Friday, July 24, 2009

Escaping the Time Suck

Bridge to Nowhere - 16x16 mixed media on board - 2008

After a much needed (yet involuntary) break from the Internet, I'm back. Well sort of. Other than a little Tweeting, a few Facebook updates and checking email from my Blackberry...I have been mostly cut off from the Internet -AKA: Big Huge Time Suck. I have had a summer full of technical problems: the laptop is on a respirator-I don't think she'll make it. My Internet connection is hit or miss with no explanation. My router takes mini vacations without even letting me know....essentially I am in techno-hell. I am actually blogging right now on a borrowed computer and posting an old image from a Facebook album. It's the first time I've blogged in a long while...the first time I've seen a full version page of Facebook...the first time I've looked at a YouTube in a long, long time.

The amazingly good thing that has come from this is that I have been painting A LOT! I have churned out some good work - focused work. I have rearranged my studio to give me some great new workspace. I have (sort of ) organized my supplies. I have been a full time artist! It has been wonderful. I'm thinking that in the future, I should schedule a few breaks here and there to really focus on my art. After all - It's why I'm on the web in the first place. Don't get me wrong...I can't wait to purchase my new laptop and get my website updated, get back to blogging on a regular basis and do all the other things I love to do online. But for now....I'm headed to the studio!

6 comments:

Sheree Rensel said...

Kathy, I think about this ALL THE TIME! I remember studio days before there was the "internet". Even though I wouldn't want to go back to those times, I realize how technology sucks my time away. It is like an addiction. Sometimes I fantisize about just getting rid of it all. However just the thought of not having a computer with all the bells and whistles makes me break out in a cold sweat. Recently, I have tried to put myself on a technology "diet". The longest I have made it so far is nine hours. This is so sad, but true!
Sheree Rensel
wizzlewolf.com

Karen Jacobs said...

Wouldn't be the time suck if everything worked like it's supposed to! Got lots of headaches with my arrangement and made it worse by inserting an iMac into a fairly stable but old PC situation... my bad!

Anonymous said...

I have been wondering where you have been. sounds like you've been productive. I've been trying to cut back on computer time as well with some mixed success.

kathy casey said...

Sherree...I like it: technology diet! Yet I am always afraid I'm missing something important. I love my yearly treck to ACA (atlantic center for the arts in new smyrna fl) I go "into the woods" for a week...they have internet but I skip it ...limited phone service...no tv. I paint and paint and visit with other artists and when I come out I am refreshed and rejuvinated....and amazingly I discover that the world keeps right on turning without me!

kathy casey said...

Karen... OH NO... my kids are trying to talk me into a mac. They make it look easy and love them so much. Are you that unhappy or is it just a lot to learn?

kathy casey said...

Jan...yes it's hard to cut back - untill something goes wrong! then...it's easy! LOL