Zenobia Violet Dufifth

The thing that keeps me up all night. It's a good thing my kitten is utterly adorable, because she Insomnia personified (or catified?). During the day she hides under the furniture and dashes past whoever wants to get close to her. Then at night she comes alive. Just when I sink into my first few minutes of sleep, she leaps onto the bed and starts kneading me. With her crazy sharp claws. All night long. First I groan and tell her to stop, and try to pet her so she'll feel appreciated. Then I moan and say mommy needs to sleep, and gently push her off. Next I put a barricade of pillows around me, which she somehow surmounts. After a few hours of constantly being walked on and needled, I hear myself screaming: "gabaraawaramaaaa," which in sleep talk means "expletive!", and I hear her scamper away and mew somewhere in a corner. Then I start feeling guilty, and look at the time and realize it's time to get up for work. So I get out of bed and see her making a fun for it under the dresser. That's why I'm so sleepy. I still think she's fabulous.

My New Baby

I'm the proud owner of a 5 month old Persian kitten. Her name is Zenobia and she is truly regal looking. Well, she will be when she stops looking frightened of her new surroundings. I guess I'd look like that too if I saw my apartment for the first time.

I first saw her two weeks ago in Sunnyside. She was on display in the front of the petshop and I was startled. She had a remarkable resemblance to my dearly deceased Duforth, although not the same breed and not as vacant looking. But the selling price was far too steep, so I walked on. Two weeks later she was still there, and a hundred dollars cheaper! This was irresistible.

Last night Marie took me over to the pet shop. I was a bit alarmed when I saw Zenobia get freaked when taken out of her cage. I took her home anyway.

She is still in her hiding and don't-pick-me-up phase, but I think she'll work out eventually that she's home. Meanwhile, I'm wondering how we are going to introduce her to Sino, but they are being kept at opposite ends of the house for the time being.

I'll post a picture as soon as I possibly can.

Fall Fashion Preview

This year I'm a little too excited about fall fashion. Part of it is, I believe, comparing this fall to the last one. I remember poring through two of those massive September fashion mags in one evening. It was in the waiting room of the Elmhurst Hospital, where my sister was getting an appendectomy. I had to get my mind off what was going on down the hall, so I looked at every page diligently. It was so disappointing - tweed overload, boring boring boring! I like what I see for Fall 2005 - not that I can actually buy anything featured in the glossy ads. Still, I find fall colors reassuring. Everything is deep and rich, velvety and soft. Much more conducive to tea drinking and pastry gorging than sleeveless summer dresses, and not as stifling as husky January overcoats. Plus I prefer boots to sandals - and one has the choice of wearing both from September thru November. There is only one problem. In autumn the fabrics and colors fall prey to pet hair. I have to refrain from cuddling my Cinnamon in the morning. I don't think he'll mind.

What can I say?

It's been a while since I last blogged. I was feeling a little off for the past two weeks. Between a migraine, the usual female complaint, and the horrifyingly hot weather, I had nothing positive on my mind. So I'll stick to a brief rundown today.

1- I went to the Buttercup Bake Shop for the first time this week. On entering, one must pass through a thick red curtain, which looks a lot like the red velvet cupcake I ate. It was a real treat. Pure sweet heaven. And it was the perfect size - you don't overindulge if you have just one. The icing was a little too much, but not in a blorg way. Next time I will try the lemon cupcake, perhaps with some Darjeeling tea.

2- A brief comment on the weather. Today we enjoyed mild summer temperatures in New York. Warmth is never a bad thing, but extreme heat (90 plus degrees) and humidity does not a happy Gata make. Besides the fact that my favorite exercise regiment, walking, is severely curtailed, the whole sweat factory is extremely unsavory. All of a sudden my wardrobe shrinks to maybe five garments I could comfortably wear. I am happy today, though. I feel breezy even in a long sleeved wrap dress. Wish it could stay this way.

3- Target stores are selling cosmetic items from Boots. I'm suddenly liking Target.

Later!

The Empire Strikes Back

Starbucks, the undisputed World Emperor of Coffee, is now embracing the joys of Green Tea. Now on offer is a green tea Frappucino (don't know if spelling is correct) and it is not bad. Even my younger sister who is not a big fan of green tea was taken by it. Of course, it is super sweet and highly caffeinated. I had one right before leaving work yesterday evening and practically flew home. Even better, I didn't have a queasy stomach like I usually do from most items at Starbucks. So I guess I recommend it. It will be especially fun to have when I'm hanging out at Barnes and Noble (I am an unabashed book nerd, but I also love perusing the magazines.) So far it is called Limited Edition, but so was the J Crew jacket my sister bought last year (also green), and it was in the stores for over 6 months. It's really cute on her, so it was worth it.

