I believe that one reason I experienced such freedom in Alaska, is that I refused to be a slave to my phone…that is, after it followed me into Daniel’s Lake and I had to buy a new one. In this fascinating, modern world in which we live, few people go anywhere without a phone…even to the bathroom, the movies and church. I refer to this as being ‘tethered to a doodad’.

A doodad is defined as an un-nameable gadget of some sort, possibly highly technical; a gadget or device; an often small article whose common name is unknown or forgotten.

Now my iphone is a highly technical gadget, but, I don’t have any trouble remembering what it’s called. Discerning its location is what stresses me out. That wouldn’t bother me if I didn’t think I had to be tethered to the thing.

Most of my life, I not only wasn’t, but could never have been so attached to a phone…especially since it was attached to the wall. I remember when phones quit being directly wired to the power source, and you could buy long cords so you could carry the thing from room to room. You could even get a long curly cord that you could stretch so much that, before long, it became a twisted knot… and then you had yourself a sit-down job. But, when it rang, you knew where it was…or, at least, you could follow the cord.

I actually miss those days. But what I need to settle is, just- how- much.