Well, I started the media deprivation at 12am Friday and I have to say it was pretty hard, but probably not as hard for me as for some people. I am a Sabbath-keeper. I observe the Sabbath from evening Friday to sundown Saturday. During this time I do not watch secular TV or listen to secular radio or read any secular material. SO the fact that this project fell on this day, Saturday, for me it was more of a breeze. I did make a customary phone call to my mother which I do every Saturday morning. But I did not watch Bible movies with my children on Friday night, which I normally do.

Saturday morning: I wake up and find myself oddly rebellious to any change in my normal routine. I find myself making excuses about why I can make this phone call and I tell myself that calling my best friend is “urgent”. Dang! I thought I had more self-control than this! I survive the day with only two mishaps; listening to the radio in my car before I realize “Oops, I’m not supposed to do this!”, and the “urgent” call to my best friend to report the day’s events. –I’m so ashamed of myself. I really thought this would be easy for me; I have long looked at the entertainment business and forms of media as addicting and a distraction to real life and have enjoyed the sense of superiority my keen observations have granted me.

Way to go introspective. Okay, I may be a little more dependent on multimedia than I first believed. I mean, you’re talking about a person who hasn’t had cable in over 5 years and didn’t own a cell phone until a year age. I really believed that I was the last of a dying breed…Until my husband bought me a Blackberry. Now I cannot go to the supermarket without constant contact with home base and 24 hour access to my two email accounts, not to mention facebook. What have I turned into?!

Not being able to communicate with someone unless you’re face to face is horrifying. I mean, who has the time nowadays? -- (or the gas) WE do all sorts of thing to keep in touch, but at the same time disconnect from each other. Our communication is more surface, --superficial. For example: 1. the email—a lazy way of sending a card or a way to avoid an entire conversation. 2. The text—convenient way to crack corny jokes (LOL) and not get in trouble at work. 3. Facebook/Myspace—a convenient way to crack corny jokes (LOL). I hope this adventure is soon over.

Saturday Night: My husband decided to forgo the Saturday night TV and suffer with me. He turns off Saturday Night Live and joins me in the kitchen. What ensues is a 3 hour long conversation/debate, complete with water/bathroom breaks. Whew! Who knew we could talk that long! We actually learned something new about each other and I had a mini- meltdown. However, we actually talked our way out of the problem. Maybe there is something to this..,