Unplugged for 24 hours

You know the feeling of leaving your cellphone or finding your server down? There’s this feeling of being disconnected.

A friend of mine who gives travel tours talked about an experience bringing these businessmen to Mongolia where they felt so worried about not having any signal for them to use their smart phones, tablets and laptops. Related my friend, “For them, the silence was deafening and they at first felt agitated.”

Last March 20, I read an article about how New Yorkers are giving up cellphones in favor of the traditional landlines. Actress Shailene Woodley was quoted as saying, “I am talking to more people than ever because I no longer have that crutch. The more you get away from all the technological buzz, the more freedom you have.”

Honestly, I felt intrigued and thought about doing it. I repeatedly postponed trying out for the same reasons I should – all my work is technology-based… until yesterday.

“Why not wait for Thursday when it’s a holiday,” an officemate tried to seduce me into thinking otherwise.

Wednesday was exactly it. I was going to the office and had two meetings outside. And of course, my work never sleeps.

I was determined to spend a full 24-hours offline – no cellphone, no internet, and certainly, no gadgets.

I usually get up at five in the morning and one of the first things I do when I get up is power up the wifi and bring one of my three tablets to the bathroom. Old habits die hard and I reached out for a tablet. No, I told myself as I withdrew my hand as if I had come in touch with an offending object.

That was the easiest part, believe me.

After showering and getting dressed for the day, I made my way downstairs to prepare my bag for work. All my gear is on a table and all I had to do was grab them. Now I was in a quandary as I experience my first bit of hesitation. With some trepidation, my laptop, iPad mini, iPod, and cellphone stayed home. However, my backpack was much much lighter.

When I got to the office, I set down the take out breakfast I got from McDonald’s and the coffee in the cubicle next to mine. Usually, I plug my laptop (I have three of them at home that I all use for specific things) and my office laptop (that I leave at work) then fire it up to check any work mails. Today I didn’t.

What the heck am I going to do?

I had nothing to use to write and with no music player, the silence was indeed deafening. I tried to remember what it was like when I first began working in 1991. That was an advertising agency that was owned by the distributor of Apple Computers (Apple MacIntosh) and while there was no internet then, I used it to write copy for commercials, ads, and jingles. I stored my notes on floppy disks.

I smiled at the memory of it.

Then I did something I had not done in ages…. I read the day’s newspaper from cover to cover. The essential headlines might have been literally yesterday’s news but I soon found myself engaged.

I grabbed a notebook and began taking down notes from the newspaper. Quotes, news, information, anything I might need for some future endeavor. It was something I had not done since those advertising days.

I suddenly recalled the time when I was also writing for a newspaper covering what was then known as the Philippine Amateur Basketball League. We wrote out stories on a sheaf of paper, typed them on a typewriter, then dictated verbally our story to a copy editor. Whoever wrote their stories the fastest and first got to the few landlines in the press room was the luckiest because they didn’t have to wait in line.

Imagine that! And I had experienced that.

The problem with writing down notes is I sometimes do not recognize the scribbles on paper. Using laptops and computers has seen my longhand skills atrophy. Most of the time when I sign or encash bank checks I am asked to re-sign them because my specimen signature doesn’t match what I scribble down. Never mind if the picture on the legal identification cards is me staring at the clerk’s face. I used to think I had great penmanship but now especially shorthand writing, it all resembles chicken scratch.

Today, I had to be even more conscious of my penmanship and am happy to say that after a few hieroglyphics, my writing then became readable. It’s not the perfect block writing I used to have but it’s not so bad.

I have not owned or used a wristwatch in about 15 years. I have since been reliant on my cellphone or computer to tell me the time. Today, I had to ask people.

More so for my first meeting that was in Burgos Circle at Bonifacio Global City. I told the person I was meeting about not having a phone for the day so we pre-arranged the meet. Now if something happens, like one of us is going to be late or unable to make it, we won’t be able to inform each other.

Earlier in the day, one reason why I hesitated about leaving my iPad behind was because of its built-in camera that I planned on using in taking photographs. Now how do I get a picture, I wondered?

It didn’t matter as we didn’t meet. Apparently, we were in two different Coffee Bean branches. I waited for exactly one hour then left. I went to look for other Coffee Beans in the area but we didn’t meet. I just hope there are no consequences, I wondered.

I then proceeded to my next meeting praying it would not be a repeat of the previous episode. Thankfully, the meeting pushed through without a hitch.

Usually when I go to a grocery, I jot down prices of the things I don’t purchase as I compare them with prices from other places. Without my iPad or phone to jot down notes, I filed them to memory just as I used to do. I hope my memory is just as sharp as it once was, I prayed.

The usual dip I purchase wasn’t available although there was an alternative. Without any gadget where I could Google (imagine that has become a verb) the brand, I had a beguiling choice – chips with this different branded salsa or nothing at all. The former won out and while the other brand isn’t as good as my usual one, it isn’t so bad either.

Then I realized I had a notebook with me so I wrote them down. One grocery employee approached me and told me that wasn’t allowed as I might be working for a competitor and I am taking notes. Hmm. I reasoned out that I was merely taking down the price because I wasn’t sure if it was expensive or not. He disallowed me from taking down notes while the lady next to me was taking photos on her smart phone. And he allowed that. Go figure!

When I arrive home, after a bit of rest, I get down to work using my laptops. I write away on articles power point presentations or marketing ideas or answer email. I Tweet, update my Facebook status, post pictures and articles or chat. Sometimes, I watch things on my laptop.

Once more I had to fight off the urge to use my laptop or even check my phone.

I ended my day just as much as I started it, reading a book that I had long put off doing. I had a little more time for my sons and my dog. And for once, I wasn’t harassed at all my the numerous emails and spam that I am bombarded on a daily basis.

Was the 24-hour detox liberating or a huge inconvenience?

I survived a day; a not so hectic one, and I’d have to say that it was both liberating a little inconvenient. Maybe if I were more prepared I could have managed better. They don’t have any of those old time instamatic cameras for sale do they? That is so 1980s and 90s.

When I got up the following morning, Thursday, June 12, 2014, I didn’t reach out for my plethora of tablets on the table next to my bed. I didn’t switch on the wifi. I went about doing some house chores like I once did – prepare some food. Put some ice inside the pitchers of water. And I bought a newspaper from the nearby convenience store. To read from cover to cover.

And now, three and a half hours after I got up from bed, I checked my email (of which there was a lot). I answered text messages and sent ones to those who tried to call but got no answer. I finally Tweeted and updated my Facebook status. And then I began to write using my laptop… and this piece that you are just reading.

The author works for Mindshare Philippines where he has Gatorade for an account. He also writes for several publications and websites and is very active on social media.