To Much Internet Time

Sept 15, 2010 – Steve and Judi should be back in Mbita a 4 weeks from today.  That means we are on the downside of our stay here.  Once they are back, we’ll have a couple of weeks with them here and then head home towards the end of October.

Seems kind of strange to be talking about the timing of returning home.  A while ago I thought it would never come.

We have much to easy access to the internet this time around.  Last time we always had to go someplace to connect.  This time with having the mobile internet available it’s just to easy and we are keeping our addiction up.  I do okay if I check my mail once a day, even though I only get maybe 5 e-mails a week that matter at this point (my kids never write me).  I’ll also browse the Google news headlines – Kenya style is I have time.  I’ll have to write on that one sometime.  Interesting to see what makes it on, particularly in the world news.

I’ll also pirate my wife’s facebook account to see what’s up.  I definitely feel less isolated reading snippets from people back home.  But I can see why I gave up my account months ago.  Lucky to to have 3 or 4 items that are worth the time they take to read.  Another half dozen that are interesting, but not worth the time (at least at my reading pace), and most of them I stop reading after about 4 words.  But still, there is something comforting in it and I take a look every day or two.

I think Joyce is worse than I am.  She’s much more comfortable being on twice a day, however lately she’s only averaging once a day.  I must admit that she has more going on and get’s more worthwhile e-mail than I do.  She spends more time on the facebook, but it’s the same stuff I look at and I don’t see what she spends so much time on with it.  It is fun however to have that instant chat thing, if it is the right person.  Since our days here are out of whack with back home, usually not to many hits on anyone I care to say hey to.

There was something refreshing last time in getting removed from the internet and instant access to the world.  It took a while, but after a couple of months, I no longer really cared if I made it once a week to an internet enabled place or not.  I think most people could benefit from getting disconnected for an extended period (I’m talking weeks or months here, not minutes or hours).  I think it lets you control time rather than time control you.

Need to fire up the mobile modem to post this now, so over the internet from Mbita,

Paul