How it Went

Okay, so this is the follow up blog on how "Operation Downgrade" went. I'm pleased to report that over the course of the week I was able to achieve a higher level of personal awareness that served as a reminder that I can be better.

If it were a strictly pass/fail grading system, the results would be as follows:

1. No computer use at home - FAIL
2. No facebook. At all. From any computer. Anywhere. - PASS
3. Personal email account may be checked no more than ONCE per day - PASS
4. No TV at home - FAIL
5. No ipod - FAIL
6. No text messaging - FAIL
7. Cell phone can only be used when I am at home (to simulate the good 'ole days of land lines). - FAIL
8. AM/FM radio is permitted - N/A
9. CDs are permitted - N/A

Fortunately for the sake of my self esteem, life is generally not a pass/fail system. Instead, the space between disaster and perfection is filled with miles and miles of mediocrity into which we can fall. And so we have the much more applicable A-F grading system:

1. No computer use at home: B+. I logged on once to pay some bills and balance the checkbook. Brendan logged on to learn how to replace a belt in his car and order the necessary replacement part.

2. No facebook. At all. From any computer. Anywhere: A+

3. Personal email account may be checked no more than ONCE per day: A+

4. No TV at home: C. Completely successful for the first part of the week. We cheated for game 7 of NBA Finals, which opened the door for full and regular use of the TV on Saturday.

5. No ipod: B-. Didn't use the ipod all week, but full and regular use resumed on Saturday.

6. No text messaging: A. I sent (1) text in response to a text from the people we were meeting for dinner on day 6.

7. Cell phone can only be used when I am at home (to simulate the good 'ole days of land lines): C-. This one was probably the hardest for me to get used to. I took a couple of work related calls when I was in the car, and on Day 3 I forgot and called my dad while driving to work. Full and regular cell phone use resumed on Sunday.

So it looks like I had about a B average overall. Not bad.

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