Blog Post #13

E-Media Fast

This week's assignment is to go on a 24-hour "Media Fast."  That means no cell phone, computer, iPods or even TV.  I figured that this assignment wouldn't be hard on a busy day (like my day yesterday).  Since I wasn't at home to use my computer or watch TV (I don't have a smartphone), I had no problem with those.  However, my husband and I don't own a landline.  I don't even know where I would go to use a regular phone since most of the people I call (i.e. my family) are long distance. My husband's cell phone is a company phone with a Birmingham number, therefore even calling him would be long distance.  I will have to admit that I used my phone yesterday but only twice: one to find out a time for dinner with friends and the other to find out where our friends decided to go eat. Each was a text message.  I hope that doesn't count as skirting the assignment, but my conclusion is that I would be completely isolated without my cell phone.  There is no other form of communication for me (if I have no computer access).
I don't think I could have done this assignment on any other day.  Because it was a Saturday and I had a lot of social events planned where I would be with people face-to-face, I didn't miss the social offerings of the computer as much.  I don't think I could have done it during the week, though.  My husband works long hours; and most of our friends/family are in Birmingham or are people we don't see much during the week.  My real connections to others are through social media (Facebook & Twitter), Skype, email, and text messaging.  If you take those away, you might as well throw me on Gilligan's Island.
I think this relates to my future students because in the same way that I don't want to be "unplugged" I know that they don't either. Technology is just as much a part of their lives as it is mine... and probably more.