Thursday, March 28, 2013

The best of me

I think the last couple of days has been enough to push me over the edge.  I can't quite tell you what the edge is or what's below it, but I'm going over.

I'm getting tired of Facebook.  I've been growing tired of it for a while.  Not everything about it, but a good portion of it.

Today I changed my homepages on my browser so that Facebook was not one of them. 

Perhaps it's that when I think about what I wanted out of Facebook, I think of what I want to share with my family and close friends.  And that's not what it is anymore.  At least not to me.  I think others got tired of it long before I did.

As I think of how I use Facebook, I think about promoting what I write on this blog.  But really, we can all agree that I'm no "Pioneer Woman" and I never will be.  So I don't need to maintain a presence just to promote myself anymore. 

I think of the friends I have on there.  Some I have known most of my life.  Some are new friends who are quite dear to me.  But many are acquaintances who I have no real reason to be connected to... except that this is what we do on Facebook. 

"Hey, I know them." 
Click 'Add'

I think about the things I share, which often reflect my personal thoughts and beliefs, thoughts and beliefs that a good portion of my Facebook friends don't agree with.  But I don't share those thoughts to get in arguments; I share because it's what I'm thinking.  And I don't even know what I can say on my own Facebook page without getting yelled at.

So perhaps, I need to step away.




Hmm...

I've been feeling overwhelmed lately.  I admit that a good part of that has been the slow accumulation of papers throughout my house.  On my dresser.  On the spare table.  In the corner.  In the other corner.  In the other other corner.  On the floor.  And I let them sit there. 

I feel like I'm always forgetting something.  But I'll check the news a few times a day.  And then my Facebook feed.  I'm overwhelmed but I don't need to be.  I'm letting myself be overwhelmed by the things that don't matter.  I need to disconnect, to some degree, because I don't need to know what an acquaintance from 15 yeas ago is doing today.  I don't need to know that Hollywood is making a new movie about this baseball star.

I need to spend more time doing what's best for my family.  I'll still be here.  If you really want to know what I think, you can see my blog.  And I will still update Facebook.  Maybe.  But I don't want to look at it every time I open my browser. 

And that Facebook-Friend weeding I did a while back?  It's going to happen again, much more dramatically.  I'm cutting back on the things that distract me.  Don't take it personally.  It's what my family needs, to get the best of me.

7 comments:

  1. I totally understand and have often felt the same way. I frequently take time away, but still struggle with a certain urge to feel validated by posting things that will generate a “like“ or response. I think our current culture has turned us all into narcissists of one degree or another. I think it is a sign of maturity for you to question this and what role it plays in your life. And, I hope and pray that you find God's answer for you in all of this.

    I would miss you should you decide to leave Facebook or delete me as a friend. And should you decide to do either, I hope you will still continue to join me for an occasional game of WWF and a little conversation there.

    Blessings to you, my friend.

    JS

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  2. I get it. Facebook, and so many other things, can be very overwhelming! So much to weed through and think about. You are wise to think about it, though, and put your family first.

    I feel the same way about papers! And a lot of our "stuff" sometimes. But especially papers from school, mail, etc. Who needs to weed through 15-ish sheets of paper from school every week and decide what to save, what to attend to, and what to recycle? But if I don't, they form piles everywhere, and I get that antsy, anxious, overwhelmed feeling just looking around my home. It feels like one of those neverending cycles.

    I'm trying to figure out, too, what's most important. I did learn how to change what and how much I see on my Facebook feed so that I get less updates from certain people and more from those I really want to see updates from. That was helpful!

    Hope you enjoy your day, I enjoy connecting with you here, on my blog, and on FB!

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  3. I don't miss facebook at all! It doesn't even tempt me to jump back on. I get that yuck feeling in my stomach when I just hear then name, kind of like thinking of foods that made you sick when pregnant. Facebook is such an illusion of connection, it's not real. And it wastes far too much time. And I also got tired of the comments... plus its all far too public, anyway. There's something special about privacy and not knowing everything about someone when you go out for coffee with them. I treasure my friendships and yes, their blog postings, because in these I feel like I get to really listen to someone's passions... and really, who cares about what sandwich who ate where... it really doesn't matter.

    I say go for it... delete your account... see what happens... if you miss it too much, you can always join again!

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  4. I'm Wanda's dad. She got me involved in this mess, and I don't know what I'd do without it. I'm not posting here to argue with any one of you. Feel free to post your opinions. That's what it's all about. The sad thing is when opinions get tackled and you are left feeling aweful because of what you posted.

    I, quite honestly, don't know what I'd do without Facebook. Is it a time waster?? You bet your sweet boots it is!! But, I still don't know what I'd do without it.

    I allow you to express yourself... here's my take. PERSONALLY.... I think that Facebook is the best communication sharing tool on the web. If you disagree with me, that's OK. If you delete me as a Facebook friend, I'd certainly hope that you would NOT be deleting me as friend. That's where the tragedy would occur....when we cannot disagree amicably (sp).

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    Replies
    1. Oh, it's not that I don't like Facebook... It's that I like it too much. It's consuming too much of my thought process. I need to step back from it a bit. I have too many people that I love communicating with on Facebook. I don't think I could give it up altogether. But it's nice to set it aside and not feel the compulsion to check it every 10 seconds. It's... refreshing.

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