Hashtag: Social Media Madness

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"Why is there no dislike button?"

"I wish I could like this a million times!"

"Vague-booking"

#SocialMediaMadness

I hopped on the social media train pretty early. I was ALL about the Myspace craze; I blogged, and messaged, and carefully chose my top 8. I was into the madness so deeply that I began teaching myself html basics just so my page was REALLY mine. People began asking for your Myspace link instead of your phone number, because we all knew that's what we'd be doing after school anyways. Besides, only a few of us even owned cell phones- and they didn't do anything other than call or text.

And then came Facebook.

And Twitter.

And Tumblr.

And Instagram.

And with the advent of the smart phone we were suddenly all connected 24/7

Everyone can now conveniently be social from the comfort of their own home. No human interaction required. You don't even have to text anyone- a Facebook message or if I @ someone in a tweet they're just as likely to see it. 

A few weeks ago I realized something. I had been feeling rather down and isolated and left-out. It seemed like I wasn't important, I was drifting away from certain people, they all seemed to be having fun without me. And that sucked. Majorly. I kept seeing tweets and Facebook statuses that didn't involve me, and it felt like a personal attack... I was upset and angry and then...

I stepped back. I realized

"Hey, none of this has ANYTHING to do with you! If you aren't involved it's because you're busy staring at a screen wishing you were involved instead of going out and changing things."

So I signed off.

For a whole 24 hours I didn't check my Facebook or Twitter or Tumblr accounts. I even removed the icon shortcuts from the home-screen on my phone. I spent the day with my boyfriend and his family and our friends. I enjoyed the rain and took a nap. I read some chapters of a book. I watched a crappy movie and laughed and drank and smiled at a party. And I felt more connected than I had in weeks.

When I logged back into everything I sort-of anticipated LOADS of notifications.

Turns out I didn't miss much. Nothing too thrilling had happened.

I know this isn't anything shocking or new for anyone. We've all been told that social media distorts our realities. But I think sometimes we need a reminder. Sometimes when someone tells you "Oh, I don't have a facebook/instagram/twitter" instead of expressing shock, you can maybe take a page from their book. I'm not saying delete your profiles and log-off for good, but taking a day or two to unplug is definitely worth a shot. I'm planning on trying it at least once a week- I think my overall mental health needs it.

and I think maybe the world can do with a few less #hashtags.

As the Days Go By....

It has been five months since I was last able to update. My laptop went kaput, no power at all. So I've been operating on my cell phone only for my internet access. Silly, but it was all I had. I'd like to tell you every single detail of everything that's been going on, but there is too much. Let me sum up:

• Christmas Carol at Hale Center Theatre- This was an incredible experience. So much joy and laughter and fun. Hope to do it again this winter.
• Guess who's in a relationship? Over the course of last year my long-time friend Chris & I were reconnected and our friendship grew quite a bit. Then right before Thanksgiving we made things official and decided to give this dating thing a try. So far, so good. He makes me ridiculously happy.
• Auditions and Let-downs- I auditioned for several things over the fall and winter, big projects that would have been incredible to be a part of. But you can't always land the jobs you want, so I've had to brush off some disappointment and forge ahead. I'm VERY excited to say that I did manage to win a role in the upcoming production of Noises Off at The Grand Theatre this spring. I'm so excited and terrified, and I hope you can all make it! Click the photo in the sidebar to buy tickets!
• My Rotten Mutt- Since moving down here in September I've been trying to get Buster moved down here as well. Unfortunately the beast does not seem suited for apartment dwelling. So he remains at my mother's.
• New Years Resolutions- My biggest resolution was to get the hell out of the food-service industry. As soon as January 1st rolled around I began applying for all sorts of jobs, anything that moved that didnt involve food. My dear friend Dustin recommended applying at Western Governors University, so I did, and I am now an Associate Enrollment Counselor. The year isn't even a 3rd over and I've completed my resolution. I'll be making better money- more consistently, and I get to set my own hours(basically) and I have a laptop for work/personal use. Next up on the resolutions list- getting finances in control.
• A Car that Breathes- Mom paid to get my car fixed for my birthday present. I now no-longer have to suffer through bitter winters or suffocating summers without heat or air. This is amazing.

I'm hoping to focus this blog into more of a topical place. I want to write about things I'm learning, ideas I have, the observations of a un-married 26 year old living on her own in the heart of Salt Lake. I have no doubt this will still end up being pretty self-centered, but I'd like to work on my writing skills, communicating better through words and the web. So we'll see how that goes. Either way. I'm back.