It’s the weekend! Kids are still on the mend, so we’re going to be chilling out around here mostly. Steve is going to see The Greatest Showman–again (he literally saw it for the first time yesterday)–because he loved it so much. And then… SUPERBOWL!
Also, Parker did this on the chalkboard wall mostly by himself–asking me a few spelling questions along the way–and I thought it was so sweet.
Some notes for the road…
Are you a responsible recycler? (Also, can we all please, please stop buying plastic bottles from now till forever?)
This article about the “Mom Internet” was really interesting. And worth a deeper discussion–or maybe you’re all feeling like it’s being discussed to death right now. I get that too. (Also, while blogs come under scrutiny too, I think Instagram is much more guilty of perfection and it’s why I will always prefer blogging to Instagram and suggest everyone keep reading the blogs you love!). (Thanks for sharing, Elease!)
I am in love with this photo display idea.
I love the colors in this suit.
Thai Buddha bowls. Yum.
I’m going to read this book before the movie comes out!
This old post made me laugh.
All three regimens, paired down at a better cost. (My favorites are combos of the Nourishing and Rejuvenating!)
I love this bathroom.
Have you guys seen this? It gave me a chuckle.
I could do without all the red, but those views!!!
Have a good weekend!
I miss when instagram was actually INSTA. I’m amazed at how many people spend so much time planning posts. I know that a lot of people do it for their job, but the way Instagram has manipulated so many people into spending all of their time figuring out how to overcome the algorithm. I prefer reading blogs to Instagram. You get essentially the same information, but all at once instead of spread throughout the day.
Also, I really appreciate how real you have always been. I’ve never thought “I wonder what she is like in real life” because you seem incredibly genuine.
thanks so much, ashley. that is really kind of you to say. and i feel the same way about instagram! the conversations over there about the algorithm / perfection / etc. has made me want to stay far away from it recently!
I completely agree!
I love the photo display idea you linked. Very beautiful! 🙂
Charmaine Ng | Architecture & Lifestyle Blog
http://charmainenyw.com
another good book to read before the movie comes out is “beautiful boy”. it’s a memoir of a father who’s son was addicted to crystal meth. (it’ll have steve carrell in it, which i’m quite interested to see him play a roll like this!)
also, i couldn’t the bathroom link to work. just me?
it’s working on my end! it’s from the pfcandleco feed. have you gotten it to work yet?
It didn’t work work on my laptop but it’s fine on my phone, so all good!
I stayed at that Airbnb in Iceland with my husband! We drove around Iceland for our honeymoon for 2 weeks and stayed for a night there. How funny.
that’s too funny. was it amazing?
I live the backward s in anders ?
It’s such a small world. We remodeled our kitchen after the kitchen on Amanda Watters insta – but back when it had different owners. I agree with the article but I’m surprised they used her for an example. It never bothers me to see a beautiful home or cute kids. A feed full of Chloe bags though? That’ll get some eye rolls out of me.
I love that kitchen! Also love Amanda’s feed and find her captions thought-provoking and sincere. Wish they hadn’t used her as an example.
That Parenting ad made me laugh out loud!
I’ve added A Wrinkle In Time to my reading list, thank you!
I am going to be brutally honest here, Bridgette. Social media became an obsession. That scared me. And I didn’t even realize it until I was addicted. It happened gradually. Slowly. But steadily. I have a smart phone (who doesn’t now?!) and at my fingertips is access to the world. I joined Instagram so I could “stay in contact” with many of my friends and acquaintances. I would check my feed to see if anyone I knew (or followed) had posted. Maybe once a day. And then twice. And then, before I knew it, I’d automatically be reaching for my phone to check social media in the middle of any pause I had during the day. And I didn’t even realize I was doing it. And then, every night, I’d stay up in bed scrolling through my phone, when I should have been sleeping (not to mention how bad screen light is for you to sleep), which wrecked havoc on my sleep pattern and in waltzed the insomnia. I’d check Instagram, and when there was no new post, a twinge of disappointment inevitably followed.
