It's FREEDOM, people.
No, not that kind of freedom. It's the freedom from the evil internet (o, Internet, I loves you, don't be mad). It's a free program for the Mac (sorry, not for the PC) that disables all connectivity to the outside world. You set how many minutes you want to be offline (up to eight hours — but that's just crazy talk), and then it pushed you off the internet. You can't get back online until the time is up, or if there's an Internet Emergency (as if), you can restart your whole computer, but we wouldn't do that, would we?
It's awesome. I've used it three times this morning, for 45 minute bursts of writing, free of the siren call of email-checking/twitter-posting/facebook-browsing. I usually try to write for 45 minutes at a time, and then I give myself 15 free minutes, to get more coffee, to check email, but it's SO easy to get frustrated with a sentence or a word, and flip out of the document and over to the promised land of immediate gratification and wasted time.
But when the document is the only thing in front of me? Then I write. I just sit and write. I know, I know, I could simply turn off my AirPort connection, but then it's only a simple flick of the wrist to turn it back on. Freedom doesn't let you do that. You simply have to sit there and work (or stare grumpily at the clock) and wait for the internet to turn back on.
It's really good. I recommmend it. (Found via VSL, although Lala swears she had already told me about it.)
I’m not sure I could turn the whole thing off voluntarily. We do have enforced outages (Thunder storms) but I get real twitchy and start checking the internet (mostly the weather) on my cell phone. I can walk away if it is still running and work in the yard for hours without missing it. So I am not really addicted :)Right?
I love that idea! A revolution! Must go use it immediately. Thanks for telling us about it.
I totally relate to the OC dynamic with internet/email. It’s unbelievable to me how easily I allow myself to get distracted. Don’t have a Mac, though, so I guess I will have to continue to work with self-control.
Do you know about the site http://www.redroom.com? It’s a site for writers – both published authors and aspiring-to-be’s. I really like it. Great dialogue/support/information sharing via blogs on just about anything you can imagine that might cross a writer’s mind. Huge range of authors and members.
I found it as I quit Fbook (for aforementioned reasons)…well, you can imagine what I do when I am writing now!
ahh, MAC how I miss you! Brilliant idea that program. I wish I could use a Mac for work (I telecommute) but I wouldn’t be able to be off-line anyway while i “work” hahaha. Self-discipline. I’m doing it wrong, akshully.
You are a stronger woman than I. Or maybe it’s just that, up in the Himalayas, we get enough internet downtime when the monkeys dance on the wires in front of the house to give me all the offline time I need!
Isn’t it scary that we need an application to force us off the internet? LOL! Though I am considering using it. I get sucked in too easily. Like now, for instance…
Thank you!! I’m off to download now…Self control and discipline are NOT my strong points!
Rachel–that is awesome! I have this dissertation to revise into a monograph, an article to write, and some research on a new project to begin. . . .I will explore this strange “Freedom” concept you are suggesting and see if it works for me!
Freakin’ genius.
Ooh! I’ve been using Freedom for about a year now. It’s amazing how much cooking, cleaning, and writing I get done now.
I’m willing to manufacture self-control. 🙂
Oh, if only this were for PC too.
Hi Rachael – was great to see you and Lala with Janine. My blog is included below with the sign-on stuff.
Linda “K”
I love MAC. Have PC – Want Mac…
Oh, thank you! I’ve been trying to work on a pattern and keep being distracted by the shiny internet!
Yet another reason I need to get me a Mac!
Nothing to do with your post today, luv, but I ran across this while researching the topic of Celebrity Authors (as opposed to author celebrities) and thought of you — of course, being that it is IN San Francisco, you probably know all about the Red Room Writers Society.
What? R U kidding? I feel certain that voluntarily freeing myself from the internet might possibly be linked to Al Quida or the Mexican drug cartels. Whats that line about, “when they pry my cold dead finger from the keyboard…..” or is that gun control crazies….Regardless,,,,
NEVER!!!! :o)
This is fabulous!
btw, while you are online, check out these chocolates. I totally thought of you because they are soy lecithin free. Will there be chocolate chip cookies in your future??
http://www.dagobachocolate.com/prodinfo.asp?number=2304.08
Interesting. I too need help staying off of the internet (I should be working right now).
It has taken so much of my time and I keep logging on and not caring…
That sounds like a really handy program. I’ll have to look into it for my mac (though admittedly with my mac, I mostly use it for internet tasks).
I am hoping to take my little alien laptop and set it up in my kitchen for all of my recipes from online. Save some paper at least from printing and reprinting them when I forget where I stashed the copy.