For those that don’t know, I very rarely write blog posts straight into the WordPress editor interface – I used to write everything in a text editor, save it into a neat and tidy folder structure, and copy it into WordPress. In recent months (since lockdown, I suppose), I have written in Google Docs, copied the text across.
Why am I writing about it?
Because I’ve had this post sitting on the screen all day – with no more than the title at the top – “Friday”. I typically give all posts the same title when I start writing, and then re-name them when a title presents itself. Quite often the title only relates to the final paragraph.
I don’t really have anything to report. My toe is still broken, the cat still has half his hair shaved off after his most recent hospital adventure, and I find myself becoming increasingly distant from “social” media.
I’m not sure that I’ve given up on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and so on – so much as re-framed what they’re useful for. Or at least, what I find them useful for. I used to see “the social internet” as a way to reach out to the wider world – a way to discover interesting people, make friends, and share a little of each other’s lives. Somewhere along the way that all became somewhat poisonous though – Twitter became a place to stand on soapboxes and shout louder than the next person, Facebook became a place to have bitter disagreements with acquaintances, and Instagram became a place to show off.
I will admit to thinking quite a bit about shutting my blog down, and just reverting to a personal journal. I’ve thought about it before – I’ve DONE it before – but it doesn’t seem to be so much about me changing any more – it’s more about the world changing around me – becoming a little less friendly, a little more abrasive, and a little less welcoming.
I get it. Blogging has ALWAYS been a bit of an odd pursuit – sharing the guts of your day with a nameless audience. It’s just always been something I’ve done though – for twenty years now. I qualify it by telling myself that it helps keep me sane – and yet I filter perhaps half of the words I might share – all the most interesting stuff. The anger, the frustration, the gossip, the scandal, the unpopular opinions – the good stuff.
In other news, I weighed myself this morning. I’ve lost about 18 pounds since lockdown began. It’s not something I’ve done intentionally – we just haven’t bought any junk food for some time. It was mostly about saving money. If I lose another few pounds, I’ll be the same weight I was twenty years ago. Go me (sarcasm intended). I keep telling myself that I feel better for it, but I could murder a chocolate bar.
After three months of lockdown, I am currently wearing a t-shirt that last fitted about ten years ago. The absence of kebabs has done me a world of good.
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Hah – most of my t-shirts were BOUGHT ten years ago 🙂 (or have been birthday and Christmas presents along the way)
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Yes, most of mine are at least ten years old. And now they all fit comfortably again 🙂
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I’m not so much a junk food consumer. Most of our treats, I bake. And I don’t tolerate sugar well–so the first modification to any recipe is to cut the sugar in half, sometimes down to a third. Every now and again, especially if I’m out in the world and having a tough go of it, I’ll splurge and eat a chocolate bar. I pay for it, but in that moment…heaven. Blogging, to me, is about encapsulating an experience in a way that might make it relevant to others. I have an unusual lifestyle, so my battles with weeds and bugs, chickens or rodents, bees or bears, might not capture others’ interests, but I try to frame it in the telling so that it resonates. While ‘marketing’ was the initial raison d’être for my blog, I don’t think it’s ever sold a book. Now I blog, and read blogs for the community/communities with which I align myself.
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I think that’s why I found your blog, and followed it – because you write a journal – it’s becoming increasingly rare.
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I’ve oft been accused of living in the 19th Century. A life ‘of letters’ fits right in.
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Well done on the weight loss. I totally get where your coming from with social media and blogging. I’m in the same place at the moment. So much to discuss but so much angers me that I prefer to not bother to get involved. It drains me so I purposely withdraw when it makes me like that. Then return when I feel in a better place. Your description of twitter, Facebook and Instagram is spot on. Good line that.
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We’ve walked pretty much the same path over the last few years, haven’t we.
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Yeah…I had the opposite problem on lockdown. ‘nuf said. lol.
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