And you know what? In hindsight, I subconsciously changed my life. The way I looked at things, what I wore, how I treated my husband (not for the better). I had thoughts like: I need to wear something cute just in case one of my girlfriends take a picture to post while we are out today, or, I need to be more like this person. And then the worst thought: MY LIFE IS NOT AS GREAT AS THEIRS. Their life is perfect! Their husband is the sweetest most thoughtful man to her. What am I doing wrong? Why don’t I have two perfect babies already? I feel inadequate because we don’t have children yet. My house is such a mess compared to theirs. Their life is perfect. And the list went on and on. And I got depressed, selfish, I would long for things that we haven’t been blessed with yet, or places that we have not been. Don’t get me wrong, I think that technology can and should be used for the good. But when social media can portray someone’s life as “perfect” and makes you feel yours is inadequate, how is that not a lie? My husband kept telling me he was frustrated because I was so unhappy, and I didn’t know why I was.
I kept hearing/reading how social media was created to be addictive. How even the creators of these platforms were now coming out admitting they were designed to essentially waste people’s time and get them to keep coming back. And that bothered me. So I took Instagram off my phone just to see if I’d notice a difference. But I kept receiving emails with posts I missed, asking why I haven’t been on for so long. Email after email (it felt a little bit like they were pushing me to get back on, playing on my emotions). Knowing the temptation would be too great, I deleted my account.
It was really hard at first. I kept reaching for my phone during life’s pauses, and then I’d put it back down with regret.
But something else started to happen.
It’s been two months now, and you know what? I’m much happier. I still miss “staying connected” with my friends in that venue, but hey, there’s still phone, email, texts, and even old fashioned letter, where I know they’ll be more honest with me on how they are really doing and hence our relationships will improve.
I still read the blogs that I enjoyed reading before. I am drawn to the ones that are more honest, that don’t just portray a “perfect” life making us wish for things we don’t have, or ways we “should” look.
Sorry for this book. In your blog post you brought up the “Mom Internet” and because it’s been on my mind a lot lately, and had such an impact on my life, I felt compelled to share. I am tired of people manipulating their lives to be perceived in a certain way in order to sell products, or look “perfect.” Is that really living?
There are people out there who literally have nothing. I have been given so much. I don’t want to take that for granted. I know that the answer isn’t everyone should quit social media. That’s not what I am saying. (I do believe people should be honest). I am saying it’s what I had to do to really LIVE my life. And I love it. I am now trying to use life’s “pauses” in more productive ways: educate myself, train my puppy, send a thoughtful email or make that phone call, listen to the birds and think about how blessed we are and to just live in the present. To live.
Autumn, thank you so much for sharing this. You are not alone ONE BIT with this. And this may be a stretch (on second thought, I don’t think it is)–I think it’s pretty evil the way they knowingly create these things to be so addictive. Knowing the dopamine rush that comes from it (and the inevitable let down). Emailing you “hey you’ve missed XYZ” when you tried to limit your time?!? Awful. It’s necessary for me “business wise” to be there, but it is SUCH a love hate (or hate hate) for me. Those who remain with the app/apps need to find some really strict boundaries and stick with them–myself included. The hours I’ve squandered on social media! I don’t even want to know the number. (Especially with young ones at home.) I am coming up with my own set of boundaries to make it such that I don’t hate the app (or myself) and I’m going to talk about them soon on the blog. It’s nothing that will get me to grow my instagram nor is it “algorithm-friendly” but screw it, I’ll happily lose the algorithm war and gain more meaningful hours back in my day!
Thanks for your reply, Bridget, it’s so nice to not be alone in this. I agree fully with you, it’s truly evil how they have made social media so addictive! I totally get you, for “business” it is necessary and pretty much a must have for any successful business.
All the best to you and yours, and thank you for being honest, it’s refreshing! 🙂