Log off

[Philo Sofee]

You know what I think is so cool, Schmo? And I know I've said similar to this in the past. It's that you and I, who come from different world views, realize that we can connect and relate just as the humans we are. I think much the same way about most of the posters here and that's who I read. People I can learn from or laugh with. I'm really just hanging out when I want to and go around being who I am. I know I'll be doing less of it in the future.

Agreed.

The other thing is that you and I have butted heads over the years, and I can't help but respect someone who can fight when they have to and also acknowledge and respect their opponents. We may disagree again in the future, but I think we are way past the point where I will feel any genuine disrespect for who you are on this board. You are the real deal, as far as I can tell. You're good people.

People don't have to agree on everything to get along. I think people do have to agree on basic facts and argue in good faith, however, for respect to happen.

Well, WELL said to the both of you fine people!

[Jersey Girl]

Here's the youtube video I mentioned. Just over 13 minutes. I watch her a lot. I like her calm approach to things and the way she tries to think things through. Here she discusses the process of "coming down" off the internet for a week, what she found difficult about it, and the benefits that emerged.

7 Days Without the Internet (social media detox)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S3FmzgYD2ho

ETA: Just re-watched. Set my phone to grayscale as she recommended.

[Jersey Girl]

So I got rid of something else. I've gotten emails from this one decor place for almost 20 years now. They send 2 emails a day and that's the first emails I look at every single day and have done so all this time. I like home dec, imagining it and how I would use it if I had whatever it is.

I've noticed over the past month or so that what they offer just looks like total junk to me. It wasn't that way before but this year either my perspectives and tastes have changed or they're scraping the bottom of the decor barrel. There's also the factor that the minimalists have gotten to me and I'm hyper aware of the sales pitches now...just roll my eyes at that now. VIP access yeah, go away.

Yesterday I unsubscribed. I've enjoyed them for several years but I know I'll never miss them. If I want to check in to the website I can do that. So...continuing on my merry little way here and intentionally getting rid of mental junk. Political junk, contentious junk, fake junk, lying junk, junk for profit, time wasting junk, useless trolling junk...it's all getting out of my head and out of my life.

Feels good!!

[Jersey Girl]

One more comment. If you are a creative like I am, you know good and well that it doesn't spark in a noisy crowded room full of people...or as in the case of the Internet, a head stuffed full of garbage images or chatter.

When you get that time in total solitude, preferrably outdoors...THAT'S when it all starts bubbling up. You take off with an idea, that spurs a flight of ideas, and you just have to do it and keep doing it until you are "done".

That's one of the places I most want to land with all I've said on this thread. I've been creating for weeks now and loving it.

Get rid of the for-profit manipulation and I think you profit mentally, spiritually, and physically as well...and so do the folks around you. I'm pretty sure I have got it right.

[Res Ipsa]

One more comment. If you are a creative like I am, you know good and well that it doesn't spark in a noisy croweded room full of people...or as in the case of the Internet, a head stuffed full of garbage images or chatter.

When you get that time in total solitude, preferrably outdoors...THAT'S when it all starts bubbling up. You take off with an idea, that spurs a flight of ideas, and you just have to do it and keep doing it until you are "done".

That's one of the places I most want to land with all I've said on this thread. I've been creating for weeks now and loving it.

Get rid of the for-profit manipulation and I think you profit mentally, spiritually, and physically as well...and so do the folks around you. I'm pretty sure I have got it right.

For me, getting off the screens and getting out to “touch grass” is very grounding. Yesterday, I walked along the waterfront with my two youngest. The sky was a beautiful blue, and the views were stunning. Looking out at the water and the mountains reminded me of why I live here, and I felt a lightness that I didn’t know I’d been missing.

I’m pretty sure you have it right, too.

[Doctor Steuss]

[...]
All that being said (or blathered as the case may be), it feels like I'm getting reinforcement for going increasingly unplugged in different ways and from sources, so I'm planning to take even more time offline now. I know it's better for me, I know what nature does for me, what solitude does for me, and what creative interests do for me as well. All good!
[...]

