So, Rochelle has just completed her 10th blog post since I last posted. She told me today "it's your turn." (Very matter of factly too!) I was thinking that she might have given up on me. She used to make sure that I posted every other post. But I have been quite busy with work lately, and haven't had much of an opportunity to post. Actually, that's not quite correct. I have been feeling a bit of, what shall I call it... internet burnout. I spend my entire work day on the computer, and play the slave to the seemingly millions of little issues that need working on right away. Don't get me wrong. I am in no way asking for sympathy. I don't think there are many jobs out there that people just love going to. Everyone has their own personal battles that they have to fight daily at work. Some aren't so bad, others are. I honestly don't feel like I have a bad job. For the most part, I like it. But I find myself not wanting to spend my spare time on the computer as much, because even just surfing the internet can feel a lot like work at times. There are exceptions of course. I still love playing games. And I still try to keep up with tech news. I just haven't been getting as much enjoyment out of surfin' lately.
So I ask all of you readers out there... any of you feel this way? Now, I have noticed something. The blogging thing seems to have become fairly dominated by the women from what I've seen. I don't know if this is a trend that reaches outside our circle or not... I actually don't want to do the research to find out... but I wonder sometimes why the men that I know are, more than not, offline. So, to all of you women reading this, ask your husbands/fathers/friends/etc. why they aren't online more? Why don't more men post? Are they reading and just not writing? Or if they are not online at all, why? And tell me about it in your comments. I'm curious if they feel like I do. That blogging has just become another item on a seemingly infinite to-do list that has to do with the computer.
Now any of you who know me probably find all of this a little ironic. I really tried to get many of you to start blogging, and here I am talking about how I don't want to anymore. I just want you to know, I find it ironic too. :-D I still think the whole online community is great. It's a great way to connect. I'm just having a hard time with the medium right now.
So, while thinking about all of this, I found this other blog: 27-secrets-to-avoid-internet-burnout. I agree with much of what is said there. I also remembered somebody telling me that their seminary teacher had them all do a "music fast". I think I am going to start doing a "computer fast". Every Sunday, I hereby declare "computer fast Sunday". Please do not confuse this with "fast computer Sunday", they have very different meanings. ;-) And also, I plan on spending as little time as possible on the computer every Saturday. Only what's necessary to plan out the day, and get everything needful done. I do not feel like I need to ask anyone else to do the same, but it is my suggestion that anyone who is reading this and feels like they spend way too much time on the computer do a fast of your own choosing. Then tell me how it goes. I would like to hear about it.
I do plan on continuing blogging, and such. Just not on the weekends. :-D
Tell me your thoughts.
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9 comments:
I think blogging is something akin to journal-writing and gossiping - men just don't do it! lol. I also don't know very many guys who communicate at all very well, through email or chat. Or phone. Ok. That was incredibly generalized, but my experience has been overwhelmingly that way. I blog sometimes. I'm blogging less and less these days because it's not providing me the communication with some of my friends that it was. So I'm bored with it. I find other ways to talk to them. that's what it's about for me - talking to people I don't see or hear from very much.
Heidi
BJ you are so funny! You bugged me to death to start blogging!!! I'm being understanding because I can't get Dad to blog either. It's just like the phone calls. I talk to all of you all the time and Dad rarely does. He says it's because he can find out everything from me. I just think you guys are tired--period. I'm sure that if I were still working, I would not be spending so much time with all of this. However, I still find the computer and all it's features FASCINATING!!!! I love all the cool stuff :-).
I usually blog at work during a break, and then Brian and I don't turn on the computer much when we are home. I've noticed that if I turn on the computer in the evenings... it just seems to eat up our time that we should be spending together. And Brian doesn't like writing much, so he simply isn't interested in blogging--he only reads ours when I open it up for him, which is fine. But he used to check facebook more, when he was in school. But when he gets home from work, he is sick of the computer and doesn't want to take another look at it! :) So I understand how "internet burnout" can happen. I find that I get so much more done when I don't turn on the computer.
Too much of a good thing is, too much. Moderation in all things always is right. For me, Sunday is my day of rest, the day I do blog--like journal writing. I don't like Sunday for anything else I do during the week on the computer. I'm trying to cut my computer time down too.
John, says he just hasn't done it. But he doesn't mind reading them. Just doesn't know what to blog about. Between Facebook and all the other techno stuff it is very easy to get wrapped up in it. Moderation I think is the best thing.
Sounds like you are altogether burned out. I think we have to remember that a lot of the things that occupy our time are optional. Maybe you have to check your e-mail for important notices but most everything else is for entertainment. As soon as you start feeling guilty for not participating in an optional activity, you know there's a problem. For me, the computer is still a vital means of keeping, not losing, my sanity so I'll not be participating in your computer fast day though it sounds like just what you need. Good luck to you!
wow that must be hard B.J. don't you usually blog on Sundays. i don't think i could do that even though i have just not in a row.
Love :Anna (on dads computer with out him knowing lol hahaha hehe!!!)
I actually enjoy being on the computer, but sometimes I do feel like I have wasted a lot of time doing nothing on it. So I think your idea for avoiding the computer on weekends is good. We can spend more time together that way.
Kirk just flat out doesn't have the time for blogging. It's that simple! He can't do it at work and our evenings and weekends are full with family, church and other responsibilities. He will get on FB a little more often, but we are talking maybe a weekly 5 min. status update and not much else. He depends on me to blog about our family stuff, since it has become a way to document what our family is doing, and I do that during the day when he is gone. However, I haven't been so great about it lately! Anyway, I totally understand why it's getting hard for you to spend time on here. Love ya Beej, and just so you know, I love hearing from you when you can!
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