No screens, no technology – what did you do with your hands this year?
This is a harder topic for me. Most of my life is wrapped in technology. My studies, when they’re not actually about computers, almost always need software to get done. A lot of my hobbies do as well. I write through a keyboard, and often read through a Nook.
There were a few things that I managed to get through without screens. Chief among them was my fitness routines. I made a lot of progress in improving my running times. I also managed to regain a little bit of my old boxing technique.
Socializing was more scarce this past year than many others. Many of my older friends got their degrees and moved to find work elsewhere. A few fell out of touch. On the other hand, I attended a weekend workshop class that had me live with a dozen other students out of town. It was a pleasant experience that introduced me to several interesting people. I liked being able to break up my routine and use some non-technical skills for a short while.
Camping has become a more ambiguous pastime for me. I enjoy outdoorsmanship, but I realize now that I no longer enjoy camping with family. I found myself aggravated for little to no reason, spending much of my time trying to appear like I was enjoying things. They are the same people as they’ve ever been. I think that’s my problem.
I’d like to change, but so long as I live here, I can’t. There’s a quote from the First Law trilogy that comes to mind,
“If you want to be a new man you have to stay in new places, and do new things, with people who never knew you before. If you go back to the same old ways, what else can you be but the same old person?”
Solace In Madness 