52 Nights Unplugged

I saw a news segment the other day talking about time management, computer over-use, and a web site, called 52 Nights Unplugged.  Of course, being a computer addict ( :P ), I went to the site and began reading all the posts and forums. Basically, the idea is to give up one night a week using computers/phones/TV/etc. Giving up your laptop, PDA, TV for just one night a week, and doing something else — anything else.  And the idea has been stewing around in my head since.

The more I think about it, the more I can see the benefits.  I’m over tech’ed in many ways.  I saw in the CNN article this morning some research from Solutions Research Group, that said 63% of Blackberry users take their PDA to the bathroom.  I just about died laughing, because my Treo and I seldom part ways, and many times it does come to the bathroom with me.

Movies, Music, Internet, my online friends, email, RSS feeds, Reddit, News, Youtube, IRC, Skype, blogging…..

I don’t take a laptop to bed, but my computer desk is literally 3 feet from my bed — perfectly accessible at all times for chatting, blogging, surfing, stumbling, IRC’ing, and the other 9 billion things a person can find to do on the net.  And many nights, when I don’t have my son, I’m literally plugged into my computer via a USB headset, with a couple of USB extensions, so I can walk around the house, listen to music, “watch” an episode of Law & Order, or CSI, and still hear everything.

And really, I check email, my subscribed RSS feeds, reddit, BBC, & Drudge way too often.  I use Google Reader for reading RSS feeds, which shows your “trends”, or how often you use the reader — I can’t even say how often without being a bit embarrassed.

2 cell phones (mine, and one supplied by my job) – texting, email reading, chatting, games, etc. My work cell (thankfully) goes off after work, and stays off – usually.  My personal cell — well, for the most part, that is for my son, and my fiends to get a hold of me — everyone else can go to vm :P

I know that I couldn’t give up being online all-together, and even giving up one evening a week, I won’t be totally disconnected the whole evening..

1) I use the net to communicate with my friends, who are far from me. Skype, chat, IRC, our blogs.. not giving that up at all.
2) Work related use – heh – I could give that up totally.. if I could win the Lottery.  Though, now that I don’t work from home, it’s a lot easier to get away from work related activity – or at least, not still be doing work at 10:30 in the evening.

But I really like the idea of having one work night that has little to no computer use at all. There are so many things that I would like to do, that, for some reason, never get started once I sit down at the computer desk.

1. I’d like to start really painting again – not just the occasional ‘crafty’ moments with my son, but really paint.
2. I’d like to be able to read more books
3. I’d like to paint (the walls) of my kitchen, bathroom, and living room
4. I want to fix those jeans I’ve been meaning to fix for months
5. I want to go for walks or to the gym more often
6. I’d love LOVE to organize my storage room so that I can actually walk in it

I’m going to chose one day a week, though it will have to vary weekly. I’m going to pre-schedule it via my gmail calendar.  That way, I can plan fun things to do, if it be painting, reading, going out for walks, or having dinner with friends.

I’m looking so forward to it, I might just start tonight, but I am a procrastinator at heart.  It might just be tomorrow ;)