Week 48: ‘routine’ 
The definition of routine that fits best with my weekday lifestyle is – regular, unvarying, habitual, unimaginative, or rote procedure. It may change slightly on the weekend when life becomes that bit more relaxed. I open my eyes in appreciation that a new day has been given to me and then reach for my mobile phone, then iPad as we do in our digital world. I check my emails, check Facebook, check Instagram, check WordPress, check my bank account and play a silly time wasting game all before I get out of bed. I may skip a few of those items on the last list on a day at work, time is more precious to play the game. I don’t really use my devices until I’m home at the end of the day, as I relax before bed. 

I’m glad my iPad is part of my routine. This very iPad that I’m tapping my fingers on has been with me through thick and thin. I bought it on the 15th June 2013. It has travelled with me on holidays, involving trips overseas, on long car rides and was my constant companion when waiting and watching Jacob have treatment, tests and surgery. I have my favourite games that I play on my iPad. It has been the sounding block for all my blogs to have been created. So many entries in the ‘notes’ section. I never want to accidentally delete them as the words mean so much. Notes from Jacob writing a script for his next little movie to create, notes from the hospital on the day we found out that he cancer, the notes we wrote together about all the questions we needed to ask the doctor next time we saw her, notes that contained lists of what things to bring in to the hospital like his favourite foods, drink and what DVDs to bring in for him to watch, notes of appointments, tests and blood tests, notes containing important contact numbers for his nurses, notes that pointed out his bucket list of things to complete in the time he had left on earth. 

I’m dreading the day that my iPad will no longer work as nothing lasts forever. I have had it repaired once when the screen flashed in green lines. It was like losing parts of Jacob all over again, bit by bit. The things that hold memories of the time we had together. Thankfully magic was restored and I get to tap my pointer finger over the screen once again. The protective cover looks old and tatty and could tell a few stories from it’s time. I have now since the first repair backed up my notes, favourite games and all important documents in iCloud. Favourite games like jewels, solitaire, Frozen free fall, wizard of oz and cookie jam blast. I used to be a candy crush player but got stuck on a level and have since lost interest. I think to my myself that my little routine of playing these games keep my brain active and thinking in case I get dementia later in life. Well that was my excuse. When I am playing these silly time waster games my mind does relax and the thoughts that were running a race have slowed to a tortoise pace. I am getting more acceptable to the fact that my old faithful iPad is nearing the end of it’s existence so I have another one on the go just in case. You can see both of the iPads side by side on the lounge amongst some Christmas hats and bills to pay. 

Jacob had his mobile phone and iPad too to help him stay focused with his mundane routine of when he was in hospital having chemo or enduring a 6 day stint in isolation due to neutropenia where he took time lapse photos from his windows to pass the time. I have kept these too yet we can only use his iPad as his phone has since broken. He played ‘don’t touch the spikes’ another game where he’d have to insert arrows within spaces of a spinning circle, four letters and he’d verse others online in a trivial pursuit type game answering questions about all things movies. Oh how I wish I could see his long fingers of his beautiful hands work the magic of his computer, camera and phone again. 

Sometimes a break from our routine is the very thing we need. I am going to try and modify my morning routine and slow down on the tapping into technology. When my mobile phone was being repaired I was without it for 3weeks. At first I thought as though I’d lost an arm or leg and couldn’t do without it. But after a while that feeling of wanting it to be with me 24/7 dissipated and before long I was writing my blogs the original way using a pen on white writing paper in an old school book from my children. I can do that again. I am a great believer in variations on routine.