I’m baaaaaaack! Back in the glorious world of my online life.
For those of you who don’t know, husband and I have been sustaining from all media for the last two weeks, including TV, radio, blogging, social media, internet, texting (HA!). You can read more about it here.
Here’s a little behind the scenes of the Alderman’s media-less journey in tweet form …
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Day 1: I dreamed about Instagram last night. My body is already fighting this challenge.
Day 2: I.Am.So.Productive.Without.Media.
Day 3: Our life does not revolve around our TV shows and I love it.
Day 4: The “texting only for necessity” rule is very obviously not going to work.
Day 5: This is so easy. I don’t know what I was so worried about.
Day 6: This is so hard. All I want to do is instagram NWA Fashion Week.
Day 7: Again, all I want to do is instagram NWAFW. What’s life if you can’t share it?!
Day 8: No radio in the car = borrrrrring.
Day 9: People keep asking me if I saw _______ on Facebook or _______ on the news. I feel so completely lost.
Day 10: I can’t watch TV, yet I’m filming a TV commercial in Ohio today. #irony
Day 11: Media is one of my idols.
Day 12: I broke. I listened to Taylor Swift and it was GLORIOUS.
Day 13: I had one of the most fun nights with friends & I might not have if I had the option to just laze at home with TV.
Day 14: If I didn’t have to get up so early tomorrow I would definitely stay up until after midnight to watch TV. I have a problem.
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What we didn’t end up doing with all our free time: exercising, cooking more, cleaning, crafting.
What we did end up doing with all our free time: spending more time with friends, reading, relaxing, having in depth conversations at the dinner table, understanding the meaning of peace.
How difficult this challenge was for me was a sign. The first week seemed too easy because we were so busy with work and other things. The second week was so hard. All I wanted to do was share about my travels to Ohio on FB/Twitter/Instagram/Blog. All I wanted to do was watch a really good movie and relax with a good laugh during The Big Bang Theory.
Husband and I both realized how much more we can get done without media. How much time we waste sitting in front of the TV or the internet without even realizing it. How often we say we don’t have time to – work out, have a quiet time, talk to someone on the phone, etc. We’ve decided we’re going to start limiting our TV time during the week to an hour a night.
Except this week. This week we’re immersing ourselves in everything we missed. The Walking Dead, Revenge, Scandal, Nashville, The Big Bang, New Girl, Glee (& more) … we’re coming for you.
xo xo
March 24, 2013 | Categories: Faith, Life | Tags: 7, entertainment, media, mental-health, social media, technology, television, TV | 2 Comments
Okay friends, it’s about that time. Time for our media blackout. As part of our 7 challenge, for two weeks we will be giving up:
- TV/Movies
- Social Media (for personal use, since it’s my job I can’t necessarily give it up all together)
- Blogging
- Video Games
- Radio
- Texting (only texting out of necessity is allowed, no texting conversations)
- Internet (except what’s needed for daily life for bills, etc.)
What will we be doing with our time, you ask? Good question. I keep asking myself the same thing. Here’s the typical night in the Alderman household: come home from work, take Olli out, turn on the TV for background noise, cook dinner, eat dinner in front of the TV, watch TV, go to bed.
Yes we watch too much TV, I know that. Yes we shouldn’t eat dinner in front of the TV, I know that too.
In the same vein, here’s my typical day in social media consumption: wake up – check FB/Instagram, head to work & while sitting at a traffic light – check Twitter for morning’s news, periodically throughout the day – check all three (most of the time Instagram, over and over and over), get frustrated because people aren’t updating their lives regularly enough on social media, get back to my job (about social media), heading home from work while sitting at a traffic light – check Twitter for evening news, periodically throughout the night – check all three. repeat.
It sounds exhausting, doesn’t it? But I have a feeling I’m not the only millennial with those consumption habits.
All that to say, this is going to be a really tough two weeks for us. If husband wrote this blog he would talk about how hard giving up video gaming is going to be for him. He has replaced Saturday morning cartoons with Saturday morning video games while I sleep. Video games are his stress reliever, as blogging is mine.
* * *
Here’s the plan to combat media withdrawals:
Read. Read. Read. – I have at least two books I want to finish, but I’m shooting for three.
Take Olli on long walks every night after dinner.
Enjoy more quiet time with God.
Deep clean the apartment.
Invite people over and spend quality time together.
Do a DIY/Craft project together.
Attempt more complex recipes.
Games! – We are officially kicking off our media sabbatical by hosting a game night for our community group Sunday night.
Start a workout routine. – Insanity or P90X does not count as TV, per the council’s decision.
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Next time you’ll hear from me will be March 24. I plan on journaling our process (in a REAL journal, not a blog) and sharing some of our insights, pains, joys and photos from our weeks apart. If you need me, call me, or just stop by our apartment. I’m sure we will be happy for the company.
xo xo
You might also enjoy: 7: Possessions // Week 1, 7 : Waste
March 9, 2013 | Categories: Faith, Life | Tags: 7, blogging, gaming, health, media, mental-health, social media, technology, TV, video gaming | 4 Comments
m.davis xoxo 