If a Tree Falls in a Forest, Does it Happen if I Don't Post it on Facebook?
Day 2 of life sans Facebook.
I'm holding strong.
I had the shakes a bit, but I'm doing well.
Actually, to be honest, I'm doing really well.
As in I'm wondering why I didn't pull the plug a bit earlier.
I do feel that I have a lot to share. Today I took a very cool picture of the mountains in the rain. My daughter had a decent soccer game even though they got their butts kicked.
I saw some funny things.
Yet, alas, when I would reach for my phone I would remember that the world was suddenly smaller.
So if these events are undocumented, did they actually happen? Are they all in my mind?
One of my favorite features of Facebook has been when they randomly post something from the past. It's nice. My kids have grown SOOOO much. As have I, sadly not in a good way.
But if I'm not posting, will I remember?
I'm going to go out on a limb and say I will remember most things. Not everything. But it will force me to print more pictures.
Because here's the funny thing, after only 2 days, I feel a bit more connected to my family. It's awkward. Uncomfortable even, but we will adjust and adapt.
I've actually been a lot calmer, too.
I haven't gotten in a pissing match with someone I don't know at all today. No one has insisted that everyone needs a machine gun to survive. No one has called me a capitalist pig.
In fact, my life consisted of a fun soccer game, some errands, dinner with my family- honestly, it was all good.
Really good.
My stress level after only a few days was markedly better.
I think it will be interesting to see the people with whom I actually do stay in touch. I have some friends I've picked up via Facebook that I'm pretty sure we are reconnected for good. I also have some friends that I used to see and speak with regularly in the real world that became Facebook friends. They didn't feel the need to stay in touch since I posted so frequently. What they didn't realize is that I rarely posted negative stuff on Facebook so they truly have had no idea how I've been the last few years. And I didn't do that to post a fake view of my life, just most of the negative things that were happening in my life were personal, involved others and were private and not needing to be shared. My random "My head is going to explode posts" usually were limited to interactions with strangers that occurred unfortunately following something real that had happened. So while it seemed that I shared a lot, I didn't share the real stuff. And oddly some very good friends became acquaintances.
Weird, huh?
But the general sense of peace has been significant.
And I honestly wasn't addicted- I'm happy to have quit. I'm not sneaking back on or checking my husband's updates. I thought it was fun while it lasted, but like I was with relationships in my 20s, once it was over, it was over.
I truly was impressed with the response I received on it. When I tried to quit a few years ago because I was tired of stupid people, my friends begged me to stay. I even got a mug from my friend Gwen that said "The Erma Bombeck of Facebook." It obligated me to stay (I had told her if she did it, I would stay).
This time, I think my reasons- largely security of my family- were valid. People understood. I don't live in the safest place. I love Las Vegas, but it has an unusual amount of creepy people. All large cities do, but we tend to attract an unsavory bunch. I live far enough away from the "ick" but these days, who really knows?
But the messages I received this time actually made me cry. I had mentioned that I was pretty sure my silly posts had created some positive energy for people. I truly had no idea. I'm not going to share because they were privately sent but they meant the world to me.
So my message today is this:
Smile at people. When you see a stranger tell them you like their outfit. Or their hair. Or their smile. Or that their children are nice.
Interact with people. Real or cyber world.
Reach out.
Radiate positive energy.
It IS contagious.
I truly had no clue how massive the outpouring of love and well wishes would be.
It was like attending my own funeral in some ways.
And it was nice to see a packed house full of kindness.
It inspired me to take that energy and redirect it to the "real" world.
Not through rallies or political movements.
Just being nice.
Because apparently it DID mean something.
I'm holding strong.
I had the shakes a bit, but I'm doing well.
Actually, to be honest, I'm doing really well.
As in I'm wondering why I didn't pull the plug a bit earlier.
I do feel that I have a lot to share. Today I took a very cool picture of the mountains in the rain. My daughter had a decent soccer game even though they got their butts kicked.
I saw some funny things.
Yet, alas, when I would reach for my phone I would remember that the world was suddenly smaller.
So if these events are undocumented, did they actually happen? Are they all in my mind?
One of my favorite features of Facebook has been when they randomly post something from the past. It's nice. My kids have grown SOOOO much. As have I, sadly not in a good way.
But if I'm not posting, will I remember?
I'm going to go out on a limb and say I will remember most things. Not everything. But it will force me to print more pictures.
Because here's the funny thing, after only 2 days, I feel a bit more connected to my family. It's awkward. Uncomfortable even, but we will adjust and adapt.
I've actually been a lot calmer, too.
I haven't gotten in a pissing match with someone I don't know at all today. No one has insisted that everyone needs a machine gun to survive. No one has called me a capitalist pig.
In fact, my life consisted of a fun soccer game, some errands, dinner with my family- honestly, it was all good.
Really good.
My stress level after only a few days was markedly better.
I think it will be interesting to see the people with whom I actually do stay in touch. I have some friends I've picked up via Facebook that I'm pretty sure we are reconnected for good. I also have some friends that I used to see and speak with regularly in the real world that became Facebook friends. They didn't feel the need to stay in touch since I posted so frequently. What they didn't realize is that I rarely posted negative stuff on Facebook so they truly have had no idea how I've been the last few years. And I didn't do that to post a fake view of my life, just most of the negative things that were happening in my life were personal, involved others and were private and not needing to be shared. My random "My head is going to explode posts" usually were limited to interactions with strangers that occurred unfortunately following something real that had happened. So while it seemed that I shared a lot, I didn't share the real stuff. And oddly some very good friends became acquaintances.
Weird, huh?
But the general sense of peace has been significant.
And I honestly wasn't addicted- I'm happy to have quit. I'm not sneaking back on or checking my husband's updates. I thought it was fun while it lasted, but like I was with relationships in my 20s, once it was over, it was over.
I truly was impressed with the response I received on it. When I tried to quit a few years ago because I was tired of stupid people, my friends begged me to stay. I even got a mug from my friend Gwen that said "The Erma Bombeck of Facebook." It obligated me to stay (I had told her if she did it, I would stay).
This time, I think my reasons- largely security of my family- were valid. People understood. I don't live in the safest place. I love Las Vegas, but it has an unusual amount of creepy people. All large cities do, but we tend to attract an unsavory bunch. I live far enough away from the "ick" but these days, who really knows?
But the messages I received this time actually made me cry. I had mentioned that I was pretty sure my silly posts had created some positive energy for people. I truly had no idea. I'm not going to share because they were privately sent but they meant the world to me.
So my message today is this:
Smile at people. When you see a stranger tell them you like their outfit. Or their hair. Or their smile. Or that their children are nice.
Interact with people. Real or cyber world.
Reach out.
Radiate positive energy.
It IS contagious.
I truly had no clue how massive the outpouring of love and well wishes would be.
It was like attending my own funeral in some ways.
And it was nice to see a packed house full of kindness.
It inspired me to take that energy and redirect it to the "real" world.
Not through rallies or political movements.
Just being nice.
Because apparently it DID mean something.
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