Well, the world needs ditch diggers, too.
-Judge Smails (Ted Knight, Caddyshack 1980)

For decades the self-anointed “enlightened” among us have been trying to sell us their concept of Utopia, but they conveniently leave out one important thing:

Someone still has to metaphorically peel the grapes, build the palaces, and pick up the unicorn poop. If you think the elite social planners are going to allow YOU to frolic in THEIR meadow (that you tend), you’re naïvely mistaken.

Unlike many other petulant, entitled, and ungrateful persons living here, I DO appreciate and honor your sacrifice on my behalf.

I don’t think that Alicia or I have ever worked so hard prior to going on vacation before.  About a week and half into it we finally reached the real “ahh” point where we truly exorcised the stressful demons in our head and began to see things with greater clarity, perspective, and renewed passion.

Much needed…

Our lovely and relaxing resort:  Hacienda del Mar

We’ve got plenty of room.  Anyone want to join us next year?

I know, get out the miniature violins…

Six more days and Cabo San Lucas, here we come!

Alicia and I are going on our annual pilgrimage to Cabo in a little over a week and I’m working my butt off trying to get my ducks in a row.  To be be completely honest, I was less excited about this year’s trip than previous years’ excursions (this is our 7th trip?).  But I am now!  Looking forward to the time away with my wife and some good friends that we don’t see often enough (during the first week).  I’m also looking forward to seeing some more of the other local scenery and cities that we’ve not gone to before.

May 7th is coming…

In an attempt to aid my recovery, I went and paired down my old list of favorite haunts and unsubscribed to most all of all of my new feeds and email newsletters.

Like most people who have denied themselves anything, be it chocolate, alcohol, gambling, or whatever, it was very comforting to dip my toe back in the water, even if it was for just a short time.  Maybe that was it.  You can still enjoy the “sin” of the forbidden fruit, just in smaller doses – and that’s OK.  In other words, moderation.

After my two weekend therapy sessions, I discovered that I didn’t feel pressure to want to go back to see if the world turned inside out every fifteen minutes.  I also didn’t want to visit all of my old haunts, just a few of them since many were indeed just echo chambers.

We’ll have to see how it fits into my standard workday routine.

I must come up with a plan and set limits, so not to fall right back to where I was before just to repeat my stint in rehab.  I’m not a celebrity so I’m not allowed too many mulligans.

I think I’ll start on Saturday with a simple perusal through my old haunts, but only once per day…

It’s been almost two weeks now and I’m still here at the top-secret Information Overload Rehab and Wellness Center.  I thought I just skipped over the incessant need thing but it began to rear its ugly head, although not too much that I succumbed to temptation.  So far, so good.  Keeping busy.

One thing that has come to focus (or no longer being in denial) was the clear realization that I have a penchant for quickly consuming <whatever>, moving onto another activity (or continuing the same activity) and then feeling the need to go back an quickly consume more.  This applies not just to information gathering, it also applies to how I consume other things as well, be it food or drink.  I’ve always known that I hoark down food and adult beverages way too quickly, only to want more – but not to purposely get full or buzzed.  I don’t perceive this as an addiction necessarily, but more of a symptom of a harder to define root cause.  I’m also sure there are 40+ years of habits resulting from this aberrant quirk of my personality playing havoc on my mind and body.  One look at me will demonstrate that in spades.

Must determine the why and then it should be easier to take the next steps towards the how.

Mid-life crisis in the making?  I seriously doubt it.  In true stereotypical fashion, although it would be fun to own a European sports car again, I have no desire whatsoever for the company of young nubile females to make me feel “virile” – uggg.  I couldn’t be more happier with my wife.  Never had much patience with macho, uber-testosterone fueled boys/men, and their insatiable drive to prove their superiority to the world.

Well it’s been less than a week since I checked myself into the Information Overload Rehab and Wellness Center and I am making a lot of progress.  So far I’ve been enjoying the following benefits:

• Less stress
• More time (work/home)

Stress levels have gone down quite a bit because I’m not constantly being barraged with proclamations of doom and gloom.  I still think that we’re all screwed and that we’re heading down the path of our own destruction.  I just worry about it less.

Time.  Wow!  I knew I was a little bit addicted to information gathering, I just didn’t realize how much time it took away from my day.  Without the incessant need to see if anything new happens every fifteen minutes, I am much more efficient at work and seems to give me a mental boost at home to get started on the things I should be doing at home.

The letting go of the incessant need thing has surprised me the most.  I figured that I would be fighting this urge the hardest, but so far I’m feeling little if any withdrawal.  Or it could be like a massive shoe that is still airborne, on its merry way waiting to come crashing down upon me in a spirit crushing hail of despair just when I’m feeling like I can control it, as a not-so-subtle reminder that its in charge, not me.

Going good for now, but still nervously looking into the sky for that other shoe to drop…

You know me.  You know how much is despise people in general.  I have such little patience anymore for people who don’t respect other people’s property, be it my email servers, my home, or my money, as if they are entitled to do whatever they want with it even though it isn’t theirs.  I think it’s a symptom of a greater growing societal problem.  Given the culture of P2P and bit torrent sites, many people nowadays are expecting things to be free – music, movies, news, etc.  Why have any responsibility for compensating the artist or reporter, or maintaining the infrastructure for these mediums because “someone else” will make sure they will be around.

The same goes with public resources.  Just like taggers who destroy public and personal property with their “art”, and people who are paid or supported by taxes demanding more because they feel that are entitled to it and throw a hissy fit when they are told “no”.

Breathe…

Sorry, woke up on the wrong side of the bed today and lost my patience somewhere on the way to work.  I could also be going through information saturation withdrawal already…