One week and counting

As I prepare to emerge from my media bunker I'm actually worried about what I will do when I get out. I dare say I'm a little fearful.

For the past 24 days I've done everything I can to avoid media. Yes, like most of my diets, I've cheated on the rules a little bit. Some of that is due to not thinking through the rules, some of it came from trying to do this without involving my family, and some of it from weakness.

Over the weekend, I played pretty close to the rules. I watched a movie, Mad Money, with my wife, and I watched Fool's Gold and The Net with my kids. Other than that, there was a bit of TV watching while we waited for the movies to come on (they were either pay-per-view or on a movie channel), but no solo watching of any kind.

I'm seriously considering doing this again, soon. While I'm woefully uniformed on current events, I don't really miss it. I'm beginning to wonder how much of an effect what goes on in the world around me really has on my life. I also find myself getting more done personally and professionally. For example, with my former media habits, I would not have been able to take the time to put together this blog.

I've also developed some positive habits on the internet. While I used to click through to the latest news story that seemed most interesting, I've spent some time looking up old friends, making connections on Linked In, and buying scuba gear on eBay for our upcoming trip to Key Largo.

I've also spent a lot more time with my wife which has had a positive effect on our relationship. In fact, I would have to say that I'm happier in my relationship than ever before.

Spiritually, I've spent more time praying and reading scripture which, I believe, has made me more sensitive to the Spirit. For example, the other day I was in line at Subway behind a man who appeared to be in his mid 20s with two little girls, the older of which may have been 6. I don't know if he was their father, uncle or what, but he was wearing a t-shirt that said 'volunteer' on the back. He made his best effort to corral the energetic little girls gently but firmly while ordering sandwiches so that the girls wouldn't bother the other patrons. When he got to the cash register, his debit card was declined. When he went to grab his cash, he only had $7 of the $14 needed to pay. He convinced the cashier to keep his sandwich and water bottle but to let the girls eat while he called the bank on his cell phone.

After I paid, I felt a prompting to pay his tab. I looked over at the man who was clearly on hold with the bank and saw how he was agonizing over paying attention to the bank on the phone while keeping the girls from causing chaos in the busy, little sandwich shop. I turned to the cashier, handed her my credit card and asked her to put his tab on my card. She replied, "are you sure? It is $14!" probably a couple of hours of pay for her, but a trivial sum for me. I told her to go ahead.

I carried the man's sandwich and water bottle to him and waived. He was on the phone with his bank and, I think, quite surprised. In any case, he tried to thank me, but I walked swiftly out of the store. I didn't want to make it any more embarrassing or humiliating for him than it already was.

I haven't seen the man or the girls since, but I have made a new friend. Every time I go get a sandwich there (which is often), the cashier smiles at me. It's a good feeling.