I downloaded the trial version of "Freedom" today. You know, the handy program that Nora Ephron touts as her anti-procrastination tool, the software that Naomi Klein says is responsible for her finishing her next book, and the very same thing about which Dani Shapiro writes so beautifully in this essay.
Sure, it's a bit hysterical, all of this hoopla about something that's on the Internet purely for the purpose of blocking you from the Internet.
But folks, it bloody well worked. I used the first of my five "Freedom" tries for an hour of uninterrupted computer time. I wrote from the beginning to the end of that segment, and then kept on writing even when my Internet kicked back into use. Sure, it's a bit silly. (I mean, why not just disconnect my wireless? Amounts to the same, right? The fact that Freedom makes you reboot your computer in order to reconnect is merely a motivating tool for the lazy, right?) But I will use ANY excuse to avoid writing. And the Internet is such a seductive mistress. I can turn my wireless off and then reconnect it without a twinge of guilt.
So, the fact that I had to reboot my computer in order to reconnect was actually fantastic. One might say it was even something worth rejoicing over. No Internet, for a whole 1.5 hours! And you know what that meant? It meant a 1,500 word blog entry, 500 words of a short story, and yet another outline for the new novel.
I might just have to fork out the $10 and get myself the actual version. In terms of productivity, it'll probably be the best $10 I've spent in ages.
(Barring the money I spend on chocolate fuel, of course :)
Sure, it's a bit hysterical, all of this hoopla about something that's on the Internet purely for the purpose of blocking you from the Internet.
But folks, it bloody well worked. I used the first of my five "Freedom" tries for an hour of uninterrupted computer time. I wrote from the beginning to the end of that segment, and then kept on writing even when my Internet kicked back into use. Sure, it's a bit silly. (I mean, why not just disconnect my wireless? Amounts to the same, right? The fact that Freedom makes you reboot your computer in order to reconnect is merely a motivating tool for the lazy, right?) But I will use ANY excuse to avoid writing. And the Internet is such a seductive mistress. I can turn my wireless off and then reconnect it without a twinge of guilt.
So, the fact that I had to reboot my computer in order to reconnect was actually fantastic. One might say it was even something worth rejoicing over. No Internet, for a whole 1.5 hours! And you know what that meant? It meant a 1,500 word blog entry, 500 words of a short story, and yet another outline for the new novel.
I might just have to fork out the $10 and get myself the actual version. In terms of productivity, it'll probably be the best $10 I've spent in ages.
(Barring the money I spend on chocolate fuel, of course :)
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