What's my stand?

I love animals, but I'm not a vegetarian. I wear leather shoes and bags, but I don't eat beef (usually). I hate cruelty to animals, but force whoever is nearby to kill any waterbug or cockroach that crosses my path. Hunting for anything other than necessary food I consider a nasty pastime, but I congratulate my cat when he catches a mouse or insect. I won't touch him until he cleans up, though - blood! ew!

I guess this makes me pretty normal.

Terrible Morning

Today's morning news was in such stark contrast to yesterday's. Wednesday morning I awoke to find, to no disappointment at all, that New York lost their Olympic bid and London would be the host in 2012. Since I'm not into the Olympics or nationalism at all, I just thought it was nice to see the celebration at Trafalgar Square: it is one of my favorite spots in London.

This morning I turn on the TV and see absolute horror. Somehow my sadness was intensified when I realized that I'd been to all the underground stations that were attacked - it was some kind of personal attachment I guess. But besides my own renewed fear of commuting to Manhattan daily, I really feel bad that London has to go through all this - WWII was bad enough! But this is the world we are living in right now.

I've got nothing to say...except:

1- Ito En makes some fabulous iced teas! I was taking a mini-trip with some friends to South Street Seaport on the weekend and discovered a shop nearby called Pica Pica (which apparently means Sparkle). It was kind of like an upgraded version of Samurai - all kinds of low-priced Japanese/Chinese items as well as tea accessories. I was pleased to note they had a whole line of Ito En iced teas for $2 or less. I tried the apple flavored black tea. Amazing. It tasted like apple cider with a kick. The best thing was that it wasn't too sweet - just enough so it wasn't blah. I've had Ito En's green iced tea before. It's good to me but as it's unsweetened only purists would go for it.

2- Sunday was the perfect day for the beach. I was at Robert Moses, which isn't too crowded. My only issue was the lack of fresh air. While trying to take one of those perfect beach blanket naps, my lungs were rudely interrupted by second-hand smoke. I wanted to confront the smokers but did not know the policy of the beach. After all, it was outdoors, and there are few places left for smokers to indulge my habit. But I like to breathe sometimes. Isn't it enough that I inhale city air nearly every day of the year?

3- Three weeks without eBay. Does that make me clean and sober?

TGIT

Since I have Fridays off, Thursday is it for me! That's probably a good thing, because I've reached my cranky breaking point. I had one of those days when everything I wore seemed to have issues. It was cold in the office, so all my rings were falling off my fingers (I have tiny fingers, unlike the rest of me; well, my wrists are small too.) Also due to the jacked-up AC, I had to wear a dumpy sweater over my otherwise pretty outfit. My skirt is a knee-length wrap, so any breeze hitting me on the street gave the general public a slight peep show. It also gives one knee a disproportionate draft in the office. My shoes are nice, but a little big, especially in-
you guessed it - my cold office!!!!!!! They also dug in in spots, which I remedied with some band-aids. Finally, I have a bad hair day. Maybe it's time for a cup of tea! On a day like today, though, I'll probably spill the tea on my skirt, which, I neglected to mention is a wrinkly linen. Smile!!

Mini-trip #2

I haven't been able to go away since April since I'm absolutely broke, but I had at least one "mini-trip" that was enjoyable. On Friday I went with a friend to Long Beach, Long Island. We took the train (LIRR) and the journey was approximately 40 minutes long. The train was full of teens that looked like they wanted to pose for a beach feature in Seventeen magazine, as well as a group of what looked like Bolivian soccer enthusiasts.

The weather was a bit mild for swimming, so we basically relaxed and drank in the sea air. I tried to read, but the sun was rather bright. Note to self: wear contact lenses and shades next time. My hat wasn't shady enough. When I got some energy, I took a sprint along the coastline. There is something about that mushy sand by the coastline that is conducive to running. Once that was out of my system we sat around for a while till we were hungry.

The beach was not so crowded, as it was technically a weekday, so it was all the more pleasant. The train ride home was not as pleasant as a rather portly man nearly sat down on me. My friend couldn't look at me or she would have burst out laughing, and I lost all claims to elbow space. I guess rudeness is not confined to subway trains.

