Dear Blog,
We've only known each other for a couple of weeks, and already I've been slacking off on giving you the attention you deserve. This is not a good sign, but I have actually been extremely productive lately, so I guess it was for a good cause... I hope you understand. I will elaborate on this spurt of productivity in my next post, but right now I'm here to tell you a story:
A few months ago, one of my good friends posted this interesting and entertaining video on his facebook wall. It's a lecture by the famous John Cleese from Monty Python about the subject of creativity. Being a composer and an Edward De Bono fan, I of course tuned in with great enthusiasm. At one point in the lecture, Mr. Cleese talks about a strategy to achieve the "open mode" - a mental state that fosters creative thinking. The strategy includes working in an isolated space with absolutely no distractions for about an hour-and-a-half at a time. He warns to expect some discomfort and even feelings of anxiety while the mind is making its way from the closed mode to the open mode.
I think I have managed to be creative in the past, but I would never miss a chance on trying to improve my creativity. I decided to give it a go - I disconnected my modem, and sat down to start writing a new piece. I wish I could say it worked for me, but it only made me that much more aware of what I already knew - I am an internet addict! It's hard for me to sit by a computer and not have the urge to check my email/facebook/youtube/etc... Mr. Cleese wasn't kidding. Discomfort? It felt more like drug withdrawal (not that I would know...). I became so edgy that even later on that night, when I went out to celebrate a friend's birthday, I was still extremely restless, and only after a couple of beers I managed to feel at ease again.
Moral of the story - Alcohol solves everything? Maybe...
The funny thing is, I never feel this type of restlessness when I am out and about and away from my computer. It's the fact that I am near a source of internet and have to force myself to not use it that's causing all the trouble. The internet is extremely addictive. It's becoming more and more apparent to me every time I unsuccessfully attempt to engage in conversation with a person who owns a smartphone.
Anyway, the point I am trying to make is that I am not getting a smartphone.
Yet!
Your adoring master,
Asaf
We've only known each other for a couple of weeks, and already I've been slacking off on giving you the attention you deserve. This is not a good sign, but I have actually been extremely productive lately, so I guess it was for a good cause... I hope you understand. I will elaborate on this spurt of productivity in my next post, but right now I'm here to tell you a story:
A few months ago, one of my good friends posted this interesting and entertaining video on his facebook wall. It's a lecture by the famous John Cleese from Monty Python about the subject of creativity. Being a composer and an Edward De Bono fan, I of course tuned in with great enthusiasm. At one point in the lecture, Mr. Cleese talks about a strategy to achieve the "open mode" - a mental state that fosters creative thinking. The strategy includes working in an isolated space with absolutely no distractions for about an hour-and-a-half at a time. He warns to expect some discomfort and even feelings of anxiety while the mind is making its way from the closed mode to the open mode.
I think I have managed to be creative in the past, but I would never miss a chance on trying to improve my creativity. I decided to give it a go - I disconnected my modem, and sat down to start writing a new piece. I wish I could say it worked for me, but it only made me that much more aware of what I already knew - I am an internet addict! It's hard for me to sit by a computer and not have the urge to check my email/facebook/youtube/etc... Mr. Cleese wasn't kidding. Discomfort? It felt more like drug withdrawal (not that I would know...). I became so edgy that even later on that night, when I went out to celebrate a friend's birthday, I was still extremely restless, and only after a couple of beers I managed to feel at ease again.
Moral of the story - Alcohol solves everything? Maybe...
The funny thing is, I never feel this type of restlessness when I am out and about and away from my computer. It's the fact that I am near a source of internet and have to force myself to not use it that's causing all the trouble. The internet is extremely addictive. It's becoming more and more apparent to me every time I unsuccessfully attempt to engage in conversation with a person who owns a smartphone.
Anyway, the point I am trying to make is that I am not getting a smartphone.
Yet!
Your adoring master,
Asaf
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