Exactly 2 months ago, I decided to go on an Internet diet. No, not a diet....a fast. I stopped posting on this blog. I stopped reading blogs. I stopped "Twittering". I completely deleted my Facebook profile. I minimized what I received via e-mail (as in, I unsubscribed to a bunch of useless junk) and cut back on how often I checked my e-mail. I was completely amazed at how much "free" time I had. More honestly, I was humbled by how much I was ignoring or not doing because I thought I "didn't have time".
And sometimes it was hard to do. I love to read and I love to "talk" to people, and I missed the interaction of blogging and twittering. I missed my Internet friends. Sometimes I would "cheat" and check Twitter, just to see what everyone was up to. Or I would scan some blogs, just to catch up on things. But just like changing your eating habits when you go on a diet, I began to change my habits. I even had whole days when I forgot to even check my e-mail! Me - the e-mail queen. This is quite a feat considering I have the ultimate Internet and e-mail toy in my daily possession - my iPhone. Checking your mail is as easy as touching a button.
Anyway, after much discussion with my best friends and others, and much reflection, I think I am ready to come back to blogging. I want to be careful - I will not go back to my old habits. The Internet was consuming my family time. Quite frankly, I feel like it was taking over my life. Truth be told, I don't miss Facebook. And I don't really feel the need to Twitter. But I have missed blogging - expressing myself on digital paper, and talking to all of you.
So.....here I am. January 4, 2009. 44 years old. Ready to take on the new year. And right off the bat, I have a request. I have accidentally deleted my blogroll. Help me put you all back on my list.
Happy new year, everyone.
J.
15 comments:
Yeah! We missed you too! www.superwomanlife.blogspot.com
Welcome back.
I'm so happy to see you back! I missed you! You can find me here. :)
http://tookietales.blogspot.com/
Welcome back, Hoosiergirl.
I am sure you have found a balance in the digital world with the analog world.
I am still at http://davidsdabbles.blogspot.com/ where I should spend less time.
Welcome back, Hootergirl. I've cut back some on my blogging activity, too. Never got into Twitter .. it seemed like overkill to me.
I follow a few blogs, but don't reply to each & every post. Moderation .. that's the key for me.
Welcome back to the bloggerhood!
I don't think I could take a two-month fast like that. I consider too many blogger to be my friends and just leaving like that would be like shutting out my friends for no reason other than the fact that they're online and not local.
Hey darlin welcome back to cyberland. Now I gotta get the hell out of here and get to work. catch a later.
www.trukindog.blogspot.com
Welcome back..you were one of the early blogs that I read...nice to see you again.
I wasn't in your blogroll before, but perhaps you might take a look at me now. I'm an American who fell in love with an Englishman I met online and moved to England after a whirlwind romance. I can be found at:
www.giftsofthejourney.com
Hey! You're here! Happy New Year! Sure have missed you!
Good for you for coming back to blogging. I realized a while ago that it would be easy to spend my whole life in front of the computer and forget that I have a home and a family and pets who need my love and attention. So I blog. No Twitter. No Plurk. I still FB, but have it down to 10 minutes a day (I time myself).
Welcome home!!!!
http://sayresmiles.blogspot.com
Welcome back! I'm looking forward to catching up.
Superwoman - I am looking forward to checking your blog out and seeing how that baby is doing.
Tookie - I missed you, too!
Brother Dave - I'm pretty sure I have established a balance.
E.Craig - I agree with you - moderation is the key.
Jay - Thanks! It's good to be back, even in a limited way.
Avitable - I didn't "shut out my friends". I just stopped blogging. I kept in contact with a few people via e-mail. Besides, your situation and mine are very different. You don't have children who want and need your attention, apparently you don't cook or clean, and you work from home. So you can afford to be a little more....um.....self-indulgent. Besides, as much as I care for my online friends, I will always think face-to-face interaction is healthier than living my life online.
Sheralle - Thanks for stopping by. I hope my occasional updates can keep you interested.
Elizabeth - I'll be right over to your place.
Sayre - I'm glad someone seems to understand. Thanks for the warm welcome back.
Faiqa - I look forward to catching up with you, too.
J.
Well, I was just talking from my perspective. I don't consider friendships I've made online to be less healthy than those I've made locally (in fact, I have this whole theory on geographic friends vs. interest-relevant friends, but that's another story for another day), so it would be hard to have all of those relationships just disappear.
Well, glad to have you back. You know where I'm at-lol.
welcome back! Sometimes you just need a break.
I think it's all about balance and it sounds like you found yours. :) Welcome back and happy 2009!
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