I was just listening to NPR and they had a story about how just going somewhere and vegging out is not the best way to spend a vacation. These sociologists say that it doesn't work because it's unfulfilling -- it's much better to do something that has meaning to you and ultimately relaxes you more.

It made me think of a thing I did the first time I was in college low these many years ago. In my first semester I took Mass Communications and about halfway through the semester we were given an assignment to spend three days without any form of mass media. We could do our schoolwork, of course, but otherwise no other mass media. Think about what that means. No newspapers, magazines, novels, TV, movies, radio, music, but worst for me at that time was no comic books. We couldn't read billboards. We could read our schoolbooks, do our schoolwork, play music, write. The point was to show us how pervasive mass media was in our lives. Mostly I had no problems -- until I started missing my comic books. The entire experiment really made an impression on me. Without the distractions of mass media what do you do? You either get creative or you sit and think a lot.

These days its even worse, with all the electronics. We have the 'Net now. Cell phones.

So I was thinking maybe it would be an interesting experiment to get some people together and go somewhere that has no mass media and no electronics. What would happen when all you can do is think, write with pen and paper, and talk. For several days. It would be like a Zen sesshin.

People might go crazy. Or it might be profoundly relaxing and meaningful.

Might be worth doing.