377 days - Blog #69 - the list #27, Say Good Night, Facebook

Hello.  My name is Jessie and I have a Facebook problem.

I could expand this to include a few other mindless websites… but Facebook is the gateway drug.

I had a gloriously free weekend yesterday and today.  It was a welcome reprieve after the whirlwind that was last Saturday and Sunday… and a bit of decompression as I often find a five day week at my job requires.  I had such noble intentions of so many things – writing my manuscript, cleaning out one of the spare rooms, finishing the wallpaper stripping, tackling the dying rose bushes, a long walk, watching that Netflix DVD I’ve probably had for a month now… but no.

I fell down the Facebook rabbit hole.

Well, I’m not that pathetic in that I’ve been sitting at my computer scrolling through the social network all weekend.  I actually shut off my computer midway through the day today.  I closed out of the Internet when I decided to remain here to finish trimming dialogue from that overly edited opening scene.  I actually did make it to a play.  I wrote my blog last night.  I started going through antiquated papers and made the decision to toss a lot of them.  Productivity made a visit.  It was just wasn’t a very present visitor.

I can’t even tell you what kept bringing me back to that window on my laptop.  Well, that scene was a struggle.  It was rainy yesterday.  I found something in that pile of papers of which I had to take a picture and share.   I had some PR to post.  I also fell down a couple comment rabbit holes.  Bleh.

That last one is always a clincher for me.  It makes me see the blinders and limitations of this medium.  It’s great for sharing a photo or a joke… but intelligent disagreement… yeah, no.  And then just one sentence sticks in your head like a burr, prohibiting the clarity of thought to advance beyond the first scene or leave the Internet as you search and search for some gratification of your perception.

Oy.  With the poodles.  Already.

I blame myself for all of this.  Maybe a little bit of sloth is necessary after the fury of a week.  But it was such a gorgeous day today… and I was outside for so little of it. 

It’s tough.  Because I’ve set myself these writing goals.  And then… then there’s the Internet.

So… not now.  Not tomorrow.  But bit by bit over the course of the months to come, I am going to start weaning myself away from this addiction.  I don’t think I will give it up completely.  I do enjoy ‘seeing’ people here.  I very, very much enjoy writing on Facebook.  But I need to start controlling it and not let it eat away my concentration.

Or maybe I will start now.  I am going to post this, log off, and say good night, Facebook.

List item #27: Make a more conscious and controlled use of Facebook time.

Good night, Facebook.