Years ago my Mom used to say that if someone was talking to himself he was either crazy or had money in the bank. These days neither applies, as people are walking all over and conversing through hands-free phones. They are not talking to themselves but to their vast populace of technological buddies, and they seem infinitely happy about not being out of touch. I will leave them to their own devices (yes, I know, but I couldn't resist), but I am going in the other direction.
I want my voice mailbox to be filled; I want my inbox to overflow until people tire of seeing my "away message." I want to be able to sit on the beach and not worry about something beeping or ringing. I want to climb a mountain and be sure the only connection I make is seeing the sunset and being at peace with being at rest. This is my time and, besides my family, I'm not going to share any more of it with anyone.
So when my daughter asks to use the laptop to go onto Club Penguin, she can have at it. If my son wants to play his SpongeBob games, that's fine with me, but if my wife asks me about checking my e-mail, I'm going say "I would prefer not to," quoting Bartleby again. This is it for me for now; I am officially signing off. I am going down to the ocean and listen to the waves and the seagulls and feel the wind on my face. If I hear old Triton blowing on "his wreathèd horn," that will be a bonus old Wordsworth could appreciate, but I'll settle for not hearing or seeing anything electronic until I go home. Until then the world will not be too much with me if at all, and that is what a vacation is meant to be.
Enjoy your summer. Follow my lead and get away from it all. Vacationers of the world unite; you have nothing to lose but your electronic chains.
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