Still, it was all in all a fantastic day, comparable to a beach vacation in many ways excluding the drinks perhaps.

The Latest

Nothing really new or special actually went on this midweek. Then again nothing horrendous happened to me, so who can complain? Here's my Thursday rundown:

• I saw Batman Begins last night. It was pretty good. Christian Bale is a believable Bruce Wayne, and a raspy Batman. Morgan Freeman was a tour de force! I just like saying tour de force: I forgot to ask someone in France what that means!
• I've been off eBay for a week. Shopaholics around the world know what a great accomplishment that is.
• Haagen Dazs now has a little item called the brownie bar. Chocoholics around the world know I couldn't turn it down. It's decadent and quite ungraceful to eat at a reception desk. I recommend it, but I'm sure in a few hours my tune will change.
• Speaking of chocolate, I saw the trailer for the new Willy Wonka movie. Normally I look forward to Johnny Depp movies, but this looks downright creepy! He looks and acts so bizarre; kind of like a nightmare I would have after indulging in Haagen Dazs brownies late at night. If Batman wants to put fear in the hearts of men, he should tote Mr. Wonka around in his utility belt.

Nothing more to say...at this moment anyway.

Perfect Match-a

The highly expensive Matcha tea I purchased over a week ago is also highly difficult to make. I followed the directions in my green tea book, but found I had to improvise as time went on. First of all, the water has to be a specific temperature, so I had to watch the pot for the right size bubbles. Next, I realized I did not measure properly - Matcha is so concentrated that the average spoonful creates a sludge that screams radioactivity. Or at least food coloring. Plus, I used the whisking implement that is supposed to make the tea come out frothy on top. It was a sad display at best.

After numerous tasting and tweaking, it finally came close to what I'd hoped for. At that point, though, I was past my caffeine limit of the day. In the evening I was under the constant impression that New York was experiencing an earthquake. The things we do for perfection...

I think next time I will buy the next highest priced Matcha, and probably it will go to making the shakes and drink blends that looked so pretty in my book. I'm not hosting a Japanese tea ceremony anytime soon, so there is plenty of time to practice for authenticity.

Shame

I received a comment on one of previous posts that pointed out an error. Apparently I wrote "costed" instead of "cost". How embarrassing. I am such a stickler when it comes to spelling and word usage, "but now I've gone and thrown it all away," as the song says. I don't care, I'm still going to correct other people's errors. You can do the same to me; I don't mind.

By the way, check out my picture on Marie's "brattyblog." I'm the blonde chick with the hat on. In this picture it looks like I'm the Ginger Ale Queen of Astoria. Usually I'm critical of my pics but this time I was quite pleased with my posture. How regal!

These are a few of my favorite things....

Since most of my posts have been complaints, I thought I'd write a few things that I actually do like:

1-Jelly beans - I never buy these because if they are near me I will eat an entire bag. I especially like the gourmet ones with the crazy flavors.

2-Devon/clotted cream - This is of course tea related. Nothing makes a scone like some of this stuff smeared on top of it. I don't care about the calories!

3-Overweight cats - Something you can really hold on to.

4-A really good entrance - In a theatre or concert, when a performer comes on stage at just the right moment, with a crescendo of music playing hopefully by live musicians. Of course this only works if the audience is with it.

5-Lush - The best shop in the world, all over the world. A feast for your nasal passages!

6- The New Book Smell - Crack!

7- Karaoke - I should devote a whole post to this. The only thing Karaoke bars are missing is a means to make a really good entrance.


This is not an exclusive list; I have other favorites. More to come in another of my good mood days...

Come On Already!

Here's more things that annoy me, and they are both subway related:

1- I hate when people near me on the train decide to yawn without covering their mouth. Everyone does it, but I'm referring to the ones who continue doing it after the first one escapes their mouth. It's just wrong! Most people have at least one free hand they can use to cover their mouth.

2- A girl sat next to me this morning on the train and commenced eating a breakfast sandwich. The smell was revolting, especially first thing in the morning! Come on, guys. If you really have no time to eat anywhere else, bring something unscented. One of these days, the smell may induce me to be sick on the floor of the train, and then you will know what it's like to be thoroughly grossed out first thing in the morning.

Book Review #1

Since I read soooo much, I thought it would be good to write about some of my favorite books. Or if it wasn't worth it I'll mention that too.

