In taking a three month vow of silence, I needed some guidelines. They'll be pretty loose in the beginning as I adapt to the habit of being quiet (and to losing a few other habits in the process), but I'll tighten up on the strictness as I move along. Most of these are fairly straightforward. Anyway, there you are.

Reasons

• To investigate conventional wisdoms about silence
• To attempt to understand what "silence" is
• To look at dumping the nonessential; to embrace an economy of satisfaction and value (rather than abundance and the superfluous)
• To listen to a character (very weak signal, very important story)
• To listen to others, to the environment (more deeply)
• To investigate the peripheral phenomena of silence
• To get closer to appreciating the intimacy of silence, and the effect that silence has on relationships (barriers, benefits, etc.)
• To cultivate an extreme discipline
• For the experience!

Rules

• No radio (and I love radio!)
• No television (no great loss)
• No iPod/MP3 Player/Discman/Walkman/Boombox (arrrrrrrgh!)
• No social networking (that's the toughest on the list!)
• No email exchanges (won't be difficult)
• No talking (duh!)
• No video, computer, or online games (spend little time doing this as it is)
• No pity/advantage if people are concerned that I can't talk (must be honest!)
• No online chat or instant messaging (don't use it now anyway)
• No unnecessary sounds (to indicate or suggest, or just because)
• Internet for dedicated purposes only (like research and reading)
• Must attempt to connect and seek companionship) otherwise, what's the use?)
• Must attempt to seek ways to overcome barriers in conversation
• No telephone
• No SMS

Challenges

• Pacing (I am an active thinker - I walk and talk the ideas out)
• Exclamations (escaping thought bubbles - wow! shit! cool! You)
• Frustrations (slow internet, stubbed toe, busy traffic)
• Demanding people (insistent that I talk, equating silence to rudeness)
• Loneliness (feeling like I need to talk to alleviate the feeling of being lonesome)
• Tiredness (the blah, blah, blah mode of tiredness)
• Custom (asking for trade: a bus ticket, a hot chocolate, a new pen, whatever...)
• Christmas (I have kids and family. I have to say something. I'm taking a break on Christmas day.)

One rule to rule them all:

If the cost of maintaining silence is misfortune; injury; injustice; or deep mental or emotional distress for anyone, notwithstanding myself, silence ceases to be of importance, instantly.

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