Lenten Social Media Fast

On Ash Wednesday night I was cruising my social media channels and noticed a St. Monica school friend said she was giving up Facebook for Lent. That instant I decided to take off all of my social media apps from my phone. "Are you sure you want to delete Facebook?" the phone asked. Um, yep. "Snapchat?" Uh huh. "Instagram?" Really. And "Twitter, are you sure even Twitter, Aunt Nellie?" Yep phone, even Twitter. I consider myself a social media junkie so this would seem to be a hard and fast, fast.  But by ridding myself of all of the temptations and distractions it was pretty easy. However, I couldn't give up Pinterest, because, let's face it, I have a problem.  I did check-in to FB once a week after the first few weeks to make sure no one was trying to reach me and low and behold, my own father used FB to communicate via direct message. But it really wasn't as hard as I thought. 

Full disclosure, I did Tweet during the #finalrose ceremony, because Ben. I loved this season of The Bachelor and Tweeting while watching TV is one of the most entertaining things ever. And this blog is connected to Twitter automatically so the posts were automatic. :)

What I learned during my Lenten social media fast:

• No one noticed I was gone. 

• No one emails anymore which means no one really ever writes real letters anymore.

• People hate talking on the phone. My mom especially. 

• I started blogging a little bit more.

• In general I had so much more time. 

• My phone never died during the day. 

• I didn't take pictures of food and I didn't care about taking photos of food. The immediacy of insta-everything makes the minute seem important. It's also basically free. I do love the church of paying attention. I do love a good roast chicken picture, but it just didn't matter. And I didn't miss it.

• I did not have fomo.

• After a two weeks on this fast I had no fear of missing out. Feeling disconnected hit hard week two. It was like a bad caffeine headache. During any fast you should pray when you are going through it. If I grabbed my phone I would say the Jesus prayer. Do I think social media is sinful? Not necessarily, but the distractions it was creating in my life certainly had sinful characteristics. I think sin is a separation from God. There were times on Instagram that I felt so connected to God and our glorious world through travel photos, flowers and general beauty but those moments were few and far between.

• My two week social media withdrawal was cured when I reached out in real life to friends I missed and needed to connect with for real. We wrote emails. Lots and lots of emails. I even got a real letter in the mail from one friend who I reconnected with via email. 

• We also met with people in person. See last post for Carla's birthday. That was a direct result of asking friends to do stuff in real life.

• Social Media is a lazy man's letter. I tried to connect via email to some of my most fun social media people and it failed miserably. A post is like a quick blanket blast that tells the world what you are up to, who you are supporting and made me realize how complacent I had become with the quick fix of posting just to make sure I was out there. Not for my job, but for my social media peeps. But again, no one noticed I was gone, so there was a part of me that felt free and lifted of the pressure to post at all.

@NelleSomerville

• Sharing on social media is like sex. The real brain crush was how addicted I had become to so many of these sites. Well, they are built to be addictive. Self disclosure was associated with the same pleasure as sex, food and money in this study. Well no wonder there are over 2 million articles about the addiction of social media just on Google. Brain crushing. Maybe that's why I enjoy blogging so much! Sharing is sexy.

• The universe sent me people I was supposed to be in contact with during this 6 week break. I kept running into people who I was "friends" with on social media, but who I hadn't seen in person for what felt like years. Thanks Universe.

• I was more attentive in meetings at work. I turned my phone to airplane mode more often during meetings and felt again, present. This article nailed it. Watch in your next meeting how many people are actively texting or reading emails. Is the meeting important if everyone is distracted? Now I'm seriously annoyed when I see someone texting or pull out there phone out in a meeting. The article associates the use of our cell phones in social and work situations as rude and obnoxious as smoking in public. Yikes. Watch at the next party or dinner you attend. Do people pull out their phones? If so are you engaging with your friends enough? Do you have interesting things to say? I think social media has mushed our brains a little bit. 

• I couldn't remember peoples names. I used Facebook as a crutch for memory. I ran into people I see once every 5 years and totally blanked on their names. I think that is fair, but still, I noticed it a lot.

• I read books and did check into our book club group to make sure I had the right books cued up. But then weeks later, I totally missed the reminder note about our meeting and retreat. My friend texted me knowing I wasn't checking FB so again, the important information got to me in time. Thanks Susan.

• I got rid of clutter in the house. This extra time off of my phone made me think about the things that were important in the house. We donated lots and lots of stuff in the last six weeks.

• I lost weight. All this not looking at food pictures every day made me only eat when I was hungry.

• I listened to Podcasts. Lots of them. I'll do a whole post on my favorites.

• I learned to ask people what was happening in the news. I haven't read The Four Hour Work Week, but at the cider tasting in the last blog post, our friend Kevin talked about the need for media fasts and to ask people what's happening in the news. I asked our neighbor Pam one afternoon and she told me about the pollution in Stoney Run. I didn't realize that Nancy Reagan had died until five days later. That meant I never turned on the radio or TV in five days. Pure, ignorant, blissful freedom.

• I fell in love with the liturgy again. I began going to Rite I, 8:00 am services, every Sunday. After talking to my dad about it, he said he thought he would miss the music too much. For Lent, no music was okay and a perfect way to get spiritual nourishment. 

• I found an adult forum studying the Bible, at an Episcopal church! There was time in my life to give back to God. I learned I just needed to wake up earlier to do so.

