The hiatus is over! Kinda sorta.

Sorry about the lack of a post last week.  My work life has been so hectic lately that it was literally Saturday before I realized I'd never gotten around to posting on Thursday!)

Well, it's been a month since I went on social media hiatus!  It started on January 6th so, technically, I can re-enter the fray today, if I so choose.  Funny thing, though; I'm not sure if I'm ready to go back yet.  Or, at least, not in the way I used to be immersed in it.  This month has taught me a few surprising things:

1) I don't need social media as much as I thought I did.  Sure, I missed the daily interaction with a lot of my buddies BUT during this month I rediscovered that email, texting and phone calls can be just as effective as social media for staying in touch with folks. You don't get every detail of the lives of all the people you follow on the various networks but you can still have quality time that feeds the same need for social interaction.

2) I WILL absolutely find a way to waste time, even while I'm trying to be productive.  As such, I need to make an effort to limit my time wasting.  I mentioned how You Tube became a surrogate for Twitter, Tumblr, etc in a previous post.  So, I limited my You Tube time.  And then found myself checking out Instagram and Vine.  Basically, I'm THE WORST.  If there's a time suck out there, I'm going to let it suck some of my time; it's apparently WHAT. I. DO.  I just need to acknowledge that and actively work to rein in the time suckage, somehow.  

3) "Out of sight, out of mind" can be an accurate adage.  I removed the app icons for Words With Friends, Candy Crush, Twicca, Tweetcaster, Tumblr and Facebook from my phone and, by and large, did not miss them after a few days.  I was so used to picking up my phone and pressing one of the icons and then spending lots of time playing a game or surfing my timeline.  The first few days of my hiatus, I'd pick up my phone and look at it and realize there was nothing to play with so I'd put my phone down and do something else.  The apps were all still there on my phone (I wasn't about to lose all those levels in Candy Crush!) but without the constant reminder every time I picked up the phone, I didn't feel the need to open them.

4) Social media really is the place to get news these days.  I have felt completely out of the loop, news-wise, not having been on Twitter this past month.  I have actively sought out entertainment, sports and regular news stories but it's been exhausting to try to find out what I might be missing by not being on Twitter!  Twitter keeps me up to date on most everything, all in one place!

5) I miss Twitter most during big "events" and my favorite TV shows.  I've gotten used to watching awards show via Twitter, instead of actually watching the shows themselves; it's far more entertaining.  It's also great to have buddies to discuss my shows with as they are happening. I missed being on Twitter for the NFL playoffs, the Superbowl commercials (since the game was TRASH), the Grammys, the return of Justified and Archer, etc.  I may not return to having Twitter as a part of my all day, every day but I will definitely be there for my shows and events.  

Basically, I have found that I can get along just fine without social media but , even so, I still like it so I shall make my return very soon.  All good things, in moderation or some such something like that.  *wink*

TV show watching these past couple of weeks has been limited; been so busy with phone calls, texting, reading and brainstorming ideas for a novella. Also,  the Syracuse basketball team has been keeping my eyes busy on their way to the number one ranking in the country.  :-) LET'S GO ORANGE!

I will say, though, that Justified is EVERYTHING so far this season!  It has taken Sons of Anarchy's place as the show I will stay up to immediately re-watch as soon as it's over because one viewing just isn't enough.  It's exactly what I needed from FX after SOA broke me this season.  I can't wait to see what else this season has to offer!

Winter Olympics start tonight; EEEEEEE!!  I'm an Olympics junkie so that will probably be my television focus for the next couple of weeks.  I've been known to get up at 3:30am to watch Curling matches…that the United States wasn't even in!  Yeah, I LOOOOOVE the Olympics!  Looking forward to watching with my tweeps! :-)