move more. Work my body more.
We’re not hooked to the universe via smart phone yet, and my children are constant reminders that mom and dad are pathetically behind with their little flip phones. Whenever we’re out somewhere and I ask a question, my daughter’s answer is always the same as she whips out her iPhone, “Why don’t you just look it up.” This is always followed by my stare and her response, “Oh, yeah, I forgot.”
I’ve lapsed into too many hours sitting, what with writing, thinking, contemplating, ruminating, planning, TV and gaming. Maybe the mental work will help retain my wits over the years, but my body is being left behind. I’m grateful that my large yard is begging for help right now, and it’s way cheaper than joining the Club in town.