33 Week Challenge Week 14: The Hour of my Disconnect

Challenge Number 31: go a week without social networking sites.

Day 1 – Monday

4:30pmish – signed out of everything on my laptop

4:45pm – running late for a meeting, trying to sign out of everything on my phone while walking to a bus.  Holy crap! How do you sign out of twitter? I don’t even know! I’ve never actually done it.

4:50pm – on the slowest bus ever. I spur of the moment decide to just delete the apps from my phone. They sit there, wiggling at me, willing me, desperately to leave them be. But I delete them, furiously. And while I’m at it, I delete an infernal game that I have been addicted to for far too long, “Smurfs” – I suspect it’s like Farmville, except that the workers are blue. Honestly, it’s been ridiculous how addicted to it I am.

6:30pm – wish to write status “there are more interestingly dressed people on this bus than have ever been seen on Brisbane transport. Ever.” Don’t, obviously.

7:15pm – home from meeting, emails sent. Now what should I do? I know… I’ll write about the last 3 hours.

9:40pm just watched the Emma Thompson “Sense and Sensibility” for the first time. I wasn’t able to live tweet my experience so instead resorted to yelling “translations” at my housemates and friend, Mim. Also, I couldn’t stop laughing at things Mim said and wanted to facebook them. That’s my story.

Also, I had to sign in to facebook to get someone’s banking details they’d sent me in a message. I swear. I didn’t check anything, even though you bastards have already left me 11 notifications. GAH!

Day 2 – Tuesday

I had to log in to facebook again because I needed a photo I stupidly haven’t saved to my computer. So proud of myself, didn’t read anything, didn’t check any of the 1 million notifications. But still, it totally felt like cheating. It’s funny how much of my life is on that website, terrifying really.

On a less serious note, I’ve had the Macarena stuck in my head all day and I haven’t been able to get it in every one else’s head by occasionally tweeting “Aaaaay Macarena!” – well I guess I just did. Suck it bloggeroos of the future!

Meanwhile, I did everything on my to-do list AND am about to go for a run and there’s no one to validate my awesomeness. I think I might just start texting people on mass: “Hey friends, guess what? I did something kind of banal but I NEED YOU TO KNOW ABOUT IT IN MINUTE DETAIL!”

Day 3 – Wednesday

Today, I have actual withdrawals. Fidgeting, slight headache, and all I can think about is social networking. Seriously.

Day 4 – Thursday

Tragically – I’m kind of lonely. My housemates and boyfriend are really busy, and I don’t go to uni anymore and see one million people, so sometimes social networking is all I have. That’s not the sad part – I am so down with that. I love being a child of the digital era. But without it, yeah – I was lonely today. BUT THEN I saw a movie with Mim, who is amazing fun. That was pretty sweet. Plus people are texting me a lot more often this week so that’s kind of cool.

Also, also, on Tuesday I ran 3.5km and today I ran 4.5km. WITHOUT. STOPPING. I am kicking butts and taking names. I’ve also completed 2 to-do lists and finished some assessment for a certificate I am 6 months’ late to complete. So, it’s *possible*, I suppose, that social networking may, *at times* hinder me slightly. It’s worth noting, at least. For science.

Day 5 – Friday

I’ve been thinking today about that entry about being lonely. I’ve had as much, if not more social interaction with real humans this week. Definitely more, in fact - I’ve had two coffee dates, seen a movie, there was that Sense and Sensibility night, people keep texting me just to say something anecdotal or pleasant or whatever. And it’s been great. I think what I really meant was I was bored.  Sadly, yes, I clearly am getting confused between “lonely” and “bored” simply because I often stave off boredom by stalking friends, acquaintances and strangers on the internet, and this has made me think I am constantly socialising with people. This is not accurate. I quite like being alone, just so long as I can look at your photos from your overseas trip 3 years ago when I’m bored…

Day 6 – Saturday

I went to Toowoomba last night, and then picked up my little brother from a 5 week camp today out past Crow’s Nest. These are events I would usually like to document, but be frustrated that I couldn’t because a lot of the time I was out of internet range. But in this instance, I didn’t get frustrated even once, because I never intended to status about it in the first place.  Winner.

Day 7 – Sunday

I woke up this morning convinced that if today was the 7^th day, I must have miscalculated, and could definitely log back on tonight. But then I used my counting words/fingers and also some logic and realised that was far from correct. Obviously, when I said a week, I meant 7 full days, which means 4:30pm on Monday. The crushing disappointment!

No, not really. I’ve actually totally coped. And it’s fine. The one big thing I have gained this week is my mornings. I usually spend at least half an hour (usually more) on twitter and facebook in the mornings and am often late to work because of it. But not this week, I’ve been sleeping in! I’ve been ready on time! I got to work before the box office opened at least twice (achievement unlocked!) – this is a new and exciting thing for me. I am going to attempt to maintain it to a degree. The big problem is my twitter feed. I follow over 200 people, and it is very rare that I don’t see every single post from those accounts. As in, I check it last thing at night and then scroll through the last 8 hours worth in the morning. That is intense. And totally unnecessary. While I’m not about to stop checking my things in the morning (because I actually find it a nice way to start the day; connected, informed, and laughing at something Rob Delaney said) I don’t need to read everything. I have lists – why don’t I use them?!

Day 8 – Monday

Well there you go. Just under an hour to go and I feel fine! A successful challenge! And one of the easiest blogs to write.

I’ll sign back in at 4:30, but then I’m off to a meeting at 5:30 so I shall have to start trawling through all the exciting things I know you’ve left for me after that. And also post this blog! It’s weird, it’s like I’m talking to you from the past.

Also, this coming week I’m going to make a kite! Honestly, my life is so thrilling!

Lxx