What better way to start than with a tea book? Here's just one I've read recently: New Tastes in Green Tea by Mutsuko Tokunaga. As you may have deduced by the author's name, this book mostly covers Japanese green tea and its history, practices, rituals, etc.

Of course there are plenty of books regarding this subject, but this one was quite helpful. I learned about different types of green tea and the best way to make it in order to achieve its ultimate flavor, what times of day to have them and with what kinds of food, and health benefits. My favorite part of the book was the recipes. There are new ways to drink iced green teas, including cocktails. One recipe combined Sencha, one of my favorite green teas,with vodka - my favorite liquor! New ways to get jittery and toasted at the same time! There are also different kind of dishes and pastries that can be made with green tea, and this is also included in New Tastes.

After reading this book I went out to Ito En on Madison Avenue and bought one of their finest Matcha teas. It is also one of the most pricey kinds of tea, but I think it will be worth it.

Tap...tap...tap....

Here's one thing (among many) that really annoys me:

Sometimes when I go to purchase an item in a shop I like to give exact change. I don't want to keep the line waiting, but if I know it'll only be a few seconds, I give it a try. Or maybe I'm pulling out a credit card. I really don't take that long, honest! For some reason, though, cashiers are increasingly impatient creatures. I can't help but notice when the tapping begins. Their index finger, or sometimes a few of their fingers, tap, tap, tap on the counter until I procure my payment. I find this to be the most irritating habit, worse than anything my cat does while waiting to be fed. In fact, when the tapping begins, I have started a habit of my own. I slow it down. This explains why I don't drive. Can you imagine what would happen if people honked at me?

Hands-on Tea

Though I usually prefer teas like Darjeeling, Sencha, Oolong which require no flavoring, sometimes it's fun to try the fruit-flavored or scented teas. It just brightens up a rainy day really.

I tried my Whittard Green Jamaican Mango for the first time recently. This one I purchased in the Whittard T-Zone in Covent Garden. It was my final activity in London, not counting the airport shopping.

I love the Whittard T-Zone. There aren't too many of them - the only ones I know of are in Covent Garden and Carnaby Street. In these shops, you are able to blend your own flavored teas. I did this the first time in 2003. Basically there is a large table with a selection of loose teas like Sencha, Keemun, Ceylon - the ones that blend well with flavoring. Then there are dried fruits, loose herbs, and oils. There is a wheel of blending recipes. You pick one and go step by step. I suppose you could try your own creation, but you should at least check out the measurements - too much oil might prove overwhelming. Everything is mixed in what looks like a cocktail shaker. The end result is carefully poured into a 4 oz. bag. The instructions say you can design your own label, but time was running out so I didn't look into that. The tea costed a little more than the other flavored blends, but not in a tremendous way.

About a week after I got home, I tried my creation for the first time. It was magnificent! I really have to get my own ingredients and make blends more often! It may also be fun to try herbal concoctions.

Speaking of Whittard, my sister bought a strawberry fruit infusion there. She shared with us at a recent tea party, and everyone was impressed. Tea is good - even if it's not technically "tea".

Thank You For The Music....

It was really nice to go to a live concert on Sunday night. It's been a long time.

Only problem was, I saw signs of aging creeping up into my attitude. First of all, most of the people in my age range attending the show (which was, by the way, the radio station-sponsored "Zootopia") were either parents or somehow escorting the younger fans. Some of the performers were older than me, but I don't think any of them were over forty. And most of the singers, or bands, certainly catered to a young audience. This was confirmed by the high-decibel screeching that ensued when they entered the stage. The music sounded fine once I stuck my fingers in my ears.

So I'm thinking, am I past it now? Do I go hobbling back to the White Album? Therein lies the answer. I tell everyone how I'd loved to have been there when the Beatles used to perform live. Yet, I've seen their mid 60's concert footage. Seen it. You could barely hear the music above the prepubescent hysteria. So maybe I'm not old. Maybe I'm mature. I don't know which sounds more frightening.

Irritable Mind Syndrome

One of the things that annoys me, especially in the morning, is getting a once-over from the women I pass in the street and in the subway. It's almost worse than stupid comments from men on the street. I get more upset when they stare at my shoes. The worst is when they are new shoes, and I'm struggling to get used to walking in them. It's stupid, I know, but I immediately feel defensive; maybe I've lived in NY too long. If it is a quick glance, I barely notice - I'm sure I do the same thing. Outfit-watching is a fun pastime. It's the critical look I hate, or the long, drawn out stare.

