Battling Addictions of the Electronic Type

It has not been much of problem while on the boat or at sea, but now that we're back in the Land of Plenty, we admit that we have some serious addictions and battling them is difficult. It's not drugs nor drink that have taken over our lives … it's electronics … cell phone, internet, TV, Words With Friends … the list goes on. We're ashamed, but we're feeling helpless.

It all started when Lin, my sister, gave me an iPhone for my birthday soon after we returned to the US last December. We couldn't figure out how to use it and doubted we ever would. Now, as unlikely as it seems, it is an integral part of lives. There's a resounding ding which beckons attention whenever a text message or an e-mail arrives. It dings all the time. Last September while crossing the Atlantic, we thought it was okay to check emails once a day. Now whenever we hear that ding … we grab for the phone to check it. Really … what could be that urgent? It's a Pavlovian response … although checking texts is probably better than salivating and drooling.

We've started sitting in front of the TV each evening. It doesn't matter what's on. We glance up while playing Words With Friends or Sudoku on our iPads … making sure to check the phone whenever there's a ding. Sometimes there's conversation which many times leads to an unanswerable question … our memories aren't what they used to be. Then Siri gets involved. Apple's Siri (Speech Recognition and Interpretation Interface) answers our questions or tells us where the nearest Chinese restaurant is or what time the local supermarket closes. Mary does not have a telephone book in the house, nor an encyclopedia, nor a dictionary/thesaurus. Why would she? Just consult the internet or easier yet, ask Siri.

We cannot go anywhere in the car/truck without the phone. We wouldn't know where to go or how to get there. After all, the iPhone is really not for telephone calls at all (although I do appreciate the R&B piano riff that sounds when a call comes in). It's a GPS … and a camera (movies or stills) and a flashlight and a message/email minder and an address book and an appointment calendar and so much more. It appears our whole life is totally tied up in this small device that we couldn't figure out how to use three months ago and is now, predictably, impossible to do without. How did that happen?

I read a newspaper article the other day (yes, my hard copy, hold in my hands, black-ink, delivered-to-my-door morning newspaper) about detoxing from cellphone/internet addiction. Technology addiction is a science unto itself. There's even a Center for Internet and Technology Addiction which provides self-tests you can take on-line (the addicted will really love this) to determine your level of addiction.

It's definitely time to get back to the boat where internet and phone access isn't as easy. Specialists recommend a gradual weaning rather than a cold turkey approach. Yes, we'll suffer some withdrawal initially. We'll get fidgety and panicky and feel a bit unsettled and disconnected … but we'll survive. We understand that in order to recover, there will be pain involved. No pain, no gain. Thank goodness we're not addicted to sailing … much.

Unexpected Luxury - A Daily Newspaper

We were walking through WalMart the other day (yes, WalMart) when a young man offered me a free copy of Nevada's largest daily newspaper, the Las Vegas Review-Journal. I accepted. He also offered me last Sunday's paper. Again, I accepted. He suggested that I might want a daily subscription. Probably not. “Well, it's only $8.99/month, home delivery is free and I'll give you $15 in WalMart gift cards, if you subscribe today. You can cancel any time.” Uh-oh … he had me at $15 and cancel any time! I signed on the dotted line, paid my first month and used my $15 in gift cards at the check-out.

We haven't had a daily newspaper subscription since we lived in Wisconsin … 17 years ago. I know it's outdated to purchase a hard copy newspaper (probably ecologically unconscionable, too), but there's something to be said for spreading out the newspaper and poring through it as you sip your morning coffee. There's something somewhat sentimental having newsprint ink all over your hands.

So I brought my free newspapers home and started reading. I learned lots in less than an hour. It seems that Cuba's prized cigar tobacco crop is in jeopardy. New, more ethnically and physically diverse Barbies have just been introduced to the market. The Clydesdales were in town. Peanuts, Dilbert, Blondie and Garfield are still in the comic section, but the political cartoons were much funnier. I would not have googled any of these topics, so combing the newspaper provided some interesting information … useless, but interesting.

I discovered that a new national monument would be opening soon near Las Vegas - Tule Springs Fossil Bed National Monument. Established in December 2014, the monument aims to protect “paleontological resources that span the last 250,000 years, including the last two Ice Ages. Entombed in ancient muds, the fossilized remains of Columbian Mammoth, Camelops, American Lions, three species of Extinct Horses, and Ground Sloths can be found.”

I also stumbled upon a scenic 62-mile drive along the shores of Lake Mead. Northshore Road “offers desert panoramas, colorful sandstone formations, rugged mountains and sweeping views of the lake.” Sounds good to me. The $20 entrance fee is waived for holders of the National Parks Senior Pass … like the ones we have. Sounds like a good outing possibility.

Last, but certainly not least, after studying the paper's TV guide, I realized that with hundreds of channels available, there was nothing worth watching this week … and I didn't even have to channel surf to figure it out.

I wasn't sure if the rest of the family would be as enthusiastic as I was about my decision. Mary put in first dibs on the crossword puzzle and the coupons. Karen was interested in using the newspaper as packing material for our upcoming move. David has been perusing right along with me each morning as we sip our cuppas. Since the first two months end up being free, I think we're gonna bask in the luxury.

The Art of Slow Travel

Gentry, our niece and webmeister, was visiting with us in Las Vegas recently. She was extolling the virtues of the “slow travel movement”. I had to Google it before I understood that we've been part of the slow travel movement since we moved aboard Nine of Cups in 2000 and we didn't even know it. I think that's before they gave it a label.

After further research, I learned that the keys to slow travel revolve around interaction with the local community, people and culture. All the things we love about our liveaboard travel life. None of the “If it's Tuesday, it must be Belgium” packed itinerary nonsense. We stick around in one area and get to know a bit about it, experience our surroundings ... maybe have a few of those awesome 90-day rule events. We walk everywhere, go grocery shopping and have leisurely morning coffees at the local cafe, meet people, learn about them.

A few years back, I was asked by Women and Cruising what I liked best about the cruising life. Here was my response...

“Probably three things come to mind immediately...independence, adventure and travel.

Independence and self-reliance are key ingredients of the cruising life. Neither David nor I was brought up sailing...we learned it all from scratch in our 40's. We found a whole new life and a whole new way to look at our lives. Where endless meetings, product introductions and bottom lines once ruled, we're now concerned with weather windows, bottom paint and charting courses. We're constantly challenged to be innovative and imaginative.

I've always loved to travel, but cruising is beyond just traveling...it's cultural immersion.

Beyond visiting a port or country for the usual two week vacation, we “live” in the country...sometimes for months. We learn the language, the shortcuts, the times for the fresh markets and the names of the vendors who give us the best deals. We celebrate local holidays, make local friends and share family outings and celebrations. Each new port, each new country, each new experience in our cruising lives is a new adventure.

To me...this is what life is all about.”

I believe I was describing the slow travel movement and independent travel. The slow traveler doesn't necessarily rely on tour companies or travel agents. They read, do their research and figure out their options. They thrive on learning about the places they intend to visit and they celebrate the differences in culture. They move slowly from place to place, taking in the experience rather than treating each destination as a box to be ticked off on a checklist. Let's see … that's us, us and us. We're already signed up.

In fact, there's an entire “slow” movement brewing up … everything is slow … cities, books, food, even slow money. Finally, the world is spinning at our speed.