I read an interesting article in The Guardian today; a very frightening warning about the dangers of social media. If you find yourself checking one or more social media outlets every day, I recommend you you read it. [Our minds can be hacked].
I've had a love/hate relationship with Facebook, as I'm sure is true for many of you. It provides the introvert with a near-perfect way to stay (sort of) connected with friends and family. I can know who's on vacation and where you're traveling; I can see pictures of your kids and watch them grow; I can know what my niece is growing in her garden; I can read about your successes, and even your failures. But more and more, these days, I scroll through my feed and see stupid memes and animated GIFs, clickbait, ads for merchandise I have no interest in, and boring animal videos. (Sorry dog lovers.) Even the news and political commentary have been taken over by shallow logic, misguided outrage, and useless hyperbole. All that, when all I really want is an honest relationship with a few people; a relationship where we have thoughtful conversations about interesting topics; a relationship in which we both feel safe to share and be ourselves without having to worry about what others think.
Unfortunately, time, distance, and that aforementioned introversion can make it nearly impossible for me to achieve that in the "normal" world - the world of extraverts. But I'm going to try this thing - a personal blog. A way for me to share what I'm doing, what I'm reading, what I'm thinking about and, sometimes, what I'm feeling. And a way to invite others to join me in conversation. I'm not looking for "likes", I'm looking for real interaction - starting here in the ether and, hopefully, moving into the physical world. So, if you're willing to try something different, stop by now and then.
Give me some feedback, share your thoughts, tell me what you're up to,
and then let's make a date to go for a walk, have coffee, go look at art, meet at the spa... just please don't invite me to a party!