Sending lots of prayers for times of quiet and attentiveness this Holy Week. 

Paper Cut Class

In an effort to stay creative, meet new people, and continue to use my hands for artsy things I signed up for an Annie Howe Papercut class at Local Color Florist. The class was $65.00 and included all supplies needed and access to Annie for questions later. I wrote her a few times and got a list of supplies. Most important lesson...change your blade often. It was a bit pricey but worth it for all the card stock, cards and actual paper with designs that were included. I went to the MICA store to get all the supplies for after the class.

I've admired Annie for years. Katie, Scott and I all took her Tape-O-Rama class at AVAM  years ago where we made hats from clear packing tape. It was ridiculously fun. Annie is a MICA grad and so completely talented. She worked for the Nana Project and her paper cutting adventures blossomed out of that role while she worked with shadow puppets. She was a Fibers major at MICA. Her paper cuts are intoxicating. Everything is cut by hand. Her portfolio was on hand for us to preview before starting class. These mermaids, Narwhals and Triton's are so mystical. She told us that this one was folded in half as a mirror image and then the middle was done later. I love the waves and can hear the Little Mermaid soundtrack, can't you?

This fruit and vegetable paper cut was another folded one. I need to try this. I've always loved making paper dolls as cards. I think I could step up my paper doll making a bit now that I have taken this class. Her paper cuts are used on tee-shirts and I've seen many framed around town. I know Trohv sold them and she did a custom one with our friend's wedding vows. Such a treasure. The paper is acid free and can be found here.

Each person had a station set up with a box with an Exacto knife, cutting board and sample valentines to choose from. We even got a little Mouth Party caramel. I think there were about 14 people in the class in Charles Village. 

I got home and set up shop in my office immediately. You can see the very light sketch of the heart I choose for Eric on the paper above. The Be Mine 4 Eva was hilarious. Eric was like, "Who's Eva?" You have to draw the words backwards. I have a great knife from Martha Stewart that I got from Michaels but you can find it here. The extra lip on the end makes it easier to handle with my ancient fingers. It really is good exercise for arthritis.

At the class, we were encouraged to bring drinks. Snacks were available. Annie and I toasted with Champagne and Elderflower liquor that I brought in my pink and green flask. Yep. Oh my heavens this is a delightful drink. It warmed my face and gave me a little courage to dive into this very detailed work. There were so many nice women at my table. I knew one classmate through another friend of a friend. Smalltimore.

The one I did for Eric's fam is my favorite. I actually made a mistake and forgot to connect the words to the middle line, hence the little big heart in the middle of the rows of flags. 

I love how this turned out and Jeano was so appreciative.

I made Mac one that has his phrase and my nickname, "Nerd Biscuit." I am a nerd biscuit...to the core. This one was really fun and I'm glad it was my third attempt because your hands get used to the cutting somehow after practice. Annie suggested we "x" off the places that we had to cut and remember you are cutting "backwards". Mac says that Andrew looks at it every night trying to figure out how I did it. He is quite the artist and I couldn't be happier to have crafternoons with him later in life.

I had a few scraps of the fancy acid free paper left and made Momma a little Lake Michigan of the bluff. This one makes my heart skip a beat with the bench that my brother-in-law John made, the lantern and sailboats. It's the essence of the beach. I just need to keep practicing to make a bigger version.

My littlest god daughter's got cards as well. Stinger sent me a picture of hers and I asked B to send me one too. 

They got the same card, another Annie original from the class. How cute are my littlest girlfriends?

I have so many more to make and am so thankful for the gift of paper crafts. Thank you so much Annie!

I've also given up social media for Lent. No FaceBook. No Instagram. No Snapchats. No Twitter. I can't begin to explain how much lighter I feel being disconnected. I needed this break and it truly has been a gift. I've been reading more books and have more time for this type of post. Where did blogging go? I've noticed a lot of my blog buddies are making a comeback as well. It's great to stay connected in this way but I may never go back to the others. This class has been another great way to stay active for my brain and arthritic hands. Wishing you much love during whatever wilderness you find yourself in this Lent. Amen.

God is great, God is good, let us thank God for our....

Cherry Blossoms in Druid Hill Park.

Grey clouds.

Park benches.

Pavilions and leafless tree silouettes.

Running paths.

Water from the reservoir.

The calls of red winged black birds.

Thank you God for the light.

Old fences.

Thank You for my sight.

 Weeping cherry blossom trees blowing in the wind.

The seasons. 

Branches to climb and birds to nest.

For sunsets in Stone Hill.

Great neighbors!

Unkempt forsythia.

The light bouncing off of the stone houses.

God bless the tulip trees.

For tulip trees growing right next to weeping cherries.

For picket fence dreams coming true.

For my camera, Lord I am truly thankful.

For the sunlight steaming through pink petals.

For ornamental plum trees.

And more great neighbors!!!

For artifacts left in our yard.

Shadows.

Hostas growing two inches a day.

Stone Houses.

Potted hydrangeas.

Creeping hydrangeas.

Sunsets over the Mill.

Silouettes.

For the future location of a porch swing that will hang from this big limb.

I had a wonderful Tranquil Tuesday yesterday. Feeling blessed to be so busy and was able to take a break at the end of the day. Wishing you all a great week. I'm off for a few days of events and a little travel. What are you thankful for?