Needing a lil Jolt in Life

Whoot!  We are off to house/dog sit again for the next 4 days.  And then 10 days starting next week.  It means we have to pack up and move out (sorta) but also we have our own staycation too!.  This time no grandbabes but we will have College Girl out with us.  I am excited about that.  Time for me and her to rest, unwind and do a lil girl time.  But I promise the coffee  pot will be with us there too.  My goal of going without any coffee or soda for a week did not make it.  The 'no-caffeine' headache was too much for me to bear.

There will be some back n forth of caring for our own animals too.  I am sure that between Dear Hubby coming into town for work, college girl stretching her wings daily and Granny M all can be accomplished.  Mr C will be visiting family this weekend too.  I am hoping to do some cooking that I miss doing here at home in this heat.  Also a few books I want to finish up too.  Do you have multiple books that you read or are you a one at a time type?  I go back n forth.  Currently I am finishing up on two.

Jolt! is quite relevant for today's world.  It seems to have a non-stop go switch on.  Not much in pause these days.  And it becomes very overwhelming for most of us.  This year there was the “Disconnect to Reconnect,” the 24-hour challenge that asked dads to unplug on Father’s Day this last year.  To turn off all cell phones, computers, video games and the such.  Instead to connect with their families for the whole day.  And to realize the difference in life when we are not 'plugged' in.  I feel that some when I am doing this house/dog sitting.  Why?  Well our cell phones do not reach out there.  And even with my lil pink net book I feel like not being on as much.  It is small and takes more time.  Instead I find that I sit back, read, unwind and take pleasure in the day.  The way it should be at home! 

This should 'Jolt' you. Did you know that:

**65% of North Americans spend more time with their computer than with their spouse.

**45% of workers say they can’t go more than 15 minutes without an interruption.

**50% of people leave their mobile phones on when they go to bed.

**Workers report that they leave their mobile phones on during movies, church & even sex.

Seems we are needing to really work harder on our people skills and rely less on staying 'connected'.  Will you pick up that challenge?  If so how?  What are you willing to pull in order to stay connected to your family?  What seems to be the one thing you just can not do without?  Would you put it up for 24 hours? 

The other book I am working on is 'Ben Behind His Voices' which is the story of a family working through the challenges of schizophrenia.  Now with the fact that I deal with mental illness already, you can see why I would be drawn to this book.  Thankfully this is not one of the issues I have to deal with.  But oh how I can see the way it would pull a family apart.  It is so hard to explain to others what is going on in my head.  And why my emotions do not match others.  But to have to explain that what I hear, sense and feel are not even real.  Well, ok real to me but not to others.  How hard that is to do.  I am finding that I do have much in common with the way 15 year old Ben feels though.  I have had my own life spin out of control.  And have hated the effect it had on College Girl when she was much younger.  I can not imagine how hard it would be as a parent to have to experience this in your child.  What a helpless feeling it would be.  I love how this book shows hope and humanizes the problem of finding the right help for your child.  I do know it helps show the true courage of all those who fight mental illness. 

Thanks also to you for listening to me.  I have to say having this blog helps me more than you would ever guess.  It gives me a voice.  A chance to get out of myself at times.  And a connection to others.  You have been my life line many times...more than you would realize.  I also wish to thank those who send me these great books.  I love the reviews and more so I love getting to read.  What a wonderful way to have my own lil bit of therapy.