I’m Still Here
I’m still here. I am reclaiming myself and I’m still here. What I mean is that this weekend I left Facebook. I said good bye on my personal account, my fan page, and in a group for which I had been administrator. In turning it all off, I realized how much time I had allowed myself to spend on the computer, or phone, all the while justifying it with variations of, “Oh, I need to be on Facebook for my work.” Really? That much? When I took an honest look at how many hours I was spending there every day, it was not because of work, but more of being addicted to it, and you know what? It wasn’t as hard to stop as I thought it would be and it felt liberating to walk away. Should I be queuing up the song “Don’t Walk Away Renee?”
Walking away isn’t all that hard.
Very quickly my days are returning to actually doing things that I used to do before I went seriously down the Facebook rabbit hole and swallowed up by its vortex. Oh, I know I will miss the latest pictures of friends, food, and puppies, but I can see real people, and puppies right outside my door everyday. I can’t wait to get up in the morning after a good night of sleep, enjoy my coffee, and read a hard copy of my local newspaper. I’m taking walks without my phone. I can check email when I return and I am enjoying more face to face interactions with real live people in real time. As a writer, I spend a heck of a lot of time by myself, so that last part is really important.
To keep swimming, but not drowning, in the social media pond, I will be on Instagram posting pictures of pies, and whatever else I’m dreaming up in my little kitchen.
Anyway, I just wanted to say, I’m still here, and it feels great!
Thanks for the description of life without Face Book. I have been thinking of making the same move.
Give it a try, Melissa. You might find you have more time again, and quite frankly, I hated that every time I opened it up, an add showed up that mirrored a conversation I may have had just had, or website I had visited. Creepy and weird.
Great- I’ve been spending less time on FB and more on my IG – I’ll find you there!
Excellent! See you there, Rose.
My days are always better without social media.
What took me so long, right?
Way to go! I went off Facebook for months…I did miss some friends and was chided into returning to that social media…and I find that I really could care less about it so deactivated it…you can get swallowed up in it..but really, I don’t miss it..I am still on Instagram…works for me..much more time on my hands…for whatever life comes my way!
Birdie
Great to know Birdie! I’ve left my profile over there with a farewell message with info about Instagram and blog. That should do it, I think.
Yeah Kate👏👏👏👏. I hardly use Facebook anymore. It is creepy. There is more to life than Facebook. I skim through Instagram and I like it much better. Happy to see you😍
I feel Facebook has become creepy “Big Brother is watching you.” I’m happy to see you here and on Instagram, too, Ute.
Good for you to have the strength to change such a habit! I should probably do the same, but not quite ready to give up the connections I have there. Enjoy springtime, hopefully soon to be here!
I’ve met new friends, and re-connected with old friends there. I don’t think FB was ever meant to be this invasive originally. If there were only a way to turn it back to what it once was, instead of a way to collect my personal information for marketing purposes. When the time is right for you, you’ll leave…or not. And yes, I am enjoying the turn of the wheel to longer days once again!
Welcome back! You will be amazed at how your creativity will soar.
Marianne- This is great to know! K
I have not ever been on Facebook or Twitter and don’t feel like I missed a thing. Like you I enjoy the real face to face with friends and their furry critters. We have lots of folks who walk in our neighborhood. Garden work is happily interspersed with greeting friends and both long and short visits. The blogs I enjoy (like yours) are fun and do not interfere with other activities.
I’m honored that my little blog is one that you enjoy, Judy!
I was just thinking of doing the same ….. There is an app on my phone that lets me know now how many HOURS I spend on social media each day.
Embarrassed!
Today it is the day the phone stays in the drawer! THANK YOU!
Cell phones…a whole other topic, right? I remember when wuzband #3 barked at me for having “a shoebox at my ear” when I got my first one. My excuse then was I needed it so I could be safe while traveling back and forth to his house in Seattle from my house on the Olympic Peninsula. Yesterday I went to the grocery store, the gas station, and visited a friend SAFELY all without my phone. 😉
This so funny. My children and friends have to remind me to go to FB to get updates on classes and other general info. I’m lucky if I remember to go on once in 3 months. I never did get into FB. There is just so much to enjoy in life outside FB.
Indeed there is. Thanks for checking in Sarah and have a wonderful day. K
Hi Kate! Thanks for being a role model once again. I have disengaged somewhat from Facebook but not entirely. Given all the revelations about privacy issues and the way it has been weaponized to manipulate and divide people, my attitude toward it has changed for the worse. I’ve also noticed that my mood and outlook suffer after spending time on it.
I’m amazed by how much you accomplished even while being addicted to Facebook! I just followed you on Instagram!
Thank you Sandy. I sure agree with you about privacy and manipulation. See you on Instagram! K
I love your photos of pie and look forward to seeing more of them!
Thanks Andrea. 🙂 And your podcast has really taken off. Congratulations!
I love instagram. I am pretty much off facebook-and love the positive vibe and inspiration of instagram. Enjoy your days! Thank you for sharing.
Me too. The pictures are fun and inspiring. Enjoy you day as well, Sandy. K
Thank you Kate for sharing, you’ve inspired me to do the same. I’ve lost myself down that hole too and have neglected my painting. Ufdah from the Midwest!
Wonderful! Pick up the brush and paint, paint, paint! 🙂 K
Good for you, Kate! As parents of three kids and always mindful that they look to us for guidance, my husband and I have never been on Face Book. Like you, we prefer an “old fashioned” type of interaction. 😉
Michelle- The way you are raising your creative children is an inspiration to many. My son Duncan was raised in an “old fashioned” way, too, and turned out better than just fine in my humble opinion. 🙂 K
Huge applause!! Inspiring!
Thank you, Laura! 🙂
Yay, Kate! I noticed the same things as you, also that I was feeling envious and FOMO (fear of missing out) while on FB. I stopped posting over a year ago and stopped reading for a few months. The people who want to be with me, contact me through other means and I have my space and peace of mind back. I will subscribe to your Instagram feed so I don’t miss any great stories and pics!
This is wonderful to know. I figure that the right people, our tribe if you will, will always find us. Thanks for subscribing on Instagram, too. 🙂
I left FB several months ago. Like you I have found out just how much living I missed while plugged in. Welcome back to the walking talking breathing side of life.
I’m driving around without my phone now, too. What IS the world coming to?!?
Great blog! thank you. I started following you after Food.52 chose you for The Art of the Pie and actually had a Facebook conversation with you while making pie. I will always thank you for that, but I also applaud your decision to leave Facebook. Made a similar one myself over a year ago and never looked back.
Thank you Pattie! Home Cooking with Kate McDermott was one that was being considered as a read for the Food52 FB Bookclub this April. It didn’t make it, but it’s always an honor to be in the running. Here’s to looking ahead.
P.S. I see that Facebook is down today. I guess I broke it. 😉
Good for you, Kate! I’m thinking of going down that road too. As it is, I haven’t been on FB in over a month. I’ve thought about IG, but of course it’s owned by FB and staffed by former FB people, so I wonder if it’s really any less invasive as far as personal info. Sigh.
So true, Judi. I’m leaving my phone at home as much as possible, so it doesn’t track my every move or hear every conversation I have. I guess you could say that I may be a little paranoid, but I’ve found it totally strange when I would have a conversation about some random unrelated thing, and within seconds there was an ad for that very thing. Sigh and double sigh.
Kate,
Congratulations, I went Facebook-free about six years, haven’t looked back. If I want to know how friends are doing, I call them up or go visit, if local, talking to them or seeing them face-to-face much better than any Facebook.
It’s been great, Mary! I’m advocating for a RealFace life!