Adios Facebook!

This Valentine's Day is my big one year anniversary....

Is this coming as a surprise to most of you?

It's not what you think. :) It's my one year anniversary of working up in Seattle! This also means one year of commuting!

My first day of work was February 14th and my first blog post was February 19th. I started the blog as a way to share my bussing stories to my friends and family, but it's obviously about more than just riding the bus.

I didn't think anyone but my family would read it. But so many friends, and people I never imagined, have told me they read it. It's strange to see how many views I've had since I started blogging. I honestly thought my family would maybe sometimes read it, not all of you. So, for those who have read my blog, thank you. Those who have written me personal messages about my material, thank you. Those who are closeted readers, thank you. Never in a million years did I expect 3,126 pageviews at all, let alone in one year.

I had a little flashback to one year ago this afternoon. It was Fat Tuesday and I was going to buy my last diet coke for the next 40 days. I ran down to the vending machine and pushed the WRONG BUTTON! Instead of a diet coke, I got a diet Pepsi (EW). So, this afternoon I wet to buy a diet coke because I am EXHAUSTED. I was exhausted because apparently my narcolepsy medication is now a controlled prescription and my doctor now has to send a hard copy EVERY TIME I refill it. I went to pick it up yesterday and discovered this fun fact, which means I'm out of my meds that keep me awake all day. Okay, so I was feeling guilty for wanting a diet coke this afternoon because I was going to the dentist later.

Screw it. I will fall asleep if I don't. So I went downstairs and had a flashback to pushing the diet Pepsi button again, so I very carefully selected the diet coke button, while snickering at myself for my mistake a year ago.

The bottle came straight down and didn't plop to its side, which blocked the door from opening. My diet coke was stuck. I squeeze my arm in a few times until I realized I don't want to be the person who gets their arm stuck in a vending machine, so I went to ask for help. Generally the vending machines are an issue because its not our company, so you're usually shit out of luck. But I went into the cafeteria and a worker came in to see if he could help. He then went and got a wire hanger and hooked the bottle and made it tip over. He is forever my hero.

I realized it doesn't matter if I had a diet coke before the dentist because the damage is already done from my other days of diet coke drinking. But if diet coke is the worst thing I'm doing to myself I'd say I'm doing pretty good.

This year for Lent I will be giving up FACEBOOK!

I have been getting super annoyed with ads, posts about hoaxes, pictures of people's new guns they bought, and how much time is being spent on it. It's too often you walk into a room of people and everyone is on their phones and NO ONE is talking. I don't want to be that person. I read an article on a set of rules a teenager was given with his new iPhone. These rules were very fitting for a teenager. And very fitting for everyone else, too.

The #1 for me was about turning off your phone or keeping it away when you are in public or with people. Sure, people have important jobs & events in their lives while they need their phone on hand, but put it in your pocket. Don't sit across a restaurant table or dinner table and be on your phone. I've done it, it's been done to me, and it's rude.

I'm getting rid of my Facebook so I can be in the moment. Not the Internet moment where you know everything about everyone and their child, brother, mother, husband, niece or nephew. I mean seriously, we get it. You love your husband... You married him. You don't need to write it on their wall, tell it to their face. Oh you ate pizza today? Yum, now I want some. You took the same picture of yourself again? Cool, I like that I know what you wear everyday.

I am guilty of all of these things, but I don't want to be. I want to actually spend time with my real life friends instead of my virtual friends. I don't want to lose touch with people anymore than before, which is why I'm giving up Facebook. I don't need to call my college friends to see what they've been up to because I see it on Facebook. I don't need to ask my friends if they're going on vacation soon, I see it on their Facebook.

Facebook is a social network. But there isn't a lot of socializing going on. There is a lot of withdrawing on Facebook. It's my friend's birthday? I'll just write on their wall instead of calling them. They had a baby? Cool, I'll write congrats on their wall.

What?

When did we become so impersonal and personal at the same time? I don't know where Billy Bob lives or what he does for work, but I know what his ex wife did to him because he posted a status about it.

I have God knows how many friends on Facebook, but who do I actually talk to? Fun thing about deactivating your account is that you can come back to it whenever you want! Who will I talk to when I delete my Facebook? We shall see! Am I giving it up just for 40 days? We shall see!

I hope to get reconnected in ways that aren't via Facebook, so some of you may be hearing from me a lot more, as I'll be dying to hear what you've been up to!

I will continue to blog about my adventures, so keep me on your radar.

<3