Silverwalk Hermitage

In the end, the software in my iPhone 4S was “totally corrupted.”  Because of work obligations, I was without it for 3, almost 4 days, before I could drive the 2 hours there and back to St. Louis to an Apple Store for repair or replacement. I spent about 3 hours on the phone (Google VoiP) Sunday night with Apple Care till they, without acknowledgment, hung up at closing time, then another hour back at Sprint on Monday. They checked out the phone again, then gave me the bad news re: the need to travel for repair due to Apple’s proprietary repair contract. Once the very young man at the Store had my phone in hand, it took about 3 minutes for him to replace the software. I wanted more energy expended; and they did almost everything on iPads!

initially, I was very bothered not to have my phone because it is now my main phone – I gave up my landline plus I was “on call” that Sunday night and another night before repair. I let everyone know I was using my old trusty TRACFONE as a back up.

Not having a wee computer with me at all times ended up being a relief: no checking email first thing on waking, no lingering Facebook checks, but no camera – except the one on the iPad which turned out to not be so good – very difficult to keep it still.

From my visit to our National Cathedral

I remember before home WiFi, laptop, iPhone and iPad, how I would go outside int he morning (when it was warm enough) to read and pray my morning office. I sat in the yard swing beating off dogs who wanted the lap where my BCP and Bible were. I miss that – I miss getting out and into real life instead of working so much on computers.

And yet, everywhere I turn, I need to do something online: finish a class, updated my license, check out some information.  I have a great concern for those people without access to computers or to libraries. One woman with no car found me when she was at her library with the librarian doing a search for her about a Coonhound. She had nothing many of us take for granted: travel means, online access, a job….yet she was concerned and worried about this dog…..

As I try to formulate changes for my life in the coming year, computer use is one; do I keep the home WIFI? Do I keep the home computer connection at all? why not just use the library? Would using our county transit system, when I have no firm timelines, be of benefit for my pocketbook, environment and community?  How lean can I get my life style in terms of spending, habits, increased availability to others (don’t want this lean!)…

God meets us where we are. As I look back at this past year, I have felt angry most of the time; was it because I disconnected myself from real life to spend many more hours online (“but I don’t have TV” – HA); did I feel a loss of control because hours went by throughout the day with lost productively or decreased physical activity? And where does God want me in this next year, day, hour?

How are you aligning your life to best serve God this coming year? Are you listening to that still, small voice as She speaks to you through corrupted software and the like?

P.S. – Saturday night the iPhone crashed again, unable to “restore” it via iTunes. Could this be a less than subtle hint from God? or just a bad phone? Stay tuned (oohh, bad pun).

I don’t have much to say of late – and this is not changing.  I do think of comments to make; by the time I get to the computer, they are gone and the thought process is nil.  So, I am sharing some photos of one of my old dogs.  She is a rescue dog who needs a home but I’m sure she will be here the rest of her life.  I took these photos with the Hipstamatic app on my iPhone; it is the only camera I now have – I’m always looking for more photo apps to add and use.

Enjoy Allie Mae – she is now deaf, devoted to me and I am happy she is here.

Face of an Old Dog - Allie Mae

Allie Mae - herself

Allie Mae with shadow

Contemplative Allie Mae

Related articles

• 52 Week Project/ Week 6 (gallery32.wordpress.com)
• Hipstamatic’s new app brings a film-like delay to photography gratification (venturebeat.com)
• Michelle’s Mini Guide to Hipstamatic (gauchealchemy.wordpress.com)

I like show jumping! Don't know how this relates to the text

Sometimes, I wonder whether or not to continue writing – or to even use my computer as much as I do now.  I visited with a friend yesterday.  She is in her mid-30s, has no computer at home and only uses hand-me down cellphones from her sister.  I admire this simplicity in her life.  I remember when I contemplated just using the MS computers at the library – they were available, free and using web-based email and blogs, I could keep up without needing bookmarks, per se.  Of course, I didn’t do this and I think my life and work have suffered as a result.  I am over-burdened with tech stuff: laptop, iPad, iPhone (w/o data plan), Tracphones, a portable DVD player,  and Nooks (note two: an original one and the second generation w/o color).  What to do?

I plan to sell the first Nook or perhaps both – I have the Nook app on the iPhone and iPad after all.  Why not sell the iPad?  I don’t use it so much for emailing, etc. but do use it as a radio (with the TuneIn app, it will play even with the cover closed), for streaming video and movies mostly so far; I do see uses for the iPad unless I give up my home WiFi – then, it would be bound for sale.  The iPhone will stay as I use it as my camera with a Tracfone for my cellphone.  The iPhone is paid for and generally is free except for apps (I avoid paid apps but have some for nursing and did pay small amts for a couple of photography apps).   I may look into an iPhone 4 or an iPod after the new iPhone 5s come out – wait for the prices to drop .

Why this monologue about tech stuff and life?  Minimalism, simplification, paring life down to needs more than wants.  In direct contrast to this school of thought, I bought two books last evening – not e-books (though they would have been cheaper) nor did I take them out of the library (which would have made more sense and which I am using more and more) but real books to hold in my hand and read.  One was by Dr. Nick Trout on dogs and people; the other is The Virgin Suicides – a well reviewed, well written first novel not in my normal line of reading.   When I lived in Sioux Falls, SD, I liked to walk into the library where they had a shelf of recommended books.  Found my fav book of all time, A Lady’s Life in the Rocky Mountains, by serendipitously picking it up off that shelf.  I now try to do the same in Cape; expand the mind to other authors, thoughts.  My interest in architecture and home-making led me to Home by Witold Rybczynski – and other books by him.

To be more available and attended to God and the needs of others, I find I want to lessen the load and expectations of keeping up with the Joneses (or the Jobs in my case) as well as share the largesse accumulated over the years with those who can use it more than I currently do – I pray for ablility to move quickly if and when needed without regrets.  Stuff is stuff – people and God are real.  and the dogs .

Related articles

• The Computer As Friend And Source Of Freedom (pittsburghflashfictiongazette.com)
• Simplicity and Prayer (anamchara.com)
• Setting up Simplicity Is Workn – Part 2 (simpleisworking.com)