EcoSmart Organic Pesticide Products - A green giveaway!

I'm looking out my window and all I can see is snow. It's a winter wonderland outside. It's beautiful, cold, wet, and...insect free. I'm not a big fan of the cold weather, and prefer to stay bundled up inside, but one good thing about it is the lack of insects! I know it might be a little early to be thinking about insects, or insect control, but I'm a planner and I've got a new plan for keeping my lawn (and myself) insect-free.

This year I'm going to use organic pesticide products from EcoSMART. They are the world leader in safe pesticide solutions and make the only 100% safe insecticides that are proven to work. 100% safe!

How do they do that? They use natural plant oils (Thyme, Rosemary, Cinnamon, Wintergreen, and Lemongrass, just to name a few) otherwise known as essential oils. Their blends of natural plant oils are as effective as synthetic chemicals, but contain no harmful toxins or leave harmful residues. They are safe for people and their pets, as well as other mammals, birds and fish. Not only are they safe, they smell good too!

Why is this important to me? Because we spend a lot of time outside when it's warm, and I don't want to worry about bugs and/or toxic chemicals. And not only because my children like to play in the yard, but because we have 4 dogs and whatever is on our lawn gets tracked inside. I personally don't want toxic chemicals tracked all over my house!

EcoSMART offers a whole line of safe organic pesticide products. All are 100% safe for everything but the bugs! EcoSMART also offers a 100% safe Organic Weed Killer and a Garden Fungicide. They've covered all the bases when it comes to keeping your home and yard insect and weed free!

There are so many of their products that I am excited to use this year! They offer value bundles of their products and the one I'm particularly interested in is the Safe Lawn and Outdoor Value Bundle. Buying the bundle saves you over 18%. You get Weed and Grass Killer, Wasp and Hornet Killer, Lawn Insect Killer, and Insect Repellent for $31. Seems like a pretty good price for 100% safe organic pesticide products!

And now for the fun part! EcoSMART has offered to give one of my readers the Safe Lawn and Outdoor Value Bundle for free! You can't beat that price! But you can't win if you don't enter! 

To Enter:

Mandatory Entry:

Visit EcoSMART and tell me what product you would use the most . Be sure to leave your email address in your comment. I need a way to contact you if you win!

Extra Entries:
After completion of the mandatory entry you are eligible for any of these additional entries. Remember to leave a separate comment for each additional entry!

• Follow my blog publicly through Google friend connect. If you already follow, that counts too!
• Grab my button and post it on your sidebar. Be sure to leave the url where it is posted. (2 entries)
• Subscribe to my blog via email. The sign up box is on the top of the right sidebar.
• Subscribe to my blog in a reader. The sign up box is on the top of the right sidebar.
• Blog about this giveaway. Be sure to link back to my site and leave the URL where you blogged in your comment. (3 entries)
• Follow ecocheapmom on Twitter. Please include your Twitter name in comment. (1 entry)
• Tweet for additional entries. Up to 3x per day. Please leave a link to your tweet and don't forget to mention @ecocheapmom in your tweet. Feel free to tweet this: Enter to #win EcoSmart organic pesticides and repellents from @ecocheapmom! http://bit.ly/ai7xQ3 #eco #giveaway ends 2/14

Good Luck!

Giveaway ends Wednesday, February 14th, 2010 at 9:00 p.m.(EST). The winner will be drawn by the random number generator at Random.org and will be notified by email and announced on this blog. Winner will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be drawn.

***EcoSMART sent me product to review. I was not compensated in any other way and the statements above are my own honest opinion.***

Amy's Black Bean Soup

It's a winter wonderland outside and there's nothing better than a nice bowl of soup on a cold winter's day, so I though I'd share one of my favorite recipes.

This is my sister-in-law's recipe and it is delicious! She's quite the cook. I can only dream of being half as good in the kitchen as her, and even I can make this and it taste good! I like to serve it with a cheese quesadilla for a lovely southwestern style meal.

