Technological Solitude

While preparing to head to the lake last week for vacation, I looked forward to some down time. I expected the sun. I expected some long, country walks. I expected some quality family moments.

What I hadn't expected was my withdrawal from technology.

As a business owner, I am ALWAYS "plugged in." Email. Phone. Internet. Searching. Replying. Inquiring....working.

As a mom, I use technology frequently as a way of finding pertinent information for the crisis of the day (fevers, rashes, how rainbows get their colors) as well as just a way of coping with the day to day stresses of being a stay at home mom, by reading mommy blogs or just chatting with compassionate friends who are in the same boat.

After a few brief moments of solitude at the lake, I checked my beloved iPhone, out of habit.

What??? No service!? But it's my iPhone...a gift from the techno gods, how could it let me down?

I walked around, arm outstretched for hours, just hoping for a half of a bar...let alone all 5. I went to each side of the cottage and all the way out to the end of the longest pier (which fortunately happened to be ours) and still, only a fraction of a bar, and no Internet access. Where we were, was apparently far from an ATT tower, hence my lack of connection.

I finally discovered a spot by a window, that if I held my tongue out just so, and didn't breathe, I could get just enough bars, and my Edge connection for Internet access and email connection. Ahh, sweet relief.

Most people might think I'm a bit crazy for actually wanting to have contact to the outside world while on vacation, but I really love technology. I also love working on the business, so for me, working on vacation isn't really work.

Now, running after an insane 3 year old all day who can't sit still for two seconds, and absolutely without a doubt must always go in the opposite direction as you want him to and do what you told him NOT to do at least 5 more times...or trying to coax the 5 year old to come out of the cottage long enough to give his alabaster skin a rosy glow.....now that is work.