Happy holidays, Julie. I am also online for many of my waking hours and am working hard to change things so that I can "dream of books again." I need the internet sometimes, but like you point out, it pulls me in. I have to mentally tell myself, "get off, go write the thing, go daydream." It feels like a constant battle of endurance.
Hi Julie! I’ve been thinking a lot about this as well; like you, I’m having a hard time doing the internet in a balanced way so I’m trying to set some clearer boundaries. I deleted my X and Facebook accounts. And I took the Instagram app off my phone. It’s been really nice so far. Except I’m still going to my phone out of habit which kind of freaks me out — how trained I am. I’m considering deleting all the apps off my phone (including email which I constantly open) and using it just to call and text people and look up directions. I miss flip phone days. Sending you all the best holiday vibes ❤️ Looking forward to your class!
Good to hear from you, Julie. I always appreciate your honest thoughts, and your pillowed attic? space intrigued me. Happy Return of the Light Day. The sky often saves me. Colors. Clouds. Constant change. Light to follow. When the busyness of people is too much, I try to remember to look up.
I came here to comment on your video and then noticed your lovely shout out to The Bees of Notre Dame! Thank you! I’m so glad you like it! 💛
In regards to the Internet- specifically it’s tendency to homogenize- I noticed this acutely a few days ago when my son had a “whacky day” at school (don’t get me started on these theme days in general), and the school sent out photos of all the whacky things kids wore and did with their hair. A suspicious number of kids showed up to school with the hair made into buns that looked like cupcakes and the the first thing I thought was- oh that must be an Internet thing. It bums me out. Because although a cupcake bun is adorable and creative, it becomes mundane when it was just an idea found on the Internet. It robs people of the truly unique ideas that come out of having to stretch your own mind. I say this with absolutely no shade to the parents who needed a quick idea and looked something up- it’s not their fault. The Internet has made our lives easier in that way, but it giveth and it taketh away.
It feels like I haven't read one of your posts or seen one of your videos in ages! Things are a lot, aren't they? Lots of demands on everyone and, like you, sometimes I feel like it's all too much, especially online. In my case I clearly make choices to go online and interact and I really don't have to but I do anyway.
I have no answers for you but I enjoyed hearing what you had to say! Take care!
I don't have anything smart to say (and I'm even fresh out of my old standby, "dumb and/or bizarre but hopefully amusing!") because it IS all so tough and personal, but I am sending lots of hugs your way! I wish balance were an actually-achievable "thing," but the older I get, the more I cling to Betty Friedan's "you can have it all, just not at the same time" observation; maybe balance is more about an average you are building through your lifetime, simply trying to avoid the very biggest regrets, rather than judgments based specific time units? (What am I even saying?? "Ah, baloney," Jamie would say to me for this if I were in The Mixed-Up Files.) Anyhow, ginger lime mocktails sound amazing, and I thought of you the other day when I was plotting my next local deli outing for a Cel-Ray and other goodies. :) Hugs, hugs, hugs.
Oh my word..,.... THIS IS EXACTLY HOW I FEEL. We feel so called to be ON all the time.....it takes away from doing what we love, which is creating, writing, baking...etc... SOMETHING'S GOT TO GIVE...
I’ve been experimenting with applying the ideas from the book Atomic Habits in order to adjust my writing habits, and I’ve discovered such interesting things about how and when and why I use the Internet, and what happens when I don’t allow it for the first half of the day. 😬 If you want to try it with me, I’m running a series about it in January on my substack. So interesting to hear your thoughts on the topic of anxiety scrolling, which often happens to me as well!
Happy holidays, Julie. I am also online for many of my waking hours and am working hard to change things so that I can "dream of books again." I need the internet sometimes, but like you point out, it pulls me in. I have to mentally tell myself, "get off, go write the thing, go daydream." It feels like a constant battle of endurance.
Hi Julie! I’ve been thinking a lot about this as well; like you, I’m having a hard time doing the internet in a balanced way so I’m trying to set some clearer boundaries. I deleted my X and Facebook accounts. And I took the Instagram app off my phone. It’s been really nice so far. Except I’m still going to my phone out of habit which kind of freaks me out — how trained I am. I’m considering deleting all the apps off my phone (including email which I constantly open) and using it just to call and text people and look up directions. I miss flip phone days. Sending you all the best holiday vibes ❤️ Looking forward to your class!
Good to hear from you, Julie. I always appreciate your honest thoughts, and your pillowed attic? space intrigued me. Happy Return of the Light Day. The sky often saves me. Colors. Clouds. Constant change. Light to follow. When the busyness of people is too much, I try to remember to look up.
I came here to comment on your video and then noticed your lovely shout out to The Bees of Notre Dame! Thank you! I’m so glad you like it! 💛
In regards to the Internet- specifically it’s tendency to homogenize- I noticed this acutely a few days ago when my son had a “whacky day” at school (don’t get me started on these theme days in general), and the school sent out photos of all the whacky things kids wore and did with their hair. A suspicious number of kids showed up to school with the hair made into buns that looked like cupcakes and the the first thing I thought was- oh that must be an Internet thing. It bums me out. Because although a cupcake bun is adorable and creative, it becomes mundane when it was just an idea found on the Internet. It robs people of the truly unique ideas that come out of having to stretch your own mind. I say this with absolutely no shade to the parents who needed a quick idea and looked something up- it’s not their fault. The Internet has made our lives easier in that way, but it giveth and it taketh away.
It feels like I haven't read one of your posts or seen one of your videos in ages! Things are a lot, aren't they? Lots of demands on everyone and, like you, sometimes I feel like it's all too much, especially online. In my case I clearly make choices to go online and interact and I really don't have to but I do anyway.
I have no answers for you but I enjoyed hearing what you had to say! Take care!
I don't have anything smart to say (and I'm even fresh out of my old standby, "dumb and/or bizarre but hopefully amusing!") because it IS all so tough and personal, but I am sending lots of hugs your way! I wish balance were an actually-achievable "thing," but the older I get, the more I cling to Betty Friedan's "you can have it all, just not at the same time" observation; maybe balance is more about an average you are building through your lifetime, simply trying to avoid the very biggest regrets, rather than judgments based specific time units? (What am I even saying?? "Ah, baloney," Jamie would say to me for this if I were in The Mixed-Up Files.) Anyhow, ginger lime mocktails sound amazing, and I thought of you the other day when I was plotting my next local deli outing for a Cel-Ray and other goodies. :) Hugs, hugs, hugs.
Oh my word..,.... THIS IS EXACTLY HOW I FEEL. We feel so called to be ON all the time.....it takes away from doing what we love, which is creating, writing, baking...etc... SOMETHING'S GOT TO GIVE...
“Everyone thought the milkman was a thing of the past…
Until the future arrived” (cue robot uprising scene)
I would love to see that novel when its ready, thank you for the inspiration.
I’ve been experimenting with applying the ideas from the book Atomic Habits in order to adjust my writing habits, and I’ve discovered such interesting things about how and when and why I use the Internet, and what happens when I don’t allow it for the first half of the day. 😬 If you want to try it with me, I’m running a series about it in January on my substack. So interesting to hear your thoughts on the topic of anxiety scrolling, which often happens to me as well!