No Computers, No Cell Phones, No Internet

Compiled by Laura Thomas, Senior Editor jaBlog!

 

When I was a teen, we didn’t have home computers, cell phones or the Internet. The excessive use of technology at home and school is a topic I deal with in my upcoming novel, The Naked Storyteller, so last week I asked our LTC Insiders to write something up to 200 words long describing what that was like. These are my favourite entries. – Laura

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Dearest, darling Catherine,
I have been meaning to write to you this many a day and am afraid that the weather will delay the post yet more. Grandmother warned us about the rain and I feel ashamed to have not made good use of her warning. She claimed she felt her rheumatism acting up, and sure enough in a few hours buckets of rain began to pour down has been ailing with a slight cold, which she caught having driven to town a few hours before the downpour. And Polly has been rather a nuisance; I must confess myself quite worn out entertaining the darling child. I wish I had something to busy myself with (By the way, I have attached for you a piece of the new cloth Mother bought in town. Isn’t it perfectly elegant?). Papa has been fretting over the crops this year; he fears there may be a flood yet. At any rate, I hope this rain clears up soon and the post is delivered before the weekend. Oh! Polly is tugging on my hand, for I promised to make paper dolls with her. My best wishes to your family.
Your friend always,
Rose Murray

By Rida Rangoonwala, Age 16, USA

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Before the Noise

We went down to the river; we smelled the air.
We painted nails and did our hair.
We painted pictures and read books;
We would go in the kitchen and help cook.
Sometimes we walked into town;
Once, mom even bought us a gown.
We made up our own games to play;
We found flowers and picked beautiful bouquets.
Grandma taught us how to knit a sweater,
And every week we would write our uncle a letter.
Grandpa showed us how to make things by hand.
We tended our garden and the land.
Every day we did our chores.
And most of all, we played outdoors!
Before the noise—before the distractions,
We enjoyed life with a deeper satisfaction.

Nicole Winans, Age 16, USA

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