My Year Without Facebook

This is the post i have been putting off because i want people to understand just how much pain this New Years Resolution has put me through!!!!!!! But i also want this blog to get across just how much i learnt and all sorts of things and explaining myself or anything for that matter is just not my forte!!!

So i will interview .... myself ....

What has been the hardest part about not having facebook this year?

The hardest part was definitely in the beginning. Getting used to not checking it 50 times a day. The other hardest part was probably coming home from camp. I had so many new friends i wanted to add and to keep in contact with.

What did you do with your spare time you would normally be on facebook?

I would like to have something amazing to say here ie. went hiking, go out, explored the world, did new things etc but the truth of the matter is, i just looked at other sites ie. youtube, played an online game called immortal night, used messengers etc. If that STILL left too much time i'd just play the Sims 3 when i'd get bored or i'd put the tv on.

How did your lifestyle or personality change because you weren't using facebook?

I haven't really been in touch with the world and that was good and bad. It was good because i wasn't accused of being part of any malicious facebook arguments or fights. I tuned out of conversations that revolved around facebook most of the time. On the other hand, i was left out of the loop a lot. Not being invited to things etc.

What did you learn about the impact that social media (ie. facebook) has in society?

It plays such an important role. There are people i don't have any other way of contacting except via facebook and a lot of people don't use emails to keep in contact anymore. Facebook has become this widespread phenomenon that is the preferred method of online contact and you are really out of the loop without it, particularly if you have contacts from all different parts of your life ie. work, school, church, camps, parties, uni, college, etc. I mean, if all your friends were in the one place and from the one part of your life then sure, i don't think it would be too bad but when your contact circle is so wide, facebook makes it easier to commuicate. There are also events that you learn about from your contacts on facebook. I'm looking forward to seeing lots of people's wedding photos!!!!

What were some positives about not using facebook?

Life is more simple and although i have not taken advantage of it, there is more time to do different and new things.

Did you cheat/break your resolution?

No. I'd like to think that i didn't and technically i 'm right because the resolution was not to use facebook, which i have succeeded in doing, so no i didn't break my resolution. However, at the end of August, i was so depressed at not having contact with people online, that i resorted to the arch nemesis 0f Twitter and also reopening my myspace account. Can i just say, myspace is the most lame social media website ever and i will be closing it once i am back on facebook!!!! So although i didn't break my resolution, i definitely found ways around the absence of it. But i learnt that if you take out one thing, it can always be replaced by something else.

Will you go back on Facebook and how do you think your facebook habits will change, if at all?

I love facebook. It is such an important part of technology in the way we communicate now that the absence of it seems like we'd be working harder and not smarter. I will definitely be back in the facebook world, i have struggled without it. Time is precious and i think the hardest thing about not using facebook was not keeping in contact with people - who knows how long we can keep in touch. I don't waste time like that again. i want people to constantly know i love, appreciate and value them and i don't want to ever miss those opportunities again. As for my facebook habits, they will probably not change, possibly even intensify!!!! =]

Can't wait to read all your msgs and accept all your requests!!!!

Facebook i love you and all your inhabitants!!!!

See you in 2011 in under 24 hours!!!!

LOVE AND EXCITEMENT!!!!

Night of Nights

It's the night of Boxing day and on one hand, i am upset because all the shops i wanted to get great sale from were closed, i did not get a single bargain. On the other hand i had the greatest night of my life just now!!!!

I've come to accept that i am hermit. I expect i will die a lonely old sole and that is ok by me. I enjoy my own company and i don't like being swayed by other people. Quite a few things over the past week have led me to this conviction!

Over this festive season, my family have begun the painful process of relocating. My parents just built a brand new house, it is huge and makes me feel extremely blessed and grateful. I have been staying in it as it has been known that people come to new houses out here (in the stix) to cut the main line of new houses, what that means is that i am staying in the house so nothing bad happens. It also means i can get away from the family too and as crazy as this sounds, it has been perfect timing for me. Our current/last house was too small for 5 large people to live in. As i moved into their house from my solitary renting, it has now been 4 long years at home. Minding their new house over the last week has been so refreshing. Did i mention i love my own company?

At the expense of sounding mushy, after a few weeks of trying to organise a date with a particular person, i have decided i don't particularly want to be in a relationship with any guys right now, if ever. They are too much hard work, time and effort. I don't want to give my time to a man. I don't want to have to worry about how much time i spend with them, when i should call, how often to text. I don't wanna have to deal with their feelings or emotions, one mind/emotions of my own are even too much for me. My peers and extended family are well and truly ahead of me in this game called love and i have not kept up. I enjoy this single life far too much to give it away. I'm just not ready for it. I'm free to be whoever i want to be, go wherever i want to go and i don't have anyone to tie me down - how can i give that up? I guess i must love my own time and space too much...

And tonight...ahhhh....i haven't been at home and so i haven't really had the chance to indulge in 'leftovers' so i ordered pizza and coke. It was so delightful. It has been the most glorious night!! The rain has also sent a cool airflow through the house and i have enjoyed no texts and no calls, just pizza, coke, rain, laptop and a big brand new house all to myelf!!!!

To an ordinary person, the kind that love the company of others, loud music, wild parties or sizzling bbqs, the kind that cannot relax in an empty house in their own presence, this night of nights might not seem special or entertaining but to me, one who finds great enjoyment in the solitary life, it was bliss.

Christmas Sucker

I think when I actually am honest about it, i actually really do love Christmas. I love the twinkling lights, i love the carols and all the Christmas music that is kept on a loop in shopping centres, i love the excitement it brings to children, i love love love that it's a good excuse to watch 'The Grinch' with Jim Carey (fav movie!!!!), i love Christmas tree decorations that i spend days looking at, i especially love the festive custard, i love that people enjoy each other's company, i love the presents both giving them AND getting them!!! There are SO many things to love about Christmas!

But i suppose there are other things that make it a miserable time also like road rage particularly in the shopping centre car parks and frustrated customers in the check out lines, i also don't like how early they put out their christmas displays and decorations and the fact that santa has dominated this Christmas. I have hardly even seen a SMIDGE of Jesus! There even seem to be more secular songs these days!!!

I guess there is also the emotional side too. The loneliness and people who don't have anyone to celebrate Christmas with, people who are missing loved ones, those who can't afford decorations, presents or even food and so there is always cause to ask what is this Christmas all about? How can one person celebrate and another go without?

With so many mixed emotions and different things happening Christmas saddens me, wouldn't it be just grand if for once, just one little time, everyone could be happy and celebrating the one same thing? Can't i please just give my Buddhist friend from work just one little present without feeling like i shouldn't have???

When i get confused by these sort of things in life, i just wanna give up!!!! We're always trying to please people, sacrificing one thing for another. Should we be happy? Should we be mad? Should we give, should we not? Should we feel guilty? Or should we feel blessed?

Sometimes i just think it would be easier if we didn't have Christmas at all, that December was just another calendar month of the year - don't you think it would just be a whole lot easier?!

I think it was mighty grand that Jesus was born into this world, i really do, don't get me wrong and i think if all the fuss was because of that fact then great!!! But i wonder if you were to do a survey of what Christmas is, there would be a lot of different responses.

(PS: Remember the reason for the hype this festive season!!! Merry Christmas and have a safe New Year, stay tuned for an epic FACEBOOK blog!!!!)

ELF YOURSELF!!!!!