On Getting Unplugged
A few weekends ago I had the absolute pleasure of going to my girlfriend’s best friend’s wedding. If you’ve been a longtime Will’s Dumb Brain reader, you’ll know how much I love weddings. They’re incredible parties, brilliant feasts, and a great excuse to cry in front of a bunch of strangers! One of the best things about weddings is that every single one is a beautiful and unique event. I’ve been to weddings in cities, I’ve been to weddings in deserts, I’ve been to weddings in Los Angeles and I’ve been to weddings in New York. One thing that all these weddings had in common, though, is that I’ve had cellphone reception at all of them. Well, for this last wedding, I was up in the mountains, I was off the grid, and I was unplugged for the weekend…and it was awesome!
I’m one of those people that compulsively looks at their phone during life’s little lulls. If a conversation takes a break, if I’m waiting in line, or if I’m bored with the thing I’m already watching, out comes the phone. It’s a pretty bad habit and I’m trying to work on it because I should be able to focus on something for more than thirty seconds without starting to shake like a technology junkie. This is exactly why this wedding was such a welcome escape.
First off, this wedding was gorgeous, it was up in the mountains above Goleta in central California at a place called Circle Bar B Ranch. Once you get off the freeway and head up into the hills, the cell service drops like a rock. No Instagram, no Reddit, no Twitter, just the croaking of frogs and the creeping existential dread that we constantly fight off with overstimulation. Sure there’s some wifi in the lodge and by the pool but in your cabin, it’s just you and the void (and also DirecTV… but like come on, it’s not 1995…TV is like coffee to a crack addict, it just doesn’t get the job done).
It was such a strange sensation to be unplugged from the rest of the world for a weekend and while I missed the hoopla around a crazy NBA playoff game, I found it incredibly refreshing to have the ability to mindlessly Doom-scroll ripped away from me. Sure, I’ve spent time away from my phone recently: I like to put it away while I play golf, and I’ve gone on long hikes with no service, but usually, I’m doing an activity. What made this different was the downtime I had with no service. It felt weird to have nothing to do and no mindless internet stuff to fill it with! I was forced to relax, to take a nap, to sit on the porch and read. It was glorious.
The only downside is I didn’t get any horribly blurry and shaky videos once the dancing started and the drinks started flowing…oh well, there’s always next time!
Do you unplug from the grid every now and then? How does it make you feel? Centered? Zen? Adrift in a sea of intrusive thoughts!?
Shoot, is that why you didn't pick up my call? Some rich philanthropist was looking to give away a cool million to anyone who had proctored an AP exam and I was going to connect him to you. Oh well.
I have stayed at the Circle Bar B and it is a stupendous getaway!! We went on a very long horseback ride with extraordinary views of the ocean and mountains. (They supplied the horses). Other than the half dead horse they gave me it was glorious. Yes, it is wonderful to be “unplugged” sometimes. Glad you had fun.