Amy's Black Bean Soup

1 small onion, chopped
1 pkg Polish kielbasa sausage, cut in bite size pieces
3 cans chicken broth
4 cans black beans, 1 mashed
1 can Rotel tomatoes and chilies
2 tbs tomato paste
1 bunch cilantro
juice of 3 limes
kosher salt and pepper to taste
cumin to taste
Cheyenne pepper to taste

-In a large stock pot, saute onion over medium low heat until just translucent.
-Add sausage and cook until browned and heated through
-Add chicken broth, beans (process 1 can of the beans in food processor to make a paste or mash in a bowl with a fork), Rotel, and tomato paste. Stir to combine.
-Add salt to bring up flavor of broth. Add pepper to taste.
-Add a few dashes of Cheyenne pepper. Add as much as you like, but ease into it. This determines how spicy hot it will be. A little goes a long way!
-Add more cumin than Cheyenne, several dashes. This determines the level of smokiness. Taste it and add more if you like.
-Add chopped cilantro and lime juice. Allow to simmer.
-Continue to taste and add seasoning to your liking.

Enjoy!

Silly Haiku Wednesday - Changes

The basics:
Haiku is simple! It is 3 non-rhyming lines of 5, 7, and 5 syllables respectively (a great way to use your fingers!)

This week's theme is: Changes

Changes. Embrace them!
Look for the good, not the bad.
Positivity.



Now go on over to You know...that Blog? and add your Haiku to the list! You know you want to!

Bible in 90 Days - Update

On January 1st, I began the Bible in 90 days Challenge. I must say that I didn't really know what I was getting myself into. You see, I have never read the Bible and I have only attended church a handful of times. My knowledge of Christianity is very limited, although I do believe in God and I have accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior. I thought this would be just what I needed to actually read the Bible. I'm not one to back down from a challenge so I knew if I committed to it, I would complete it. But what has surprised me is how easy it has been thus far!

I had no idea that the Bible was so...um, interesting, to say the least! I never imagined I would be reading about things like adultery, polygamy, incest, murder, rape, wars, battles, etcetera. It took me completely by surprise! It's like reading a novel.

Now don't misunderstand me when I say it has been easy. What I mean is that it has been easy to read. I look forward to reading and I find myself not wanting to put it down. The hard part is making the time to read. MAKING the time to read!

Twelve pages a day is what it amounts to. I can read twelve pages no matter how tired I am. I can read twelve pages no matter how busy I am. I refuse to get behind on my reading and if that means I stay up an extra hour to read, that's what I do.

I'm taking this challenge to heart. It's not just a challenge to read the Bible in 90 days, it's a personal challenge to learn more about Christianity. To learn more about myself and what I need to do to be a good Christian. And most important, to be able to teach my children about God and the Bible.

Apparently God has a plan for me!

And the winner of the $25 Ecostore USA Gift Card is...

AEKZ2 said... I'd buy a couple of bottles of citrus spray cleaner.

Congrats! Winner has been contacted and has 48 hours to confirm.

Thanks to all that entered!

Hookeez Bag Hooks - A Review and Giveaway!

Have you made the switch to reusable grocery bags? I hope so! It really is a simple step you can take to green up your life. I've noticed that just about everywhere I shop, they have reusable bags for sale. You can get them for .50 each at Walmart, so expense shouldn't be an obstacle. Please take this step! Every little bit helps!

I have probably 10 bags from various places. The biggest problem I've faced, when using them at the grocery store, is where to keep them while shopping. They end up under the groceries and I have to dig them out at checkout. Kind of a pain, but whatever. Just a slight inconvenience to save the earth!

But no more inconvenience, now that I have a Hookeez!

Hookeez are Bag Hooks for the Eco-Savvy!!! It is a convenient hook to hold all your grocery bags safe-n-sound while you shop. And of course, they are made with 100% recycled plastic.

Using it is simple. You place all of your bags into one bag, slide the handles through the hook, and then attach the hook to the grocery cart. Bags are out of the way and easy to get to when it is time to checkout. I attached mine on the side of the cart, but you could put it anywhere.

