Returning to the online world after a week away fosters a sense of both panic and calm. I’m calm until I sit down in front of the computer, realizing a boatload of stuff awaits my attention.

On the way home, we took a voluntarily bump from our late flight from Chicago to Portland and walked over to the Hilton for some free relaxation. I cracked open the laptop when we got settled in, but instantly shut it. When I thought about how much time I would need to do anything, I extended my offline time for another night. Doing that felt good, similar to the way I felt when I went through an anti-TV phase many years ago.

But I eventually had to sit down and plow through email, RSS feeds, and the latest tech news (a transparent menubar is a feature?). As Steve Rubel predicts will increasingly become the case, I had already winnowed my sources of information, relying mainly on peers for my attention.

While on vacation, I noticed that when I had time, I didn’t know what to do. Even though I brought my laptop, there was not an internet connection and I vowed not to do anything that resembled work. I brought an iPod, but I didn’t want to listen to music, podcasts, or audiobooks. In fact, I just didn’t want to consume any media at all.

At first, I was a little anxious, pacing like a caged nerd. Eventually, I loosened up a bit and let my thoughts and body wander. I enjoyed sitting and staring at the trees. By the end of the week, I was comfortable with no stream of media bouncing across my eyeballs (although we did watch movies at night).

I once had a bookmark with a quotation from Thomas Hobbes. It said, “If I had read as many books as other men, I would be as ignorant as they.” When I first got that bookmark, having worked at a bookstore and amassed a sizable collection of books, I was put off, especially since I was not a Hobbes fan (not including tigers).

But now, more and more, I find that keeping track of the latest news, rumors, gossip, etc., keeps me ignorant. Prior to the internet, I spent much more time writing and thinking about issues from my own perspective. I doubt I’ll ever turn off the internet like I turned off the TV for many years, but I hope to lead the pack in making Steve’s prediction come true.

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