One thing I learned about myself during my seminary spiritual formation classes was that I needed to take time to unplug. Between online classes, being a teleworker, personal entertainment, and communication, I was jacked into the internet most of my waking hours. When an assignment called for a fast, it was more beneficial and more difficult for me to refrain from media than food. Recently, my wife and I reviewed our budget, and decided to cut some costs. The two cuts relevant to this discussion were the cell phone data plan and cable television.
Two years ago I finally broke down and got a smart phone, and have gotten good use from it. Having Gmail, Google Drive, and Google Calendar all synced to a device in my pocket was handy. The down side was that I was always checking Gmail, Twitter, Facebook, news, and playing games. You see, the device was not usually in my pocket, but in my hand. People knew I would get back to them quickly. I have now gone back to a regular cell phone, and the pressure to always know the latest information and be in constant contact has dropped considerably. I am more at peace. The only thing I really miss is the GPS, which was the original reason I went to a smart phone in the first place! I could have just bought Garmin.

I have lived before without television, and when it is gone, I have not really missed it. To be honest, we still have television, just not 200 channels. We have an HD antenna and the internet provides plenty of shows. When I checked to see what came in over broadcast air, I found we had the major networks, PBS, and a few local channels; it is just like when I was a child, only now there are five major networks instead of three, and the channels are in digital HD. So, while I am still not planning on missing the final season of Fringe, going to the television is not my first option for down time. Since I am not paying for 200 channels, I no longer feel obligated to find something to watch.

Simplicity

Sometimes when I tutor student I find I have to teach them not to make things more difficult than necessary. Students often do not realize they can get an A by just carefully and completely following the instructions; often, nothing extra needs to be done. In Celebration of Discipline, Richard Foster (1998) defines simplicity as an “inward reality that results in an outward life-style” (79). It is having adequate provisions, neither too much nor too little. It reminds me of taking a backpacking trip; take only what you need. 
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