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Going mobile isn't easy these days, especially for those incredibly tethered by their technology. Even most luddites need to have a laptop and cellphone handy when popping out of town for a business trip, and then for the more intense ones, don't forget the mp3/video player, digital camera, video camera, ebook/kindle, nintendo DS/PSP, gps, bluetooth headsets, electric toothbrush, and I'm sure you can think of a few more. Also multiply those by two, since you'll probably need all their respective chargers as well. That adds up to a LOT of luggage space gone instantly. Remember when packing was simply - change of clothes and toiletries?

Well I started off wanting to write about my adventures running around New York City for Design Week, and how as much as the technology was over running my life, I somehow kept finding reasons I needed more - I am now fully adept at justifying why my purse is the size/weight of a carry on. I simply must carry 3 cameras in the form of Digital SLR with giant wide angle lens (how can you do without, just in case something incredible and unexpected came along, a great shot was critical!), a tiny point and shoot with HD vid capabilities (what if the dslr battery died? I need backup! or if something happened that just begged to be recorded?), and of course my cellphone with camera (sometimes you need to take a picture and email it THAT fast!), and that's only the beginning of what I often end up lugging around. Scary thing is, I really do use it all quite often!

As for techno-lust mid trip, a GPS unit to add on has been the gadget du jour. I've recently come to the realization that although blackberries/iphones with google maps can triangulate you quite well, when you're taking conference calls on the road constantly, you really can't also use the device to navigate through unknown territories simultaneously! So naturally, you must need an external GPS unit? Particularly a handheld one, since half the time in NYC, cabbies kept trying to convince me to move to other cabs since they would claim they didn't know the way there, and other cabs would know better (apparently trying to go from meatpacking district to williamsburg was frowned upon) - but the GPS navigating would give me the power to give him turn by turn instructions, while still coordinating meetings on the phone. And if I gave in and got the Dash, i'd even have real time advice on which routes were best based on traffic flows!

I know, I must sound terrible! And I know technology rules my life pretty heavily, especially when "work" for me, means checking in online and either writing articles, uploading images, or editing my various websites... but it actually got worse - on the way to getting better. As if in some kind of rebellion, in the midst of an overly booked, hectic, nonstop week bouncing about the city armed with quite the digital armory in my purse - and multiple laptops waiting by the bed... I was convinced that ditching this big city madness for the lush rural vermont woodsy bare minimum would be the perfect solution - even with NO INTERNET and NO CELL RECEPTION.

Take a moment - imagine yourself exactly where you are, but take away your cellphone reception (not the phone, just the connection) and your internet, are you panicking yet? or would it be heavenly? (keep in mind, there is always that knowledge that even when you're off the grid, the emails and emergencies aren't stopping, they will happily keep accumulating, regardless of your presence).

I think for me, it started to kick in as soon as we started getting lost in a very spread out small town and there was no one to call, and no maps to guide me on my phone. THAT was when the GPS suddenly seemed critical. Well, the GPS and my internal plea for a satellite phone and satellite internet? (is that even possible? would I have to sell my soul to get it?)

And as the panic subsided, you start to slowly but surely go back to your routes, stopped by an adorable general store, chatted with the locals, picked up a map, got oriented, looked around and started to simply appreciate the gorgeous green rolling hills surrounding me, and in the back of my mind realized I was momentarily free from the email leash, since no matter HOW important it was, there was nothing I could do, and as I finally got to the log cabin in the woods, it was thrilling to simply run around the stream indulge my fascination in each and every mossy rock and nearly neon green trees.

So anyhow, that lasted a few hours. Now i'm currently camped out at a nearby friends, poaching some wifi, getting this article written - still no cell reception though! And I would never say good bye to all my tech for good, but there is something surprisingly nice about getting that breather from the nonstop chaos of being plugged in 24/7.

I think in a way this a "How To" in the form of sharing my crazed adventure turned momentary digital-vacation and really just a quick public service reminder to all of us tech-reliant folks, that it's ok to walk away from it all, in fact, we probably need it! And your laptops, cellphones, cameras, and all the lust worthy devices we need (i'm so ordering that Dash GPS soon!) will be there when you get back, whether thats an hour later, or a week later.