Caballeros UnPlugged

      So many of us are never more than five feet from a screen, or a remote control that will operate a really big screen. We've got a television in the kitchen, one attached to the treadmill (without that one, we'd never get any exercise), a cell phone that has an app that allows us to watch movies while we're on the toilet or in the car... We are also never far from electronic friendships. You know the friends I'm talking about: the FaceBook friends, the Twitter fans... Some people are seemingly dependent on their electronics; addicted even. Then there are the homes with lighting options that are unreal energy hogs. What do we really need eight bulbs in the bathroom for? Why not take a mirror to the bedroom, open the blinds, and use natural light to do our make up, ladies? Or, and here's an option I really like, opt for only moisturizer and a little chap stick, when we're not going to a party at the Ritz. For those of you who work, some of you could still use a little less product, while looking as fabulous as you always do. Back to the light bulbs: Why not use one energy efficient bulb, in place of five with incredibly high wattage? Don't get me started on cooking and other kitchen tasks! Why do people use large ovens, when a toaster oven will work? I mean, I've two kids, a husband, and myself to feed, but my very small toaster oven usually takes care of whatever task we need done. With a little forethought, I'm sure it could even make water for coffee!
      You may be wondering where all of this is leading, or if I've finally lost all of my marbles. Look, I love technology just as much as the next Stay At Home Wife and Home schooling Mother (for those of you who aren't SAHWAHMs, we reeeeeeheeeeally love gadgets). But, they're taking over my family! And I'm tired of it!
      I'm tired of having to shout "time to eat!!!" for the kids down the hall over three televisions, just for them to ignore me because "one more level, pleeeease?"
I'm tired of thinking I'll finally get some couple time with my hubby, just to end up sitting on different cushions of the "love seat" (is it, really?) watching another horror movie with the same premise as the last three we saw!
      I'm tired of saying I "just don't have time for play group" because I've got to get caught up on my show (General Hospital, if you're wondering), on line. [Yes, I am aware that this makes me both a cliche and the devil, in the eyes of some of you other SAHMs, out there... watching Soaps.]
I'm tired of being tired, all the time, because I don't get enough exercise, and because I just can't turn off late night television and go to bed!!!
So, here's the plan, folks!
      Starting today, if it lights up, it gets unplugged. If it heats up in the kitchen, it becomes off limits (except for the crock pot. we don't want to starve)...

Things we'll be keeping (because Mommy doesn't want to go ape-guano-crazy) :

• The Refrigerator (there's food in there that cost a lot of money, and we need to eat it)
• Crock Pot
• Kids' individual DVD Players (for when I need a few minutes of sanity, or for educational vids, or as a reward for a great day)
• Our Cell Phones (they go on line, mine blogs here, they also provide the best walking maps on Google for where we want to go, and provide a life line in an emergency)
• The Dishwasher (if by some freak chance we end up with a large load of dishes, it's a more conservative way to wash them... freak chance means a Tuesday, some times)
• Laundry (all of it... groan... the entire mountain that I didn't get a chance to wash yesterday) will be done by hand in my large bathtub... Aaaaany body wanna come do that for me? No? Eh, had to check.

Some lifestyle changes that will have to take place, in order for us to "survive":

• Use of the Library. They have movies, books, computers, and now (sweet!) Wi-Fi. I can print out worksheets and such for home school, allow my little ones to utilize educational websites, check out books for both education and leisure... basically, anything we need in the education department, I'll find it here. We can make a day of it, a couple times a week. PLUS, (here's the best part) it's three miles away, and we're going to walk to it. Granted, that means that a trip that normally takes ten minutes will actually take an hour, but I need the exercise.
• We'll also be walking from the Library to the grocery store, and from our house to Grammy's (my mom's) house. All three miles away, which means I'll end up with six miles under my belt each day we have places to go. Once I get really good at this, maybe we'll even go to Church on foot. Obviously, because I have two small children, and I actually have a vehicle at my disposal, if it's raining (or going to rain cats and dogs), or really cold we will be taking the van.
• MacGyverAsaway would only have a 20 minute walk to work (1 mile), but he works on his feet for eight hours, on a concrete floor, in a factory setting. So, I'm not even going to ask him to walk to and from work.
• I will be going on line here at home, in order to bring the blogosphere updates on our little social experiment, and what friends and family think of it all. However, if the quality of education for the kids doesn't suffer, and the rare time we watch a DVD on one of the kids' portable players is good, then I may just have the internet and NetFlix accounts cancelled.

      Not only do we want to spend more time with one another, but we are hoping to get closer to living a simpler lifestyle that helps us to be prepared for any type of situation, and makes a smaller impact on the environment. The biggest up side: It should save us money, too!

      So, come along with us, as we start this new journey, today. Maybe, you'll find there's something you'd like to do, as a symbolic way of joining us (turning off lights that you don't need, walking to work one morning a week, shorter showers). If you do decide to make any changes, let us know. We'd love to hear about the difference it makes in your day.

V.

P.S.--Each day, I'll post about one of the changes, and my experience in coping with it. That's right, I said coping, because I believe I'll be posting on Laundry, later this evening.

Oh, did you think I'd forgotten the music vid?  Yeah, right!  Here's a little motivational music...  I think I'm going to need it, in order to get all that laundry done by hand...