I was worried about trying to keep up with the Hookeez between shopping trips, but when it's not in use, it stays securely attached to the bag. Even the Bubby couldn't get it off throwing around the house!

I love this new product and am excited to share it with you all. Head over to Hookeez and check it out. It's a grassroots company trying to help out this cause one hook at a time!

And now for the fun part! Hookeez has offered to give one of my readers a Hookeez for free!

To Enter:

***Mandatory Entry - Visit Hookeez and tell me what color you would choose. Be sure to leave your email address in your comment.

After completion of this entry you are eligible for any of these additional entries. Remember to leave a separate comment for each additional entry (For example: "I follow #1" and "I follow #2") and include your e-mail address!

*Follow my blog publicly through Google friend connect. If you already follow, that counts too! (2 entries)

*Grab my button and post it on your sidebar. Be sure to leave the url where it is posted. (2 entries)

*Subscribe to my blog via email. The sign up box is on the top of the right sidebar. (2 entries)

*Subscribe to my blog in a reader. The sign up box is on the top of the right sidebar. (2 entries)

*Blog about this giveaway. Be sure to link back to my site and leave the URL where you blogged in your comment. (5 entries)

*Follow ecocheapmom on Twitter. Please include your Twitter name in comment. (1 entry)

*Follow Hookeez on Twitter. Please include your Twitter name in comment. (1 entry)

*Tweet daily for additional entries. Twice per day. Please leave a link to your tweet and don't forget to mention @ecocheapmom and @Hookeez in your tweet.

Feel free to tweet this:

Win a @Hookeez reusable bag hook! Giveaway hosted by @ecocheapmom http://bit.ly/7q2qLx #eco #giveaway

Good Luck!

Giveaway ends Wednesday, February 3rd, 2010 at 9:00 p.m.(EST). The winner will be drawn by the random number generator at Random.org and will be notified by email and announced on this blog. Winner will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be drawn.

***Hookeez sent me this product to review. I was not compensated in any other way and the statements above are my own honest opinion.***

Fluff Talk Thursday #14 - How I Store My Cloth Diapers

How I Store My Cloth Diapers

I try to take a no fuss approach to cloth diapering and I think my setup goes along with that approach. Everything is easily accessible, and not too hard to keep organized. Here's what it looks like:

The dresser contains nothing diaper related, just clothes and crib bedding. The silver trash can has been replaced with a larger plastic garbage can with a lid. It holds more diapers and helps keep the odor in with the locking lid. And the green bin on the dresser is now where the dinosaur is. The Bubs was kicking it off the dresser so it had to move!

A close up of the diaper storage.

In the black bins I have extra diaper inserts, wet bags, and miscellaneous diapers that I don't use. All of the diapers are stuffed, ready to go, and easily accessible!

Inside the green bin

This is where I keep the cloth wipes, wipe solution, and butt cream or booty butter (as we call it).

And that's it. Everything has it's place which means it stays organized, and it is all easy to get to while holding down a screeching toddler. Cloth diapering station the no fuss way!

Mama Dweeb's Daddy Diaper Event

Mama Dweeb is hosting a Daddy Diaper event next month! Her husband will be vlogging his reviews of different diapers each with a giveaway!

The event will feature the following products/companies:

My Nifty Nappy
Otter Babies
Happy Heinys
Rumparooz
Best Bottoms from Nicki’s Diapers
Apple Cheeks
Mama Marsh’s Creations
Tot Wraps Dream Diapers
iCandy from Urban Fluff
Sustainable Babyish SLOOMB
Kissaluvs
Sweet Pea
LolliDo
Rockin’ Green
Baby Legs

Sounds like an event us cloth diapering moms and dads don't want to miss!

Be sure to head over to Mama Dweeb and follow her so you don't miss out!

Silly Haiku Wednesday - Bible in 90 Days

The basics:
Haiku is simple! It is 3 non-rhyming lines of 5, 7, and 5 syllables respectively (a great way to use your fingers!)

