24 hrs. No Facebook.
Yesterday, at 9 am. I had an event.
I realized that I have a FB problem. (FB, meaning the addictive Facebook). I mainly used FB to get me through my time when Thunder was a baby…that’s when I became super-active. On 1o/4/2011, I realized that I have a serious problem with Facebook, and that it needs to stop. Now! I’m a serial messenger/commenter/updater. The only way to do this was to quit. Cold turkey. For 24 hrs, this junkie gave up Crackbook. Here’s an account of how I survived:
23 h 30 m left to go: Starting to twitch. Could be the coffee. Want to share U2 song through Jango update. Wait-everyone knows I like U2 anyway. And no one cares. More on.
23 h 10m left to go: Kids are sick. Both of them. Thinking about posting and venting/complaining and getting advice about how to stay healthy so I can go away this weekend. Hmmm…maybe I’ll check the internet instead
22 h 40 m. Need to do some inconspicuous venting. Not going to happen.
21 hrs left to go. Music is helping me. Loving me some Adele right now.
18h 29 m. Our company website is live-blogging from a town meeting. I want to share . Can’t happen. I’m also aggravated about a few more things. Nope….can’t share!
17 h 36m Really hard not to go on. Started thinking about the world I’m missing. For some reason, it resembles a HS cafeteria with the Pink Floyd time playing in the background. (Updated note-Was I hallucinating??? No-just probably need more coffee). I’ve started thinking about all of the notes I want to write on my blog. This shifted my thoughts to a potential writing piece based on something that I saw on the morning, which lead to the potential development of 1-3 characters (Updated note-It actually led to 4 characters). Gee-I haven’t written any pieces in forever and this past week I managed to bang out a couple of pieces/ideas. Now more ideas?
15h 25 min left. The DH has decided to go on. Great. He’s commenting and laughing at other peoples statuses. He NEVER goes on. I’m ready to lose it. I have to leave the room.
12 h 30 min out. I’m scanning my library of books into Goodreads app. Ok.
12 h Out. I decide to sit down and write. And I write. And write. For 2 hrs. Somehow, for the first time in almost…well, I have no idea…it’s been so long…I’m writing again. Really writing.
The next morning, I stay off. And although my 24 hrs was up at 9 am, I didn’t go on again until around 3 pm. I made it a day and a 1/4 with no Facebook. For some, this is not an issue. But for me, Facebook has become like what I imagine cigarettes are to some people. I go in the morning, sometimes before I say “Good Morning” to my husband or kids. I’m on a few times here and there during the day. I read articles/comments from work, and share stuff as well that I’ve read. Sometimes I’ll throw up a meaningful quote or some sarcasm. I go on again at the bus stop. I go on again before dinner…after dinner…sometimes during dinner. I’m realized I was setting a horrible example for the kids and sometimes even ignoring them. Don’t call CPS…I didn’t let them run with scissors or play in the oven, but I was being a shitty parent. And despite what I tried, I couldn’t stop. I even contemplated inventing a touch-screen for the steering wheel so I could see what was going on while driving…I’m not joking.
These 24 hrs. have been phenomenal. They’ve shown me that #1-I can live without FB. 2-I lived without FB for many years before. I can handle it in moderation. I’d rather go back to my writing and reading, and the things that I love…that I’ve always loved.
I’m going to keep my relationship status as active. I’m going to limit my time, even if I have to use a timer. I’m going to treat myself like a 16 year-old with this thing. I’m going to keep writing…some blogging. I’m going to go to sleep at normal hours. And I’m going to try to spend more times doing things I want to do.
And if I can’t handle this…there’s always Words with Friends.
Running to Stand Still 