PROLOGUE
(Wednesday, November 26, 2014)
I am keeping this mini-journal to stay sane during my offline time
and as a reminder of what life can be like outside of social media.
Perhaps I'll learn something deep and thought-provoking about myself, but
probably not.
DAY 1
(Thursday, November 27, 2014)
Every so often I randomly take a 24 hour sabbatical from social
media, so one day offline wasn't too difficult. Honestly, I did spend
last year's Thanksgiving weekend offline, but that was different. At that
point in time I didn't have a device in which to connect to Wi-Fi, so it was
easy to accept. I simply didn't have a choice. Now the temptation
to connect is hanging above me. I could have grabbed my device
(~snicker~) on my way over to my father's and loitered outside my favorite
Wi-Fi hotspot, but I didn't. Though I now find myself wondering if a
canine friend in Omaha had a filling holiday meal, and if Texas experienced a
very pink Thanksgiving.
What did I do with the time I typically spend online, besides
eating with family and taking a really awesome nap? Well, I did not do
any editing, which I feel a bit guilty over. However, I began writing a
short story. I'm not sure if the tale will end up on this blog, but we
shall see. The thrill of immersing myself in a fictional world, other
than social media, was enough, at least for today.
DAY 2
(Friday, November 28, 2014)
A second day offline draws to a close. Once again, I must
confess that every so often I have taken two days off, but during those times I
cheated a bit. I would often pop on and quietly look around to keep up
with what was going on. Maybe respond to any personal messages. Not
today! Even though the freak summer-like temperatures should have tempted
me to sit outside, maybe under the Tweeting Tree, and lose myself in the world
of social media, I didn't experience an overwhelming urge. However, I did
catch myself curious to know if the Swedish & English bear brothers were
reunited, and if Tennessee had theorized everything yet, but these will hopefully
be happy surprises come Monday!
I managed to take a leisurely long walk and accomplish some editing
today. I'm approximately halfway finished with word chopping and
rearranging, so there is much to feel satisfied about, but so much more to go.
My short story kept drawing me away, which is fine. At least I'm
being distracted by a productive project. There is something about this
story that has me all knowing grins and maniacal chuckles. I'm beginning
to believe it will eventually find its place on my blog, even if no one
understands the journey but the deranged author.
In film news, my sister and I revisited the 1972 classic Blacula.
To be honest, I find it one of the more entertaining versions of the
Dracula legend.
DAY 3
(Saturday, November 29, 2014)
A third day offline but not completely out of touch with the
outside world. I called to hear about wild New York turkeys, but had to
leave a message. Still feeling the itch to talk, I phoned a friend who is
smart enough to avoid social media all together. She knows there are
benefits to being connected, but she also hears about the negative aspects.
I respect and appreciate her off-the-grid decision, and she respects why
I joined the seemingly endless digital conversation. My friend and I had
a great time catching up, with topics ranging from Dark Excursions
to zombies to British telly to malaria.
I spent more time on editing today, partly because a napping cat on
my lap prevented me from reaching my short story. Though I did eventually
make some progress on my literary journey, pausing as I rang the doorbell.
My plan is to focus more on writing tomorrow as I do some laundry.
The temperature was once again freakishly summer-like, which may
explain my desire to talk to another living human person, whom I don't see or
speak with often. As a third day ends, I wonder if M & J continue to
feel the glam and sing the blues. Plus, I can't wait to read what a
fellow feline pet parent from Omaha thought of Grumpy Cat's Worst
Christmas Ever! I was rather entertained by the whole thing.
In other film news, my sister and I watched the 1973 lethargic yawn
fest Scream, Blacula, Scream for the first time. Doesn't
hold a candle to the first one, but we had not expected it to.
DAY 4
(Sunday, November 30, 2014)
Did the Stove Top Stuffing Queen experience a tasty Thanksgiving?
Were the kittens painted on Wednesday? Whose cookies have the
cookie thief taken? Did Mr. Dimples post any new shots? Are there
any new videos from Australia? Has Chadwick finally found love?
Those are a sampling of questions that were running through my head
this morning. I had to resist the incredibly strong urge to locate a
Wi-Fi source and find the answers to my online queries by distracting myself
with a relative phone call, writing, laundry, and writing about laundry.
Maybe my resolve weakened on this fourth day or perhaps I simply miss the
wonderfully strange and eclectic folk I call friends, whether they are from
real life or reside strictly online.
As this final full day offline draws to a close, I wonder what I'll
find when I log back on tomorrow. Will there be absolute chaos or ordered
calm? I won't know until then, but for now I can only speculate what a
Lincolnite thought of Once Upon A Time, and if a relative
from an isle of grand will continue watching The Walking Dead. Both
shows had a jaw-dropping moment or two.
EPILOGUE
(Monday, December 1, 2014)
Did I learn anything from my self-induced exile from
the internet and social media? Perhaps nothing earth-shattering, but I
learned a couple of things.
I learned that I can spend time offline and still
find emotional fulfillment. That being said, I also learned that the
connections I've made online are important to me. The wonderfully strange
and eclectic folk expand my world view and make me feel like I found my ancient
tribe through modern methods. Plus, the fellow writers I have interacted
with help to keep me motivated and focused.
Will I ever again spend such a large amount of time
offline? Maybe. Maybe not. It was a nice break from what had
become the norm and I accomplished a few things, but I'm back online now.
Let the interactions begin...
Be well, Readers, and Freak On,
JLH
P.S. You can find me on…
I admire your will power in avoiding social media for so long. And thanks for the tips on BLACULA and it's sequel - only seen a trailer and it looks as fun as Dracula 1972 (my fave one).
ReplyDeleteI don't know if I could do that nowadays! LOL the sometimes I can leave Facebook behind for several days in a row.
DeleteI think you'll enjoy blacula!