This week's theme is: Freestyle(whatever I want!)

Reading the Bible
Doing it in ninety days
Yes, I can do it!

I'm learning so much
Things I never knew about
I've been missing out



Now go on over to You know...that Blog? and add your Haiku to the list! You know you want to!

What I learned from my Digital Cleanse

On January 1st, I began John Mayer's One Week Digital Cleanse. One week of no Facebook, no Twitter, no emails from phone, and no texting. It really was an eye opening experience!

Quiting Facebook for a week wasn't too bad but he first day was tough. I found myself picking up my iPhone and wanting to check Facebook, but then remembering that I wasn't supposed to. Was I missing out on anything? Was anyone noticing I was gone? Did anyone care? Well a week later, and guess what? No one really cared I was gone. Surprise, surprise. And I didn't miss out an anything important. What I learned...Facebook is a big 'ol time waster! But I still stop by once a day, just not several times a day. I've loosened it's grip on me!

Not being able to use Twitter wasn't a big deal at all. At that time, I was just getting started with Twitter and didn't do much Tweeting other than to gain extra entries in contests. But since the end of the cleanse, I have gotten very involved with Twitter. I am hooked and see the great value of it! I'm able to do lots of blog promotion and networking, as well as gaining lots of extra entries to contests. I've also discovered many more contests to enter. In fact, I just won a beautiful necklace from a contest I found on Twitter. What I learned...I was missing out! Twitter is the bomb!

Not checking emails from my phone was definitely the toughest task! What is there to do when in the car, with hubby driving, of course! I found myself holding my phone and staring at it. I knew there were emails to be read and responded to, but I wasn't allowed. Dumb Digital Cleanse. What I learned...I like the convenience of email from my iPhone. I can accomplish so much in the bits of time while the kids are strapped down in the car!

And last of all, texting. I rarely text so it really was nothing out of the ordinary. Although there was one instance when I wished I could text someone to get a phone number. It would have been so much easier to just text. What I learned...although my texting is minimal, sometimes it is easier and I'm glad for the option.

By doing the Digital Cleanse, I discovered most of all, how much extra time I had to do other things. I never realized how much time I actually spent Facebooking. And I noticed that I had gotten in such a bad habit of constantly checking my phone for emails, and looking at Facebook, and Twitter.

This was a good thing for me. It made me think about the way I spend my free time, and made me realize that there are times when I need to just put the phone down. But I still love my iPhone and I just might die without her! Especially now that she's all pink and sparky! :)

Could you do the one week digital cleanse? What do you think you would miss the most? The least?

Toilet Paper - Which is greener, roll over or under?

I recently took the Great Debate Cottonelle Roll Poll and was very surprised at the result. It is kind of a weird topic, I know, but you'd be amazed at how many people have a preference. An overwhelming 81% place the roll over. It's not something I'd really thought much about. I usually just put it on however it happens to be. But it has me thinking. Would one way be greener than the other?

 A quick search yielded the results I was looking for.

Hanging your toilet paper roll over is the greener (and cheaper)!

Photo from Treehugger.com

Apparently, when it is roll under, a single handed pull results in more toilet paper. I guess I'm going to have to actually think the next time I change the toilet paper.

Roll over, roll over.

How do you roll, over or  under? Do you do it for any particular reason?

Mothers Be Good to Your Daughters

Wednesday I posted a rant about my mom. I typically don't write much negative stuff on here, but I was pretty fed up and had to get it off my chest. It felt good to type it all out. But what really made me feel better was hearing from many other daughters who deal with the same thing! You know that misery loves company thing. It's true. It does feel better when you know your not the only one with a CRAZY mother!

Thanks ladies for sharing! We should start a blog where we can rant about our mothers and/or mother-in-laws, anonymously. Ha! We would never lack for content!

Anyway, it has really got me thinking about the mother/daughter relationship, and more specifically my relationship with my daughter. Is it a given that we will have the same issues once she's older? I so hope not. I just can't imagine having that kind of relationship with her, but how can I make sure it doesn't happen? Can I break the cycle?

