Dreams

 

I know correlation is not causation but nevertheless, all changes in my life lately are being attributed to the sudden absence of social media, including the recent resurgence of dream sleep.  The dreams are very meaningful, intense and full of symbolism.  

While the play I recently performed in, "Love ... or Best Offer" MAY have something to do with it, I am convinced that separating myself from the pubescent land of make believe which is social media was also a big influence.  It's been tough though to the point of exhaustion.  It's like giving up alcohol and becoming reacquainted with your feelings.

Social Media Vs. The Group Chat

 

I'm in a play now and we communicate in a group chat.  It's the kind of group chat where you get up from the computer to make a cup of coffee and return to 77 messages.  Almost none of it is necessary information.  It's mostly people trying to be relevant, or passively aggressively excluding or subtly criticizing others, or backdoor bragging.  It really brought back the social media feels.  Especially since in person it's a giant love fest.  

The Rule of Threes

 The "rule of threes" in comedy is a classic writing tool where a comedian sets up a pattern with two normal or similar items, and then breaks that pattern with a funny, unexpected third item. It works by building up the audience's expectation and then delivering a sudden punchline.  This rule is new to me.  My awesome acting partner in a community theater play I'm in told me about this rule of three.  

Now lately I am aware of a different rule of three:  When three people talk about similar subject matter to me within short time period.  Today that rule of three is about precious moments and how they regret not capturing it on video.

It struck me that I didn't need to see the video.  The retelling of their stories created an image in my brain more long lasting than any video or photo could.  

Roxy Fetch!

 Today's post is just about seeing if this blog site allows video.  It's my most recent video of Roxy fetching a ball at our local sandbar, our happy place.

The impulse to check Facebook happened so here we are.  The impulse hit but at the same time the fact that breaking the social media habit was really easy and it doesn't leave any kind of an abscess in my life.  However there is an abscess above tooth number seven so Wednesday morning will start with a root canal.  Ironically I'm in a play about online dating and in the play I briefly date a 'dentist.'  Dentist is in quotes because the doctor who performs root canals is actually called an endodontist.  But most people watching the play won't be offended by this error, if anyone even notices at all.

It's been about ten minutes and the video is still loading.  If it doesn't work I'll get a still shot to take its' place.

This Is So Much Better!

 It's oddly empowering to hold good memories inside, rather than feel experiences are only validated by online 'likes.'  Having said that, here's a pic from last night for the few people actually paying any attention to my blog...  do you love or hate me?  I have no idea who found this and bothers to look at it, but Hi!  I appreciate you.  

Last night was great.  I went with the lovely Rita and her family to watch the fireworks in New Port Richey Florida.  Jessica and her beautiful daughters, who live in NPR joined us.  This is a pic of Jessica, her daughters Chloe and Piper and me watching the fireworks. 

This was a flood reunion.  Rita took me in to her house two years in a row when the sea rose above my flood level and filled my house with sea water and sewage.  God bless her for giving me and my doggies one decent night of sleep for a while before the hellish aftermath.

Jessica was already a refugee of sorts when we met.  She left an abusive husband and was taken in by the family which housed me after the flood.  We spent a few months together and shared a trauma bond which turned into a friendship.  

This is Rita, her work friend and I last night.

Chris and Shannan Watts

 Like so many, I'm haunted by the story of Chris Watts brutally murdering his beautiful wife and daughters.   

On social media, as seen here, their lives couldn't look more perfect.  Although I do believe Shanann was very happy with the animal she married, as were the children she brought into this world.  However he made the decision to destroy them in such a horrific way for a piece of ass and maybe less debt.  

My impulse to look into Facebook land to see what was going on this morning arrived as usual.   Then this family tragedy popped into my head after listening to an interview with a good friend and co-workers of his last night.  The police were seeking to extract leads from the good friend.   If they listened to him they would have been thrown way off the trail but they already knew Chris was the murderer at that point anyway.  

The friend said mostly positive things about them both.  Although he unfriended Shanann because she posted every three minutes and it was annoying.  I've done the same with most people selling their essential oils and pyramid scheme stuff too.  Or even the people with chronic complaints or fixations.  I'd unfollow first, then unfriend if there was a secondary offense.... or block them completely if they unfriended me... again, exceptionally childish behavior but I digress.

As is the case with the Watt's, rather than seeing real people and a glimpse into their real lives,  I'd actually see a carefully curated, edited, airbrushed snapshot of the story a person both wants to believe about themselves and wants everyone else to believe.  

Maybe It's Time to Switch From Coffee to Espresso

 The two French press-fulls of coffee take longer to drink than the length of my laptop attention span without social media mental masturbation.  Espresso is less than a quarter of the volume but might just pack a greater caffeine punch.