Limit Social Media To Start Living Life

Fall in New York State

 As I grow older life begins to become crystal clear to me. Things I didn't understand or pay attention to, now stand out to me in ways they never did before. My life has been a very rough road when I look back on it. From being a teen mother to a single woman at almost seventy years old..........wow, how did I survive it so far? Now I think, "I survived another night." Somewhere along the way within these last couple of years, I realize it is most important to focus on myself. Living alone makes that easier to do. I have heard from many women (some men too, they can end up in this situation also) how they are miserable where they are right now. Yet feel they are powerless to change it. Anyone can change it. If I could do it, you can do it.

Across the street from my home.

I watch people tearing each other down. Arguing and fighting. Lying. Beating each other up. Full of anger and hatred.This is what our world around us has become. All I have to do is to look at comments on any social media page and I get disgusted with those people. I admit these people trigger my anger and I end up posting on my own social media page the aftereffect of it all. I do not want to do that. I believe that is what they want you to do. Make us hate each other. The best thing I can do for my own self is to limit social media. Keep trimming my friends list. Limit my own posts from certain people that I want to keep as a friend for some reason.

Busy corner a block away.

My life goes on with less social media just fine. I go to a couple groups I belong to and instead of using the news feed, I now go to specific friends' timelines. Much better that way! More personal since I see everything they have posted. If I work on other things through out my day, I do not miss the social media. It is a habit. Like hanging out somewhere. Once you skip going for a week or so, it is not a habit anymore. I have liked staying in contact with my family and friends there. The biggest challenge is maintaining that connection which you can only do by being on Facebook. It is something I keep thinking about but there seems to be no other way. Facebook is the only way people want to interact with each other. Not sure why they got so powerful. Even on forums though everyone fights. I guess that is life.

Some shops and restaurants.

I have watched a number of videos on YouTube about people who quit social media and some left for good. They seem pleased with that choice. It is a choice they made for various reasons. One being that their life became more productive and peaceful. Some found they were exercising more and getting out of their house. Doing things instead of posting on various social media sites. I envy them in a way, but I would miss my online friends a lot. Many of them live in different states and some in different countries. So I an not going to be closing my accounts any time soon, but I am spending less time on it. 

Norwich homes on N. Broad St.

What I have been doing lately on Facebook, is to spend my time in a few groups I enjoy (no politics or religion). I often share my own life or what is on my mind on my timeline. Though even if someone's post is not political or religious........it can start an argument. Even my genealogy group on Facebook gets into big fights over the fact that some Ancestry members have "private" trees and some have "public". Good grief, just do what you want and don't worry so much about what someone else is doing. That is what is wrong with this world today. Probably always been that way, but I didn't know it before I started living on the internet. 

 

Copyright © 2020 Kathleen G. Lupole

All Photographs Copyright © 2020  Kathleen G. Lupole

Updated 2021

  

Strong Women Shall Overcome

Miss Alice Paul, New Jersey, National Chairman, Congressional Union for Woman Suffrage; Member, Ex-Officio, National Executive Committee, Woman's Party. Edmonston. ca. 1915.

What makes a strong woman? Or should I say what makes a woman, strong? Is it all the trials she has lived through? The more you go through, the stronger you get. Sometimes we don't realize just how strong we are, until we are forced to follow through.

“You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience by which you really stop to look fear in the face. You are able to say to yourself, 'I lived through this horror. I can take the next thing that comes along.” ~ Eleanor Roosevelt

Every experience you live through adds to the layers of life you will gain. From the ghettos of the cities, to rural America. to modern high rise buildings to the suburb of every day life...........there are women of all ages, all colors, all nationalities, all financial backgrounds facing the same problems and lost dreams that you face. 

Women welders on the way to their job at the Todd Erie Basin dry dock in possibly, 1943.

If you just make yourself get up and brush yourself off every time you falter, you will find yourself becoming stronger. You will persevere. Pressing forward you will find a fork in the road that will lead away from your troubles or worries. Praying helps many of us. Talking to others. Writing in journals. Just do not ever give up, no matter how bad things may become. It is never over without a fight. 

I am praying for many of my online friends today. Many are going through bad times, be it their health, their relationships, their children's health, their or their husband's employment status. Share their burden, by praying or wishing good thoughts their way. I love each and every one of them. These strong women, who I have come to know, either through my blog, my Facebook page, The Redhead Riter's Community on The Blogfrog or Homesteading Today. But...........there are many strong women, and they too, shall press on. Press on my friends! Press on!

 

Copyright © 2011 Kathleen G. Lupole 

Photographs from the Library of Congress 

Making Friends Online

Photo Source: Petr Kratochvil

The funny thing about the internet is that you can do your business on it. You can plan your meals from it, from your menus to your recipes to your shopping list. You can broaden your knowledge, getting into some subject and researching it and studying it online. You can do you banking and paying bills on it. Even pay your taxes on it. And you can even make friends on it. "Friends? Oh how can that be?" I can hear you now.

 Photo Source: April Sommers

What is a friend anyway? According to The Free Dictionary it means:

1.  a person known well to another and regarded with liking, affection, and loyalty; an intimate
2.  an acquaintance or associate
3.  an ally in a fight or cause; supporter
4.  a fellow member of a party, society, etc.
5.  a patron or supporter a friend of the opera
6. be friends (with) to be friendly (with)
7. make friends (with) to become friendly (with)

The truth is, that I have had made some very good friends online. In fact, some of them know more about me than ones I know in person. The reason I think that is true is because I am a writer. So when I talk to people in person, it is just that small talk sort of conversation. When you write a email, a blog post or a forum post, you can express yourself much better. No one interrupts you. No one corrects what you are saying. No one acts bored with your conversation. In fact, they really listen (or read). Then they have time to reply back after having looked at your message again if need be. My NY homesteading forum all met online and now we have met each other in person many times. Even been to each others's homes. 

In person, I find that I can't keep up with friendships. I am very busy at home. Driving somewhere to meet for a lunch or dinner is not something I really like to do. In front of my computer, I can devote my time and thoughts on what I am writing. Not worrying about what time it is or how bad the roads are, or if I have enough gas to make it back home. 

Over the years I have met some very awesome people on my computer. I reconnected with some people that I knew in person. Many people that I had lived near and gone to school with. I thought I'd never see any of them again!  Just a few months ago, I reconnected with my own cousin. It seems to me that we get to know each other so much more by writing. It may be an old fashioned method of developing a friendship. Such as letter writing was in the past. But now with the computer and internet, it has become modern technology! 

Copyright © 2011 Kathleen G. Lupole

All Photographs Copyright © 2011  Kathleen G. Lupole unless otherwise stated.