It has taken seven years of retirement. for me to shed my watch, and not have the need to time myself, when mowing the grass. It is still hard, and at times...I fall off the mower...I mean wagon! http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ellyn-shook/old-habits-die-harda-crea_b_7701660.html
I've actually never heard that song, but I like it. I used to be pretty addicted to my phone, computer and iPod, but if I didn't need technology to make money to survive these days, I'd be happy to unplug for longer periods of time. It probably helps that I don't talk to most of my family online, since they aren't even on the internet, but in many cases, I do prefer actual in person conversations, or even telephone conversations, to impersonal internet communication.
I no longer wear a watch, either. Not only is it not necessary, it is also harder for me to read a watch, and I would have to wear one of the really ugly ones which have big numbers. I usually have my cell phone along with me, so I can check that if i need to know what time it is. I do not want to be unplugged from the internet though ! This is how I have contact with my kids and my family and friends and that is one of the most important things in the world to me. Also, I totally love that just about anything that I am interested in can be found on the internet, so it is a source of continuing education for me. I can learn about ancient history, I can travel the world and see places that I will never see "in real life", so for me, it is more of a blessing than not.
Most of my life I had been addicted to collecting things. I could easily have been one of those guys visited by Mike and Frank of the show "American Pickers". My childhood was spent amassing collections of stamps, coins, comic books, rocks, cap guns, bottle caps, cigarette packs, pencils, maps etc. My teen and adult years saw collections of books, firearms, edged weapons, air guns, old catalogs and magazines, car parts, (as a teen I was attempting to get enough parts to build a model "T" Ford). Since I turned into a cranky old fart and moved into an apartment building, my collecting addiction has pretty much ceased. We can't have guns here, so my last collection was disposed of. I can't amass piles of old magazines and catalogs, so they were all sold on ebay. Most dated from the 1920's to the 1950's. I had a collection of knives but gave them to a daughter to distribute among family. It's kind of boring not having lots of "stuff" around to mess with.
It's always been easy for me to "unplug". It never bothered me to let the phone ring and not answer it. It took me until last year to learn how to use a smartphone - because I just hate phones. I never wore a watch until a few weeks ago, when I won a new fitbit. Now, my husband on the other hand - he literally runs to the mailbox as soon as the mailman comes. He couldn't let a ringing phone ring without answering it to save his life. He checks his email at least every 30 minutes or so. Oh well, he's only been retired for 5 years or so - he'll learn eventually that nothings that important.
I hate phones, because I have to answer one at work all week, and seldom is the caller on the other end all that happy, I feel a sense of revulsion just hearing a phone ring. When Friday comes, if I am not on call, the phone goes off and does not go on again until Sunday night to set the alarm clock. With that being said you would think that would be another piece of technology I would not need, but I still use the radio alarm clock. I just usually wake up long before the alarm goes off. I don't wear a watch. I don't like to clock watch for the most part. I decided long ago having a watch makes me careless. I would feel rushed and forget things, it just caused anxiety. Not to mention watches, no matter what type they were seemed to just self destruct on my arm. Didn't matter if they were the wind up kind or a battery operated one. It was as if my body would just reject such a thing and they would do weird stuff, like lose minutes or just stop then start. I have no idea why, but I do know that there is nothing more annoying then realizing a clock is not working right. For the most part of the day when I need one, I have my computer clock and a wall clock in the office. that is more then enough.
I haven't had regular television in years. Instead, I use whatever I can get through my Roku, and that's plenty enough, I do have a smartphone but I don't feel the need to answer it unless I am expecting a call. This doesn't mean that I never answer my phone because some of those calls turn out to be important but I don't feel the need to drop whatever I'm doing because someone wants to try to sell me something over the phone. My wife says that when the phone rings, I look at it as if I have no idea what that noise is. Mostly, I have the phone in case I need to call someone, and because I use it as a hotspot. I haven't carried a watch very often since I quit working as a paramedic, since I rarely have to do things at specific times.
So true old habits die hard. Love the video too! Thanks just what I needed to read and hear today! Sometimes it takes us time to get accustomed to the idea of what we need at present time. I never go anywhere without my watch and even sleep with my watch on. Old habits do die hard!
I never got a pocket phone, and don't ever intend to, even though they are now free here. I have a landline at home with a corded phone, and answering machine. Quite enough. I can wait to get home to make a call or check messages, and if not, I know where the few remaining pay phones are. Pocket phones are a privacy nightmare, and burner phones are way more expensive than they are worth. Had to give up my wristwatch a few years ago. Could never see the time without fishing out my eyeglasses. Someone on a forum recommended this: https://www.amazon.com/Polder-Portable-Kitchen-Stopwatch-Combination/dp/B00004S4U7 ...and that is what I carry now. Easy to see the time, and the timer is wonderful for ADHD, plus the countdown function lets me see exactly how long it takes to get from my door to any destination so I can plan it out for return visits. I'd like to get one of them pocket music players about the size of a pack of cigs, but it seems too complicated to deal with. Right now my home PC is my pride and joy. All the other stuff I can easily live without.
Are you a creature of habit? I’ve noticed lately that when I open a packet of sweetener, I turn it so that I open it at the sealed end. If the folded end is up, I turn it down. Why? Beats me. That started me thinking of other things I do by habit. I put my right foot into my shorts/ pants first. If I should put my left foot in first, I take it out and redo it. Why? Beats me. I always put my left shoe on first. Wouldn’t want to start the day off on the wrong foot. When I brush my teeth, I always brush the top left side first; outside then inside. Then the right side. Then the top front. Then the bottom front. Then the left way back and, finally, the right way back. It feels odd if I try to do it any other way. When I start my car, I always put my seat belt on before I start it. Then look to make sure it’s in park. Wouldn’t want to take off unexpectedly. Are you a creature of habit, too? ........................................................................................................................................ I wrote this to post a while back and never got around to posting it. This seems like a good place to post it.