Hi Jersey,

Thank you for taking the time to share some of the things you're doing (and that have inspired you). About 8-ish years ago (I think), I stopped listening to talk radio (namely NPR) during my commute or at the gym, and mainly just listen to music (CDs/MP3s so no advertisements muddying the waters). Occasionally I'll toss on a podcast (Hidden Brain is my favorite), but for the most part I just listen to music. I noticed a near immediate change to my temperament when driving, and reaching my destinations after cutting out talk radio.

Since then, I try to limit myself to reading the news only once a day, and don't watch any of the network infotainment programs. The amount of time reading the news changes. Sometimes it's maybe 2-5 minutes (just long enough to scan headlines), and sometimes much longer, but I try to never allow it to be more than 30 minutes. I'll do my best to split the time somewhat evenly between international, national, and local topics. If I'm constrained for time, I'll focus on local.

For my daily news, I open up an "incognito" window, and just search "news." It takes my location data, so I get local stuff, but beyond that I don't have to worry about cookies and other things influencing search algorithms to try to give me a curated view of the world to maximize engagement and ad revenue. I've noticed that this method always tends to give me results from different outlets, ranging the spectrum.

After that, unless there's something major or breaking that I overhear people talking about, or that I encounter here or on social media, or something my son sends me that he wants to talk about (he's starting to find his own social/political footing, which is pretty awesome to watch), I try my best to just move on through the day.

For me, this seems to be the balance I've been able to strike between being informed, but also not losing my mind.

[canpakes]

One more comment. If you are a creative like I am, you know good and well that it doesn't spark in a noisy croweded room full of people...or as in the case of the Internet, a head stuffed full of garbage images or chatter.

When you get that time in total solitude, preferrably outdoors...THAT'S when it all starts bubbling up. You take off with an idea, that spurs a flight of ideas, and you just have to do it and keep doing it until you are "done".

That's one of the places I most want to land with all I've said on this thread. I've been creating for weeks now and loving it.

Get rid of the for-profit manipulation and I think you profit mentally, spiritually, and physically as well...and so do the folks around you. I'm pretty sure I have got it right.

For me, getting off the screens and getting out to “touch grass” is very grounding. Yesterday, I walked along the waterfront with my two youngest. The sky was a beautiful blue, and the views were stunning. Looking out at the water and the mountains reminded me of why I live here, and I felt a lightness that I didn’t know I’d been missing.

I’m pretty sure you have it right, too.

We have been hitting the outdoors almost every weekend, either as a family camping event, or small-group multi day backpacking. Winter will cut that back.

We live in a beautiful area and there is so much to explore.

[Gadianton]

Whiskey, log off and let me pour you one, buddy.

[Jersey Girl]

Whiskey, log off and let me pour you one, buddy.

He's not on this thread, Gad.

[Jersey Girl]

When I made my last post on the thread this afternoon, I went outside to the little work station I made for messy things and got to work. I made it outside so I didn't take up the whole house and believe me, I've done it. I was thinking about telling you guys how I was blessed with a mother who did two important things for me. She carried me into church as an infant and every Sunday thereafter and...she let me make messes in the house. I've been doing it my whole entire life since early childhood. Experimenting creating, and making a mess doing it. One of the earliest mess-memories I have is of cutting up cardboard egg cartons, putting glue around the edges, glittering them up to make hanging bells for Christmas.

I had to stop and smile because...that's exactly what I was doing...using glitter. And making a mess. I started with adding just a touch of glitter then I told myself "Just go to town, Jersey" and I did! I don't care if anyone likes it or buys it. I had such a good time doing it! Finishing touches will go on during Jersey Boy's recovery from surgery next week.

I don't mind showing you guys my work station off the back porch and what I was working on. It's where I took that pic of the deer I posted but it doesn't show up in the frame at all. The saw horses are where I put an old weathered board and spray paint, sometimes into a cardboard box like a paint booth. Nothing fancy, I use what I have. When I'm done painting outside this year, I'm going to sand the board, grind down the edges, stain it and bring it in for a tablescape on the kitchen table.







I guess what I'm trying to say and have been trying to say on this thread is to (one of my favorite quotes)...

Do what feeds you.

If we are fed by the internet that's totally fine. But when/if you suspect it's starting to skew your reality like it has mine, it's probably time to Log off at least intermittently. Outside in nature is a good place to begin.