Connections

I know it. You know it. Everyone who knows me knows it.

I am a man who is constantly connected.

I have a cell phone, naturally, as I work for AT&T. I have a Bluetooth headset, which is also required, but I’d have one even if it weren’t. My Blackberry has two email accounts registered on it, and my text message inbox has dozens of recent messages. I have web access on my phone and I have shortcuts to CNN, The Weather Channel, and more.

I have a Mac laptop computer at home. I have an account with MySpace, Google, Facebook, Yahoo, MSN, Blogger, Livejournal, Mobile Me, and Flickr. Not to mention my World of Warcraft account. I log into those daily to either check information, update information, or store information.

In two months, none of that is going to matter. My constant connection to the world will be severed and I will be wandering the Earth. For the first time since 1994, I will be offline. I thrive on being the guy that is ‘in the know’ and up-to-speed on current events. That will be changing.

I am trading in my online presence for a real presence out there in the world. What’s important to MSNBC will no longer be a concern to me; instead, what is important in this local kiwi paper? What is going on in Laos today? What does that gent at the bar have to say?

I predict it will take a bit of adjusting. Indi frequently comments that she is concerned I’m going to be in withdrawals. I’m hoping that will be over and done by the time my two-week ocean journey is finished. We’ll see.