I can't help but think of John Mayer's song Daughters. (I LOVE his music. Probably my favorite artist!)

Fathers, be good to your daughters

Daughters will love like you do

Girls become lovers who turn into mothers

So mothers, be good to your daughters too

Could the key be so simple as these lyrics? Perhaps, because I think being good to her entails respecting her, and her right, to an opinion. Hmmm.

I'm breaking the cycle.

I'm not the bad guy!

Why is it that the people we love the most can be such pains in the @ss?? I am so over it. My mom makes me so angry sometimes. I just don't understand why I can't express an opinion on something without her turning it into an argument. If I don't completely agree with her it somehow becomes all about me not understanding her point of view. I'm the bad guy. My opinion is wrong, her opinion is right. Whatever.

I'm the one she calls to b!tch about stuff to. I'm the one who listens. I'm the one who is on her side. And I'm the one who gets yelled at.

"You don't understand" - Yes, I do. I understand you perfectly, I just don't agree.

"I'm your mom. You shouldn't talk to me that way." - Well, first of all, there's nothing wrong with me disagreeing. And second, don't yell at me.

I'm the one person who listens to all of your crap. And I'm the one who is honest enough to call you out on your bullsh!t. It's not because I don't respect you, it's because I respect you enough not to blow smoke up your @ss.

You are my mom and I love you. And I am so grateful for all that you do for me and my family. But, I'm sick of differing opinions turning into a yelling spree.

I'm not the bad guy. I'm actually probably your best friend.

Silly Haiku Wednesday - The Road

The basics:
Haiku is simple! It is 3 non-rhyming lines of 5, 7, and 5 syllables respectively (a great way to use your fingers!)

This week's theme is: The Road

Driving around town
trying to get errands done.
Get out of my way!

You're driving to slow!
Pay attention to the road!
Get off your dang phone!



Now go on over to You know...that Blog? and add your Haiku to the list! You know you want to!

Ecostore USA - A Review...and Giveaway!

***GIVEAWAY CLOSED***

It is no secret that I am not a fan of cleaning. In fact, the Hubs does a lot of the cleaning in our home. He cleans, I do the laundry. Periodically, if the Hubs hasn't gotten around to it yet, I will clean. When I do clean, I like to use good products that make cleaning easier. In my experience, that means using harsh chemicals. But not anymore!

I recently got the opportunity to test out some eco-friendlier "No Nasty Chemicals" cleaners from ecostore USA.  Ecostore USA offers products that are not only good for the user, but good for the planet as well. From baby massage oil to pet shampoo, and none of them contain the following "Nasty Chemicals": petrochemicals, enzymes, optical whiteners, synthetic perfumes or dyes, sodium lauryl sulphate, phosphates, chlorine, ammonia, TEA, DEA, MEA, parabens, or propylene glycol.

"Of course ecostore products do contain chemicals - after all even water is a chemical. We just do everything we can to eliminate the nasty ones."

I definitely like the eco side of their products, but are they eco-cheap?  It's usually expensive to buy eco products but they found a way to super-concentrate each formula, which means a little goes a long way. And that means you save money by cutting down on cost per use. So yes, they are eco-cheap! Woo hoo!

I got to test their plant based Cream Cleanser and Toilet Cleaner and I have to say that I am impressed. The best part of both cleaners is that there was no harsh chemical smell. They actually smelled nice and I wasn't petrified of the kids inhaling the fumes, or getting toxic chemicals on them.

The Cream Cleanser smelled like lemons and worked great on everything from the bathroom sink to the glass stove top. It was not gritty at all and wiped away easily. It comes in a 12.7 ounce bottle and sells for $7.50. Remember, a little goes a long way!

The Toilet Cleaner smelled citrusy and worked fantastic! I liked that it has the curved top that allows you to squirt the cleaner up under the rim. The cleaner was nice and thick, so it really clung to the sides and allowed the cleaner to do it's job. It comes in a 17 ounce bottle and sells for $8. This is some super-concentrated stuff!

