I unplugged for a little while today, although that wasn’t my plan.

I’ve always maintained that the biggest weakness with all portable electronic devices is their batteries. Turns out the problems with mine might be me.

The first problem was discovered in the evening yesterday when I reached for my phone so that I could check the temperature and enter it in my daily log. When it wasn’t where I expected it to be a long search ended with the realization that it was probably still on my desk at the school where I work. Or traveling on  train some where. (The latter was possible but unlikely.)

After using my tablet as my alarm clock (epic fail as it turns out stone doesn’t have a built in alarm app; something like that) I decided I’d better head to the office, especially as my regular alarm was set for 5:00 a.m.

Of course, before that, I played a couple hours of World of Tanks with an old friend.

After tanks and a small lunch I finally mustered the energy to head to the school where I work. Despite my occasional aversion to the voices in my ears, I brought along my iPod touch to provide a sound track for my walk/daydreams.

About 100 meters from my house the battery  in my iPod touch ran out of juice as I hadn’t bothered to charge it for a few days. I walked the rest of the way to the station enjoying the sounds of nature and the city, which normally would be interesting but today was boring because I’d been in the mood for some music. (It’s kind of like having your taste buds ready for pizza but getting sandwiches instead; even the best sandwich won’t taste right when you’re ready for pizza.)

At the station I pulled out my Kobo eReader to continue Ava Jae‘s novel Beyond the Red (which has a fast paced opening that’s grabbed me quicker than most Sci Fi novels) but as soon as I pulled the eReader out of my bag, its screen instructed me to charge it. The battery was dead and I wouldn’t be able to read anything other than that instruction until I could get home and charge it.

This meant I was officially unplugged. In the past I’ve thought about implementing an “electronic Sabbath” where I turn off all my electronics and do things like “read” and “spend time with family” and/or “expand ink reselling business”.  However, having it imposed on me by my own inattention to my electronic devises wasn’t what I had in mind, especially as I was i the mood for music and a sci fi novel.

Instead of reading or listening to music, I spent the fifteen minutes on the train staring at the people across from me and wondering why they seemed uncomfortable. (They must be kind of weird in the head, I suspect.)

After I rescued the phone, I came home and started charging everything. I still am considering an electronics Sabbath, but I think I’d rather plan it in advance.