It seemed like I spent way too much time at this Internet computer last week. Don’t get me wrong: the Internet is a valuable, interesting place and for an isolated writer, the most glorious communication tool ever invented. However, I can find myself wasting time, and not productively wasting time, either (like Facebook quizes, which are fun and relaxing, like America’s Next Top Model. Frivolous, yes. Wasting time, no), but spinning my wheels.
So I took an Internet fast from Satruday night to lunchtime today, and it was amazing what I did instead. I read. I cooked. Then I still had some time left over, so I called my brother on the phone, and talked to my sister, actually talked to her, and then there was still some time so I straighted up my office, did some more work on my taxes, and dusted. Really.
And then, I still had time so I played with a notebook I keep of beautiful garden things that catch my eye. It’s absolutely kindergarden level cut and paste: a moleskin notebook with magazine photos stuck to the
pages with a glue stick. Cheap. Easy.
Incredibly satisfying. Cutting out pictures of dahlias, gluing them in place, leafing through other photos like, thinking about what to try this summer. I miss succulents and might work with them a little more this year. I might plant 500 dahlias. Who knows?
Magazine photos are often so beautiful I hate to throw them away. I once had a character who cut out all the 
pictures she liked and stuck them in a notebook, for relaxation, and that seems frivolous but wonderful, too.
How about you? Any peaceful habits of beauty you practice?
I love Internet fasts. I tell my husband, “I think we need to have a screen free evening.” That means we can’t sit in front of our computers or watch television for that night. We’ll play games or just go out for a nice evening out. Of course, now with a 3 month old, it’s a little more difficult . . .
My internet was down for 6 weeks at the end of last year. Best thing ever. For habits, I like to just walk around my neighborhood and take photos of the buildings. There are so many different carvings and signs (so-and-so slept/lived/died/wrote/painted here) and flaws. Could keep a person busy forever.