currently// why i am deleting facebook

so.. in lieu of my 'currents' list for may, i'm just going to explain why i'm deleting Facebook.

(borrowing & modifying from the campbell house)

reason #7: the game requests  all from family. i dearly love these people, but i want to strangle them over game requests. i mean seriously. i promise, if i played any of the crazy time sucking games people play on Facebook, i'd be annoying you will all the same requests and notifications you are sending me. daily. and sometimes hourly.

reason #6:  the comparison trap you know, someone posts that they went somewhere and did something, or someone did something for them, etc, and you find yourself comparing some aspect of your life. as someone who spends 98.9 % of my time at home, either cleaning or doing homework, i've found myself falling into the trap more and more frequently. i was aware of the sacrifices i'd have to make going into this deal, and i know it's all worth it in the end...but somehow watching everyone have more fun is just a big bummer. i don't expect everyone to stop posting, it's not their problem, it's mine. deleting Facebook prohibits me from throwing weekly pity parties that are just lame, and totally embarrassing.

reason #5: the false friendships this is one of the big ones for me. people 'friend' you on Facebook and then say NOTHING. are you stalking me? if you aren't going to talk to me, then why are you here? i always saw Facebook as a way to reconnect with people who maybe you lost touch with, but if your just gonna stare at my pictures, and then act like you don't know me when i see you in real life, expect to get deleted. and no, it wasn't an accident, so don't try to re-friend me.

reason #4: the martyrs  i'm a realist. i posted a picture of the dude on the first day of school & said my kids back to school picture is better than yours. i talked about my kid chowing down on money, and pooping it back out. life sucks sometimes, i get it. i try to deal with it through humor. i NEVER expect a sympathetic comment. i expect you to laugh at my misfortune, cause life is crazy, and i need you to laugh with me. with that said... the 'oh whoa is me' people SLAY me. the vague "i just can't deal with life, i can't believe this happened to me" posts, and then the "what's wrong" comments with replies of "inbox me".. i'm sorry.. you just blasted your issues, and NOW it's private. so you just wanted someone to ask. OF COURSE someone is going to ask, people are nosy and just wanna know your dirty laundry. if they really care, they'd be finding out some other way than Facebook. just saying. this is one of the biggest reasons i'm deleting. it's everywhere, and i'm way over it.

reason #3: the time suck so, remember when i said i'm at home with kids 98.9 % of the time? ya. so i get bored. i crave social interaction. i get on Facebook to kill time, and before i know it, i've jumped from one link to the next, and 3 hours are gone and i've got nothing to show for it but some random gossip, and useless information about why shailene woodley worldly possessions all fit in one suitcase. cause i really needed to know that one, right?

reason #2: the negativity i'm totally guilty of this one too. politics and religion are best left off Facebook. i read a study a few months into my classes about how many people unfriend people on Facebook because of posts related to one or the other. i wasn't shocked, people are passionate about what they believe in on Facebook, myself included. i got so worked up over people posting crap supporting that damn duck dynasty guy, talking about how a&e violated his first amendments rights, i almost deleted Facebook then & there. i never cared much if someone deleted me because i posted supporting marriage equality. i'm not afraid to speak up for what i believe in, but that means i have to accept that i will get upset by people on the other side of the fence doing the same. deleting Facebook means i lose a platform to share my thoughts, but i also don't have to bite my tongue and fume over things others post. it's worth it to me.

reason #1: the human connection everyone i interact with in real life will still be there. they are the ones i'm most concerned about staying in touch with. i have phone numbers, and can call or text. someone will have to pick up the phone to invite me to a birthday party or family function, but i'm looking forward to that. so much of our relationships have been delegated to technology, i've decided i'd rather hear about your trip from you, than read your status updates, or look at pictures where i have no idea what's going on.

so there ya have it. i'm not completely social media free.. i don't think i could live without instagram. it's just too darn pretty :) so you can find me there. my husband still has his Facebook account, but he is way less interested, and treats it more like an old email address he forgets to check more than once a month. i've made sure all family members are friends with him, so i can continue to update pictures to those family members who live far away.

i deleted Facebook from my phone two weeks ago, and haven't even been tempted to put it back on. i think that's a good sign.

here's to a Facebook free life. :)

xo-k