And now for the fun part! You too can get some of these fabulous products for free! ecostore USA has offered one of my reader's a $25 gift card redeemable at their site.

***GIVEAWAY CLOSED***

To Enter:

***Mandatory Entry - Visit ecostore USA and tell me what you would purchase with your $25. Be sure to leave your email address in your comment.

After completion of this entry you are eligible for any of these additional entries. Remember to leave a separate comment for each additional entry (For example: "I follow #1" and "I follow #2") and include your e-mail address!

*Follow my blog publicly through Google friend connect. If you already follow, that counts too! (2 entries)

*Grab my button and post it on your sidebar. Be sure to leave the url where it is posted. (2 entries)

*Subscribe to my blog via email. The sign up box is on the top of the right sidebar. (2 entries)

*Subscribe to my blog in a reader. The sign up box is on the top of the right sidebar. (2 entries)

*Blog about this giveaway. Be sure to link back to my site and leave the URL where you blogged in your comment. (5 entries)

*Sign up for ecostore's No Nasty Chemicals newsletter which can be found on the right sidebar on the ecostore blog (1 entry)

*Follow ecocheapmom on Twitter. Please include your Twitter name in comment. (1 entry)

*Follow ecostoreusa on Twitter. Please include your Twitter name in comment. (1 entry)

*Tweet daily for additional entries. Twice per day. Please leave a link to your tweet and don't forget to mention @ecocheapmom and @ecostoreusa in your tweet.

Feel free to tweet this:

"Great green giveaway hosted by @ecocheapmom! Win a $25 gift card to @ecostoreusa!  http://bit.ly/4zJgwA #eco #green #giveaway"

Good Luck!

Giveaway ends Monday, January 25th, 2010 at 9:00 p.m.(EST). The winner will be drawn by the random number generator at Random.org and will be notified by email and announced on this blog. Winner will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be drawn.

***EcoStore USA sent me these products to review. I was not compensated in any other way and the statements above are my own honest opinion.***

Twelve Months of Smiles

I love photographing my kiddos! I try to take my camera everywhere and I am so glad that I do. The result is a computer full of photos. It's so much fun to browse through all of the pictures and to see how much we all have changed. Well, it's fun to see how much the kids have changed and not so fun to see how much I've aged. :) Anywho, here's twelve months of smiles per kiddo.

The Girl - My sweet and sassy Cakes

The Boy - Mamma's little Bubby

I can't believe I actually had at least one smiling photo each for every month of 2009. Now I need to actually print some photos to frame and hang. I have not a single photo of the Bubby framed. How pitiful is that?! What a slacker!

Merry Christmas to me & My new favorite winter outfit

The hubby always complains that I am the hardest person to buy a gift for, and I don't understand why. I drop hints throughout the year and often just tell him exactly what I want. Most of the things that I hint about, like a Snuggie, for example, are little items that I wouldn't waste money on just to buy, but would love to receive as a gift. For some reason, the Hubs doesn't take those hints or direct suggestions because he wants to get me something of substance. A lot of times I know what I want but I don't want to spend much money on something for me. If I can't get it on sale, I don't want it...unless someone else is paying.

Now, I love it when my mom takes me shopping! She doesn't look at price tags and couldn't care less if it's on sale. She likes to spend it. She encourages me to pick out a bunch of stuff. Coach bag, sure. Nice wool coat, yes. But I don't do that often. It makes me feel guilty. I am 37 years old. My mom shouldn't be buying me such expensive things. Anyway, I digress.

This Christmas the Hubs wanted to buy me some Uggs as a present from him. I had been talking about them but I was very resistant to the idea of Uggs because I just didn't know if they were worth spending close to $200 on them. I didn't know if I would wear them very often, and was I too old to wear them? Could I pull them off (as in, look good in them)? Should I just get a pair of knock off Uggs from Old Navy? The Old Navy ones were on sale for $14.99.  $15 vs. $200? Real or knock off?

