Steampunk

I have become enamored of steampunk. According to Wikipedia, Steampunk is a sub-genre of fantasy and speculative fiction that came into prominence in the 1980s and early 1990s which explains why I'm just hearing about this now.

Steampunk is a fantasy genre (books and computer games) where steam engine era design is mixed with modern technology. The result is something like this picture--a pc that might have been invented during the Victorian age. This would fit in perfectly with the local Gettysburg culture. I could see a reenactor using one of these in the outdoor cafe on Steinwehr. (Hey, it would look more authentic than the cell phones I've seen them use!)

Anyway, I'm intrigued by the design of these things. In The Steampunk Home, Sara searches for stempunk inspired items for use around her home that combine the scientific romanticism of the Victorians with our real present and imagined future.

I could definitely see steampunk appealing to someone like my husband who is very "how things work" oriented. I can't help but wonder if a more Victorian designed technology would take away some of the reticence some of us have in approaching something with a completely new functionality. It would allow us to appreciate the historicity and antiquity of things in our environment without sacrificing the technology we have become so dependent on. It is also a great way to refashion antiques into modern, usable things.

Drop by The Steam Punk Home for a world you never knew existed!

Techology and Saint Benedict

Well, I'm back. My break from the world of technology was very eye opening. The internet now is what television once was--a medium capable of sucking the life right out of life. As people have very rightly pointed out to me, the difference is that the internet is rife with knowledge--and knowledge that we can, in some senses, control. True, but it is also full of potential past times that are addicting and can easily cause the better part of a day to go up in electronic smoke.

The solution is, as always, the difficult one. Balance a la St. Benedict. Ora et Labora. Prayer and work. Sigh. Even before the internet (or tv, or books) people were crying out for a balance in life that would allow them to see God in the midst of everyday drugery. St. Benedict's solution was not to pile on extreme outside mortifications, but to allow the Lord to speak through the every day. A bit like St. Therese's "Little Way". Let the daily grind point you to Heaven. Offer up the little annoyances, and fulfill your state in life as a way to give tribute to the God who created you.

Just in Time--Whew!

I found out JUST IN TIME that this coming week is Digital Detox Week for 2009.

Adbusters challenges you to do the unthinkable: unplug. Say good-bye to Twitter and Facebook. Turn off your TV, iPhone and Xbox. For seven days, reconnect with the natural world and the people around you. You’ll be amazed at how the magic creeps back into your life. Don’t be afraid and don’t find excuses, just take the plunge and see what happens.

Spring has arrived here in the Northern Hemisphere. Easter has happened. We Christians are celebrating Jesus conquering sin and death. It is time to unplug and live life for real for a change. Get out there!! Meet real people!

So, in honor of Digital Detox week, I will not be posting to my blog, going on Facebook or going on the computer this week, except for work related activities. I have recently been re-evaluating my technology use and I think its time for a change of habit.

See you all (maybe) after the detox!