Technology- Time saver or waster?

Coincidentally I have read two articles in the last couple of days about the cost of technology in our lives. With only a pay as you go mobile and a laptop to my name I count myself as fairly naive in a world where to have a kindle of ipad seems to be the norm and where nobody is anybody without a smart phone. Despite my lack of gadgets I have become increasingly concerned at the amount of time I find myself at my laptop, checking emails and surfing the net, often at the expense of housework, gardening or walking the dog.Whilst ownership of my computer is obviously essential in my job as a writer I am fast coming to the conclusion that there is a lot to be said for going on a technology diet, cutting back on it's usage and monitoring the effects.
When I gave up work our dishwasher broke down. Previously , as a working mother I had used the dishwasher to store our unwashed plates out of sight and away from kitchen surfaces. I regarded it as an 'essential' as it gave me the freedom to concentrate on other things whilst the dishes washed themselves. We replaced our broken dishwasher with a new human model- me and I now spend a therapeutic half an hour away from the tv washing the pots and appreciating the time for contemplation.
I'm not sure I would enjoy a kindle. I love the feel and smell of books and enjoy curling up on the bed on these dark winter nights with a book and a glass of wine- somehow a kindle seems sterile and businesslike.
I have set myself a goal - only to check my emails twice a day.The freedom it has given me is amazing, no longer tied to the computer I fill my time making cakes, gardening, reading and walking and have even taken up sewing again!
I am beginning to see the overuse of technology as sapping my creativity. It has its uses but it also has its dangers . It can become obsessive.What started as a promising new age of technology has crept up on us without us noticing and is beginning to destroy our ability to communicate with each other. We are in danger of living virtual lives. I have never been on Face book, I wish to retain the small circle of friends that I have nurtured over the 48 years of my life rather than acquire sudden celebrity status within days. What is wrong with meeting my friends for lunch, dropping them a note or speaking to them on the phone. They don't want to hear the minute details of my life! Having said all that I suppose I'd better switch off my computer and get ready to do some decorating with my new found free time!

The very best places to bring up children in the U.K.

I read an article yesterday about the ten best places to bring up children in Britain. Top spot was a small village in Devon which didn't surprise me as my perception of 'a perfect location' is a rural idyll near open country with beautiful views. I was more surprised that Sutton Coldfield fell within the list. Now before you all descend on me swords unsheathed I have nothing whatsoever against Sutton Coldfield, in fact I spent twenty years down in the midlands and there are some lovely places to visit. It just didn't sit with my own perception of a perfect place, neither indeed did Moor Row, a small village up the West Cumbrian coast where unemployment is high and Sellafield Nucleur plant is a stones throw away. Judging by the comments posted by readers, I was not alone, each person had their own idea of what constituted a perfect place. For some it was a regular bus service (non existant in this neck of the woods), for others is was good schools (again a matter of subjectivity),for others it was easy access to public services like libraries and theatres. It was clear that statistics could be tailored to suit the view point of the author and didn't paint a true picture of what people want for their children. After our children were born we decided to upsticks and move from our home in Leicestershire to the Lake District where we had both been brought up. We were lucky to grow up in such a beautiful area but that wasn't the only factor, grandparents lived close by and we wanted our children to spend more time with them. It occured to me that location is only a factor in deciding the best place to bring up children, having a loving family around you with whom you can spend time is more important.In fact the perfect place to bring up your children is a place where you can be happy. It's not much use living in the perfect location if you have no money and are living on the poverty line. I have learned that for me a beautiful location is important for my well being.There is nothing nicer on a summers morning than flinging open the window to a view of the sea, it gives me that 'glad to be alive feeling'.Home is where your heart is and the best place in Britain to bring up your children!

My Favourite Things

As I get older I become more and more comfortable with the idea that success isn’t limited to the amount of money we earn and things we own. I suppose I have always known it, but the fuzzy feeling of ‘contentment’ I get when I look at things I’ve collected over the years is linked to things of importance to me in my life, such as the beautiful patchwork quilt on my bed which I bought for twelve pounds at a car boot sale or the pine dresser in my kitchen filled with knick knacks picked up at charity shops over the years and which fill me with pleasure when- ever I handle them .
Maria in the Sound of Music expressed the sentiment perfectly in “My Favourite Things.” It’s the little things like Raindrops on Roses and whiskers on kittens which matter in life if we only take the time to notice them.
I came across a website called ‘Three Beautiful Things” the other day. In it Clare Grant aims to find three things to be grateful for each day. What a wonderful idea in a world where we are bombarded daily with negative news and promises of brighter future? Why, I wonder can’t we just be satisfied with ‘now’? We would all be happier if we weren’t constantly striving for a better car or that promotion or a bigger house.
When reading Enough: Breaking Free From The World Of More by John Naish recently I learned that in terms of money, tests have shown that a person who earns slightly above the average salary is just as happy as someone who is a millionaire. Being very rich doesn’t increase contentment.
Being able to spend time with my children is a far greater blessing. I haven’t always stayed at home, I chose to work part- time for the first few years of their young lives but as they grew the work life balance began to get out of kilter , I felt more and more torn between my roles as a professional career woman, a mother and home educator of my Autistic son.
I opted to step off the treadmill which was taking me further and further away from where I wanted to be and the result a year and a half on, is someone who has had time to take photos of the clouds and learn about their formations, to study the declaration of human rights and learn about some of the most important human rights activists who ever lived and to turn my hand to writing about things that matter to me such as protecting our wonderful planet. I have taken back control of my life and am grateful that it has enabled me to spend quality time with my wonderful family.