OIC BRB

I'm starting Week 4 of The Artist's Way.  Each week has a new focus and this week she, (Julia Cameron, that is), asks the impossible:  no reading.  None.  No email, no texts, no IMs, no magazines, no websites, no backs of cereal boxes.  I'm not sure I'll survive.  I can't say I even remember life before texting.  Life without IM?  Is there such a thing?  Back in the day, April, Dre, and I sat five feet from each other at work.   IM was still our primary method of communication.  It beat the hell out of forming full sentences.  (Incidentally, we credit this period with the invention of some very creative and useful emoticons, most of them inappropriate for this blog.)  

I like talking to people through not talking at all.  Jesus, I take my phone with me to Runyon so I can text the person I'm walking with.  I'm not sure I even know how to have a real conversation.  But, since I like experiments, (and, oh yeah, I"m doing this book thing for 12 weeks) I'm going to try this out.  So, for one week, no facebook, no personal email, texts, IMs, reading websites, and for good measure, TV.  I have a job, so it's impossible for me to ignore my work email for the next seven days (though sometimes I'd like to).

In the meantime, I've made my own list of things I'm going to fill my time with for the next seven days:

1.  Think about going to the gym.
2.  Nachos!
3.  Finish the lightbox I started.
3.  Write some stuff.  (I think I can do this w/out reading, right?)
4.  Re-arrange my bedroom.
5.  Learn how to count.
6.  Practice guitar.
7.  Write letters to friends.  (I took this suggestion from Julia's list.  I like it.)
8.  Finish the list of 10 alternate titles for this blog.  Any suggestions?

I think it's going to be a good week.

***

P.S.  I decided today that for the rest of the year, I'm making all gifts I give.  So if I know you and I normally get you something, for the rest of this year I'm going to make you something instead.   Lucky you.  (Incidentally, this is not part of my 2010: Year of the Cheapo plan.  It's just my attempt to be more thoughtful about the gifts I give.)
P.P.S.  If you want me to make you something specific, let me know.
P.P.P.S.  If your birthday is in the next week, it's best that you not text me or email me or comment on this blog to let me know since I can't actually read it.  Other means of telling me something:  phone call, singing telegram, smoke signals.