Well, the Hubs convinced me that I needed the real deal Uggs and I LOVE THEM! I got my very first pair of skinny jeans to wear with them and I want to wear them every day.

My new favorite outfit consists of:

Skinny jeans from Aeropostale

Warm sweater

Cute scarf

Hat

Gloves

A wool coat

and of course, my new Uggs!

This is my new winter uniform. I have lots of  sweaters, scarves, hats, and 2 different wool coats so even though it's the same basic outfit, it is different, right? One of my employees (at our pizza place) says I look like I should be in a GAP commercial. Yes, I admit, it's pretty trendy, but I like it! It's warm, comfortable, and I think it's pretty cute. It could be worse, right? At least I don't wear mom jeans!

What is your favorite, go-to winter outfit? Do you find yourself wearing the same basic outfit over and over?

Silly Haiku Wednesday - New Beginnings

The basics:
Haiku is simple! It is 3 non-rhyming lines of 5, 7, and 5 syllables respectively (a great way to use your fingers!)

This week's theme is: New Beginnings

Dirty clothes get washed.
They're all clean and put away.
The laundry is done.

But never for long,
for they begin to pile up.
It's starting again!



Now go on over to You know...that Blog? and add your Haiku to the list! You know you want to!

New Year, new look!

A new year, a new look! It was time to change the look of the blog a bit and there's nothing better than a complete makeover! Doesn't the header look great?!  Holly over at Domestic Dork did it. She has a graphic design business, Coffee which offers "Freshly Roasted Design". I am so happy with how it turned out. She also did my siggy and a button is in the works. Thank you Holly!

If you are looking for someone to come up with some great designs, I highly recommend Holly. She was very patient, and had a lot of great ideas. Check her out!

The One Week Digital Cleanse

I am on day 2 of The One week Digital Cleanse and so far so good. What is this One Week Digital Cleanse? John Mayer, one of, if not my favorite artist, floated this idea on his blog.

Mention to anyone with computer savvy that your laptop has somehow gotten slower over recent months and they’ll ask you the same thing: “have you defragmented your hard drive?” Defragmenting works by taking small slivers of information stored in various locations and consolidating them so that they’re in the same place on the drive and thus easier to access in larger chunks. Hard drive fragmentation is a great metaphor for - if not a literal manifestation of - what’s happened to our brains over years and years of processing small bursts of information. 2009 took fragmentation to a whole new level given the rise of Twitter and the social acceptance of texting people as a substitute to making phone calls.

That’s where the one week digital cleanse comes in. I’ll be defragmenting my mental and psychological hard drive during the first seven days of the new year, and I invite you all to participate.

Guidelines:

*email only from laptop or desktop computers



*cell phones can only be used to make calls, and no text messages or e-mails are allowed - if you receive a text, you must reply in voice over the phone. E-mails must be returned from a laptop or desktop computer.


*no use of Twitter or any other social networking site - this includes reading as well as posting.

*no visiting of any entertainment or gossip sites. (No need to detail which ones - you know what they are.)

I floated the idea last week on Twitter to see if anyone could envision themselves doing this, and the responses were interesting; some said they could definitely do it, but many were resigned to the idea, calling it impossible. If it is impossible, than my theory is already proven and we’re in big trouble as a society.



This can be done, people. Do it with me. When we pop back up on the grid on January 8, let’s trade stories on what it felt like, how hard it was, and maybe how hard it actually wasn’t.

JM

I honestly didn't think it would be THAT hard. I don't really text much at all, so that one is no big deal. And I rarely, if ever, go to entertainment or gossip sites. But I check and respond to emails and use Facebook and Twitter with my iPhone quite a bit. I do like me some Facebook and Twitter when I get the chance, at least several times a day. A minute here, a minute or two there. No big deal, right?

I'm two days in and it's going well, but it's harder than I thought it would be. The only part that is really bothering me is I can't gain extra entries in giveaways by tweeting!

How hard would it be for you to defragment? Do you think that the rise of Twitter, Facebook, and texting has changed our world for the worse?