The view from my cup…a cobweb in the morning light. Cobwebs are delicate, fleeting works of art and just one of many things I have enjoyed seeing while my face hasn’t been glued to a phone screen for two months. Just how was my social media hiatus, you ask? Well, here are some thoughts on that…

There was a bit of withdrawal, I’ll admit. I equated it to when I quit smoking many years ago. What to do with my hands? A cigarette, and a phone, it turns out, are a tactile habit. In several days, that passed. Partially because I was doing other things with my hands. For example, reading a book. In two months, I read a few books from my TBR (to be read) pile. But also ordered a few more, so my attempt to reduce the pile was a wash.

While ‘that guy’ drives us back and forth to work each day, my old habit was to scroll FB, Instagram, or Twitter. In lieu of that, I had time for other indulgences. Like pondering things I would have missed before, such as: 1) a license plate that just said ‘BLACK.’ That got me wondering if his last name is Black, and is so, why there aren’t last names for all the colors? Black, White, Green, Brown, even Lavender – all last names. Magenta, aqua, periwinkle, fuchsia – not last names. 2) when there is fog hovering right above the surface of the river why does it seem to be flowing downstream too?  3) Why do some female joggers wear a sports bra and no shirt? Is that how it’s done?

There are plenty of things I don’t miss on social media: 1) senseless ads for things I don’t want, don’t need. 2) numerous men wanting to be my ‘friend’ (yeah, right). 3)  political arguments (well political anything, really). 4) people vague-booking… the list goes on.

There are some things I did miss as well: posts about friend’s pets; actual posts where folks write something, not just post a meme (like in the FB old days); announcements of writing stuff (signings, workshops, submission opportunities, etc.). This list of what I missed is decidedly shorter than the list of what I didn’t miss.

Like cream rising to the top, certain people came to mind from time to time and I found myself missing news of them. Like my friend Harvey, a FB-only friend met through a Fiesta group. He’s living in the Middle East for work now, and I think of him and miss his news. I miss news of Bill and Bob and the pooches and old cars they love. I wonder what Mary is doing in her garden, and Sheila’s cats have certainly done some cattery I’ve missed.

So, the plan is to check in from time to time and see what I see. Maybe throw out a post too occasionally. I’ve learned I could easily exist without social media. But I also realize the tether to friends and events has value not easily obtained elsewhere.

Oh, and if you haven’t heard, ‘that guy’ and I are getting hitched in a couple of weeks. Wedding preparations have kept me busy but that is winding down as we are as ready as we will ever be. (4^th dress I ordered is the one, and 2^nd pair of shoes edged out the 1^st pair, vows written, license obtained) Expect some wedding photos. And cake, there will be CAKE!