The Facebook Addiction

Going to get off to a sputtering start here...

First - For those of you rushing to this post to see if it is a pregnancy announcement - no it is not!  I think the last update post I did gave the wrong impression and there were a few disappointed people :)

Second - But, I do have a huge announcement: I cancelled my Facebook account!!!

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I feel like a 10 pound weight has been lifted off my chest.  I drank a pot of coffee yesterday afternoon in an effort to get around to some work that I had been trying to do and continued to fail miserably, courtesy of Facebook and its time-sucking ability.

Facebook was good and fine when it distracted me from chores and things I didn't like to do.  But once it started cutting into time allotted for things I actually LIKE to do - I pulled the plug.

Don't cheer for me or congratulate me or anything.  This has been brewing since...February...  I'm kind of embarrassed to admit that it took me that long to finally do it.  I have TONS of excuses as to why I waited and waited.  "But my family is on here."  "But I'll miss important announcements from friends."  "But I forget to keep in touch and Facebook helps remind me."  "On long days with the kids, it save my sanity."  Etc. Etc. Etc.

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I even tried a Hail Mary pass a few months ago.  I took all of my friends off my newsfeed without unfriending them.  Then I added on only my closest friends and family, and acquaintances who posted things that were good (not the drama-filled people, or the ones who posted things that were polarizing or stupid).  Well - I have a huge family, lots of close friends, and most of my acquaintances post pretty awesome stuff.  FAIL!

Trimming my newsfeed was a valiant effort, and a good start, but I still spent entirely too much time on Facebook.  And when I was trying to avoid it, messages would roll in and I would have to respond.  Liking things became a way to subliminally tell everyone what I thought was right and wrong.  Entering into conversations was so wildly entertaining that I was paralyzed until I saw the notification that someone had responded.

It is all so terribly embarrassing to admit.  But I think that there are people out there who are able to put Facebook within a proper line of priorities.  I am definitely not one of those people.  I will probably end up replacing Facebook with something equally as distracting, like texting.  Actually not really.  Because my $2 cell phone is impossible to text on.  Probably drinking.  That sounds like a good replacement...

Here is where I plan to refocus energy:

1) READ!!  This has bothered me the most.  I took the kids to the library yesterday for Storytime and wanted to get some books for myself.  But then I realized the stack of books at home waiting to be read had to come first!
- Screwtape Letters
- Bridehead Revisited
- To Kill a Mockingbird
- A Tale of Two Cities

2) Knit/Sew

It is almost the holiday season (and still a balmy 85 degrees here) but as soon as it cools off I want to get knitting again!!

3) Be quiet

I talk too much.  Even if that talking is just on social media, it has to stop.  And if I want to talk, I need to reach out to friends to do it.  Not read their status and have an imaginary conversation about it in my head.

4) Learn another language

My Spanish is decent but my German is rusty.  I just found a fun app called Duolingo and I'm teaching myself German!

Oh the possibilities!!

I'm nervous that my secluded life as a mother of three will drive me to insanity.  But you will all be able to see me unravel through the blog I'm sure.

Not that my kids drive me insane or anything??

They are awesome.

And things have never been better!

So it's time to carpe diem!!!!

Like go to the library during Firefighter week!!!

And get a manicure

Play dress-up

Have a dance party

Go to the zoo

And just enjoy these cuties!!!

If you have been trying to leave, and find it as hard to get off Facebook as I did...well...I wish you good luck.  And if you made it through this ridiculously long post without checking Facebook once, then you're FINE!!!!  ;)

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