On the other hand, if someone smiles, or compliments what I'm wearing, it can make my day. I'm probably meant to live in a cave.

Wild Thing!

I took my cat Cinnamon (nicknamed Sino) to the vet this weekend. He was getting sick all over the house, even on some of my books! Not only was it annoying, but I was concerned. Sino is 12 years old and our other cat Baby (Duforth) died last year at 13 years, so I wanted to be more vigilant about his health.

Although my dearly departed Duforth never enjoyed her trips to the vet, her vocal complaints were kept to a minimum and she was a very good patient. Not my Sino. His file at the Astoria Veterinary Group labels him a "Caution Cat". The minute he's carried into their waiting room, the trouble begins. His pupils become large and dark, and the growling starts low, like an evil purr.

Nothing can prepare a viewer for his actions on the examination table. He makes noises which can only be called demonic, while he thrashes at the oven-mitted vet techs. Since he is a big cat like most orange shorthairs he is doubly hard to control. At this visit 2 techs had to use towels to restrain him while they gave him tranquilizers. Soon he grew limp and relieved himself on the table. I found myself making apologies for his behavior, but that's pretty dumb. It's all him. Besides, at home he is affectionate and cuddly. Only at the vet's office does he decide to be the Hulk.

After only a few minutes into his sedation, his strength begins to return to him and he swats drunkenly at the techs as they clean his teeth and cut his nails. Finally the veternarian advises me his condition looks to be Inflammatory Bowel Disorder. Somehow he has inherited a disease common to my family! This is besides the fact that he sort of resembles my dad. Sino is prescribed 2 kinds of pills to be administered daily, preferably by the mouth. Right. I'm gonna try to pry his fangs open and throw pills down there. My sister, a former vet tech, can't do it!

So now we have a month of sneaking meds into my cat's food. Of course, he is discerning and tries to eat around it, but he must be getting some of it into his system. He hasn't made a mess since Sunday.

Mini-trip!

That's an expression I like to use for spending a day, or even a few hours, the way I would if I were truly on vacation. Since I really don't get to go away that often, but live in the most diverse area in the world, this works out really well.

Here's how it works: preferably on a day off, in decent weather, I decide on a neighborhood or street, depending on which borough I plan to visit. I try to choose a country that I'd like to see but may never get a chance to. Then I go to an area where the restaurants and shops specialize in my particular choice.

For instance, yesterday was my day off. It was warm in the afternoon, so I walked to Jackson Heights. I shopped for bangles in Butala Emporium. I was not the only one on a mini-trip: lots of non-Indian woman were in the shop buying incense and hair products. One woman asked the man behind the counter if he had any CD's of morning chants. I told him my morning consisted of more groans than chants and he smiled indulgently. I'm glad they removed their "No Joking" sign a while back. In the end a lady working in the shop showed me how to check what size bangles to go for: I am 2-6 (at least my wrists are thin!)

From there I visited a "Bollywood" music and movie shop, which was reasonably priced. They were helpful in this shop too, but it was good to know a little bit about what I was looking for (Veer Zaara!) And for all you Hindi film lovers, I even found some Karaoke music!

Normally my mini-trip would consist of a nice lunch (in this case maybe Jackson Diner for their buffet), but I wasn't too hungry and (gasp!) didn't even feel like chai. Instead, I opted for mango kulfi. This is similar to ice cream, served on a stick, with a slightly different consistency. It is magnificent on a warm day, and only $1! I ate this on my walk home.

So this was a mini-mini trip, only 2 hours perhaps. But it gave me that feeling that I'd been somewhere that day. I think it helps to stick to the theme for even that short time period. It's not as easy to try this if you live in a one-or two-culture place, but it's worth a try. Just remember to keep your mobile communications to a minimum during this time, or it won't be fun at all!

More on my mini-trips to come.....

Clone Attack!

Since nothing of serious note has happened since I returned to NY, I'll rant a little on my observations of my recent visit to London.

I guess my powers of observance were lax on my previous trips to London, but this time I noticed something quite disturbing. Not counting my friends in Clapham/Balham, who have their own minds, the ladies in London had one thing in common. They were dressed in uniform. I mean, nearly every female that walked the streets of West End, Chelsea, Kensington, Portobello Road, etc. were wearing the exact same thing...the boho/hippie/prairie look, whether it suited them or not. My sister and I particularly remarked on the long white skirts, everywhere!

