I'm...well, I'm an older person.  My brain formed before any personal form of communication other than a rotary dial wall phone was available, and personal musical entertainment was a portable record player or a transistor radio.  Many people of my vintage are now dependent on a constant drip feed of information, contact, and entertainment, but, somehow, I am not.

So, when I go away on vacation, I go away.  And my children are forced to accompany me, while leaving all their electronics behind as well.  And in the Adirondacks, where we were, you can't even get a cell phone signal, and there are actual telephone booths with pay phones in them.  Amazing!

And I don't miss any of it.  That, of course, puts me out of step with pretty much everyone else.  I like quiet and stillness.  I like to sit and read.  In the early morning I write novel notes in a spiral notebook.  I do jigsaw puzzles with my children. Since our usual family media diet is fairly sparse to begin with, they deal with it.  We do have electricity.  And hot water.  I also make them climb mountains and paddle canoes across lakes.  Classic dad, I am.  I can just hear the eulogies.  They'll be sorry then....

The fundamental problem is that my brain is really really slow.  Despite my lack of distractions, I get little done on any given day.  So don't think I'm virtuous, and have one up on you.  You can probably write your tweets, watch videos, track your stocks, update your Facebook status, and still get more of your novel done than me.  And good for you.

Now, if you'l excuse me, I really should get something done....