STEPHANIE MORK

The words that Facebook asks me when I go to click the log out button.

Are you sure you want to log out?

Yes, Facebook.  You haven’t been good to me lately.  You’ve taken up my time, distracted me from the moment, and those little red notification circles are driving me nuts! I think it’s time for a break.

The other day my phone froze up while I was walking home from work. I think it was the heat.  Poor thing couldn’t take it anymore.

At first my heart started racing, my thoughts going twice as fast:

What will I do if my phone breaks? 

I don’t know where the closest apple store is and I can’t find it without my phone. 

How will I tell my parents that my phone is broken?

What if I need help and I can’t tell anyone?

What, oh what, will I ever do with out my precious iPhone???

And then I got a grip on reality.  If my phone really was broken, then I would walk to the nearest apple store in the morning.  Email my parents to tell them I am alive and move on with my day.

It’s scary how much we rely on technology. As I am writing this on my macbook pro… setting my alarm for the morning and looking up directions for the next day.

If I have a question, google will answer it!

It’s also scary how much of our time is taken up by scrolling through instagram, watching tv, or looking at all those random Facebook posts that we look at to not think about anything or so we have something to gossip about with our friends.

I do it.

As I am headed to Wisconsin this week for an extended vaca/work trip I am ready for a little break from the technology world.  There is something freeing about being able to put it all away and not feel disconnected.  There has to be a balance between falling off the face of the earth and keeping an online presence without becoming attached or allowing our brains to be saturated by junk on the internet.

So yes, Facebook.  I am sure I want to log out.  Instead of turning off my brain and being distracted by the next notification, the next random google search, snapchat or instagram scroll – I am going to read a book, write about my day or talk to my roommates.  Cook real food, go for a walk, or finish that project that lies unfinished.

Are you sure you want to log out?