Friday, March 29, 2024

GAL FRIDAY: Unplugging from technology

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YOU KNOW, I can’t understand the big brouhaha when it comes to immediately responding electronically these days. I forgot my phone at a friend’s for fewer than four hours. During that time, I had 22 missed calls and sixty Whatsapp messages. About a quarter of the 60 were the same people, asking what was wrong, was I alive, whether I was on vacation . . . all the alarms and sirens because I didn’t answer immediately.

In this day and age of fast food, fast moves and fast cars, I like to take it slow sometimes. Flow helped me go-slow last week and to tell you the truth, it was refreshing. Wireless in my area went down for about three hours or so, and (after going a little insane for a minute or two) I decided to sit it out, outside.

Reader, a more beautiful sunset I have never seen. All colours of pink and then I remembered that I was also in the pink of health. It was a blessed moment, filled with soul: Veoma Ali, alive and unplugged.

I remained outside, as a flock of birds tweeted overhead, heading to the nearby tree, delicately positioned below the pale moon.

Ban Ki-moon once said that the earth is our shared island.

As I returned to my office, I immediately took to Twitter, tweeting a photo of the spectacular sunset. Wireless was back up and I was back inside.

At the same moment, a friend from Dublin shared my post of our island. Technology connects us, but can also divide us. I say this because I’m not done telling you about the folks who were peeved because I didn’t immediately respond.

(And I know I digress a little here, but to the rapid responders of the Royal Barbados Police Force, I must express my admiration of and gratitude for your stellar service.)

I got messages on my voicemail, stating that I was the hardest woman to find; apparently too busy to take calls; and occupied doing better things.

Three accusations, before the cock even crowed. I wondered if these people even slept. You should see the times calls came through. Sometimes, after two a.m. For the common sanity of all businessmen around, how about we all have a wireless day? I mean literally: pulling the plugs, ignoring the ringing phones and the alarm tones. The only thing that should be on is the radio, preferably Archillus on Q100.

You think we could manage it?

Let me look upwards. I see Hoad giving me the eye. He’s been a bit wired up himself lately. Hoadie, no worries; I’ll send you the number of a masseuse by the name of Charmaine Burns. A redhead who works in radio. Can’t get a better combination. She’ll take you in the P.M. on the F.M. and before you know it, it’ll be A.M.

Veoma Ali is an author, broadcaster, advertising exec and most important, a karaoke lover.

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