Death of a Blackberry

In a lot of ways my life was a lot easier when I was a full time practicing physician.  I had a full time nanny who cleaned my house, did my laundry, grocery shopped, and basically acted as a wife without the fringe benefits.  I also had Blackberry or IPhone permanently attached to my hip which controlled my day to day activites and kept me in touch with the outside world. 

I also had an entire team of people at my work life who wound me up and kept me going in the right direction.  I did not have to remember the little details of my day to day activities - my fabulous staff and the miracle of handheld electronic gadgets connected to my clothes did all of that for me.  Thank you thank you Terri, Rhona, Kelly, Sandra and I could go on and on....

BEEP - my hip would go.  Press a button.  Oh, I have surgery tomorrow at 7:30 at St. Johns.  It is for Ms. Smith and we are doing a hysterectomy.  BEEP.  Oh, I am on call tomorrow.  BEEP.  I have scheduled the afternoon off for vacation so I can go to Katherine's class Christmas party.  And so on, and so on.

When I moved to Venezuela my gadgets went away.   I have a cell phone here, but for the first time in 10 years it is not attached to my clothing.  I spent the first two months in Caracas fogetting it at home as I was not used to having to look for it, find it, and put it in my purse.  My cell phone now gets lost IN MY PURSE I am not above calling myself to find it in the deepest recesses of my handbag. 

Upon moving to Venezuela, I also suddenly had no real agenda.  How fabulous. What a life.  I have to wake up, do a little work on the computer for my consulting site, get the kids up, feed them, dress them, and get them to the bus.  At around 2:30 the driver takes me back to school to pick up the kids.

From 7:30 - 2:30 my time is my own.  How on earth do I fill it?  Do I just sit around eating bon-bons all day?  At first it was easy.  I work out every morning - and that takes a couple of hours.  I had serious unpacking and decorating of my new home to do.  I had to learn my way around the school and markets of our area. 

Within a few months, I became settled in my surroundings, my excursions dried up and I began to look for more things to do.  I stared working out with some friends in the mornings after the kids were off at school.  I became a room mother for both kids, started volunteering in the clinic at the kids school, joined the British and International Group, and got active in our church. 

I was not in the habit of carrying around a calender, or writing anything down on paper, so I began to "forget" things, meetings, play dates, commitments.  I realized how completely dependent I was on my electronica.  I had to break down and buy a calender to keep track of everything!  I actually have to carry around a pen to graphically notate all meetings and events.  My respect for my "stay and home" Mom friends continues to blossom.