It's not you, it's me


I have been saying for a long time that I wanted to get off of Instagram and back into blogging, and here we are. While I honestly like Instagram (and use it to print Chatbooks for the girls!), I do not love the way it usurps my time. Have you ever gone into your settings and looked at how much time you are spending on Instagram? My numbers are too embarrassing to even share. And all those little snips of time really add up. You know the ones. The "just checking" minutes. I have a timer set for 30 minutes daily but I just watch the reminder pop up and completely ignore it.

I am also missing the thought process that goes into crafting a long form post. Though even what "long form" is in this digital age has been compressed into something unrecognizable to my teenage self. Maybe it is just a part of getting older, being in my mid forties, and grasping for an earlier time that has taken on the hazy glow of halcyon days. Along those lines, things I'm missing: living in a tent through the summers, my old Nalgene bottle, bare feet and hemp skirts, my nose piercing, not having a mobile phone, spending entire days reading a book, that perfect vegetarian sandwich at a local spot. If this is what my midlife crisis is going to look like, I embrace it. And I am definitely planning on getting my nose re-pierced, so there!

I'm nearly through the book Digital Minimalism and to be honest, it's just ok. It has a lot of common sense information in it and suggests that you take a month-long break from all unnecessary digital media (you get to define what "necessary" is), then take a look at how it affects you and whether or not you bring it back. Social media, he notes, is designed expressly to get you to spend as much time as possible interacting; that's where the money is. I am mostly an early adopter of technologies. I began blogging in 2003, before I was married or had children. I got on Facebook not long after it was opened to the general public, in 2005. I can't remember when I got on Instagram, maybe 2011? I have almost 10,000 posts there now! I'm not really ready to leave IG, but I'm ready to find another rhythm in my days. Reclaiming the halcyon idyll, in my own small way.

So welcome back! To you and to me. I'm older, everything has changed and shifted, especially in this last year. Home life, homeschooling, eating, gosh just everything. I'm still seeking peace and joy and beauty, that will never change. I am excited to talk to you all about it. Let's chat. 

Comments

  1. Don't forget Flickr. I'm still on Flickr, but really miss what it once was. IG just isn't the same. BTW, love a good veggie sandwich.

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    1. Oh! Flickr! I still have my account there.

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  2. I have to say that I never followed your other blog (I think we missed one another) but when I saw on IG that you were starting a new one and then read through the comments and saw that others felt like blogging may be coming back my heart just soared! I miss blogs and blogging so much, and although I enjoy IG, I feel like blogging is much more personal. I just wanted to stop by and say that I'm glad you're back and I'll be subscribing.

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    1. I feel like there is definitely a resurgence in blogging and interest in blogging. It's coming back!

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  3. I'm so glad to be reading a blog post by you again! 🖤

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  4. Love this so much. I have a blog (well,
    I have an old one and made a new one a while ago but never posted yet) and I would love to get back to blogging. Facebook is my main time suck, so I decided yesterday to step away more. IG is my “happy space” so I hope you don’t leave entirely! But I’d love to go back to checking blogs versus IG and Facebook updates. I hope it’ll become a movement! In any case, I’m so happy to see this post!

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    1. I stepped away from Facebook a few years ago. It was just draining me and not giving anything back! I hope we can all get back to blogging again. We had no idea how good we had it, ha!

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  5. Kyrie seeing you here just makes my week!!

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  6. Hi Kyrie! I hear you... the Nalgene bottle!!! Reading books... :) I had one of those Nalgene bottles too.... I can find IG is like that for me too, but one thing I did (it was hard but then a relief) is that I got rid of a lot of what I subscribed to. I kept my friends but a lot of the cooking/decorating/whatever things (with a few exceptions) I got rid of. Saves a lot of time....I am currently following 145 accounts (which is higher than it was to be honest)... I am very different with IG than most, many requests to follow me I don't accept and am upfront about it. Everyone is different and will have their own path with social media... I've been blogging same blog for years; the audience has changed a lot (those commenting) but it's something I still enjoy a lot and feel that it is a wonderful community. :) (I like my IG community too, I just keep it small) :)

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    1. I do sort of miss my Nalgene! But I have lots of water bottles kicking around now and don't need one. I'm happy to be back blogging! It gives me a little time to write and connect in a different way.

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  7. I'm just so glad you're blogging! I've been trying to "restart" my blog for ages and I feel energized by you!

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