Don't get me wrong. This is one of the looks I've worn myself for many years, particularly in the warmer months. And if I feel like wearing a tiered skirt or a funky belt, I go for it. What bothered me is everyone and their mother looking like this, with no thought to what works for them or what they actually like. They are dictated to by magazines which they must follow religiously. It's sad!

That being said, it's not terrible to look at the latest something or other in the shops and trying it out. I've done that before, but be true to yourself or you won't enjoy it at all!

Finally, there is one person getting all the credit, or is it blame, for this style - Sienna Miller. I have nothing against her personally. I think she's pretty and looks good next to her fiancee as well, which can't be easy. But what I don't understand is the media making her the inventor of the latest style. Hello! People have rocked this look since the 60's (and some people should have left it there.) All of a sudden it is "new" and apparently only one person in this world ever dressed this way. Come on, people! Get real!

I've said my piece, and I'll wear whatever I like to wear, whether everyone else likes it or not. (Of course, I won't wear a mini-skirt, that would not work.) And if anyone starts to credit tea-drinking popularity to Sienna or any other chick, they will have the Queen to answer to!!!!!

Living up to my name

I haven't done anything tea-related since I started this blog. Bad Tea Queen! So I'll dedicate this post to my tea experiences in London.

First of all, I can't say the tea is better over there - it's tea, which is good anywhere. That being said, I do like the little things, like the fact that many eateries serve tea in pots, whether bagged or loose. This is a rare thing for New York, where you have to go to a tea-themed restaurant to even see a teapot. Still, every once in a while I ordered tea and got the bag with nowhere to put it but the saucer. Why would anyone do this to their customers? Don't they know what happens when you put a spent teabag on a saucer? The minute you raise the cup to your lips, little drops flicker off the bottom onto your lovely new white top, and you lose any teatime decorum you may have acquired in past years. But I digress.....

Second, though I know that London has been infected with chain store-itis, I have absolutely no problem with one particular shop scattered all over the high streets: Whittard. Sometimes they call it Whittard of Chelsea. Anyway, this is a shop that sells all kinds of loose teas in tins and bags, however you like it. There are flavored teas and estate teas, even first-flush Darjeeling. For those that like it fast and sweet, they sell instant teas in cans that last forever. You can usually sample a few of these in the shops. Then there are teapots, cups, strainers, tea towels, gift sets, tourist items...anythinga tea lover would go for, it's there at reasonable prices. My sister Pam bought a book there written by one of Whittard's tea blenders. I must read it sometime. A few of the Whittard shops, one in Covent Garden and one in Carnaby Street, also have a T-Zone. In this section you can blend your own flavored teas! I managed to do this on my last day there, though I spilled some of the dried fruits.

Of notable mention is the Haagen Dazs Cafe in Leicester Square. They have Ice Cream Tea on the menu. For a rather exhorbitant price, you get a scoop of ice cream, a mediocre scone with cream and jam, and a pot of tea. I secured my position as Clumsy Tourist of Astoria by knocking over our table when leaving the cafe. I watched in slow motion as the teapot careened to the floor. Thankfully it didn't shatter.

But my favorite tea experience in London is, and always will be, The Muffin Man. It's located near Kensington High Street tube station. Here, for a decent price, you get the best tasting scones in the world. Once in a while a few of them get slightly burned. Otherwise, they are perfect. The atomosphere is cozy and feminine, but I saw a number of men enjoying lunch here. Their sandwiches are also to die for. Their cakes are okay too. If you ever make it to London, make time to visit the Muffin Man, even if it's not on Drury Lane.

Inaccessible

While away in UK and France, I didn't check my email once, nor did I have a cell phone (mobile). Occasionally I felt uneasy about this. I guess I experienced technological cold turkey. When I heard a ringtone, I'd reach for my phone and then stop short out of habit. I phoned home a few times, and that was the only time I had contact with NY.

In the long run, the only thing I truly missed was text messaging, but even this I survived.

Now I recommend that everyone try taking a holiday from being totally reachable. It's hard to do in while vacationing somewhere in the US perhaps. Still, try even for one day turning off your cellphone, your pager, your laptop, whatever. Take a long walk or drive away from your hometown and listen to silence for once. Reach out and touch...the off button.