Life without Facebook

I recently "gave up" Facebook for Lent and now that we're about half-way in, I thought I'd blog an update. This was a fairly large sacrifice for me, more so than when I gave up PerezHilton.com in 2007(which I never went back to) and eating out in 2011. I use Facebook for work, I'm an 'early adopter', and I just really like my social networking.

I was finding, though, that Facebook distracted me from my family - my husband and son, and even my extended family. Sometimes it distracted me from work or from my commitments to others. I often found myself checking the news feed while out to dinner with Jon on a rare date night out without Mack.

I was ruled by other people's lives. And if we're honest, the majority of what people post on Facebook is their 'best of' album. The best things their children say, the best things they are doing, their best jokes. What they most want people to see - not even the real them.

I do it, too. And then constantly refresh my news feed to see if I have any new 'Likes' or comments or shares. I monitor closely to see who agrees with my political or religious views, seek affirmation that my son is adorable, and wait to receive praise for my witty postings.

My attempt to be validated by others had become all consuming. And tiring. And addicting.

So what have I been doing without Facebook?

I have been stressing A LOT less.
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This post was originally written March 14, 2012 and never posted. I like to follow through and complete all projects.

I've been thinking

I've been thinking that I need to start blogging again before life passes me by and I only have iPhone pictures to capture the memories.

Somewhere in the last year and half my baby became a little boy!

Other major things that happened:
Mack was baptized (April 2011)
My mom completed 17 chemo treatments, had surgery and had 30+ radiation treatments (March 2011 - Oct 2011)
I went to work at a pediatric hospital (Aug 2011)
Jon went to work at the school he attended (Aug 2011)
Bon-Bon, our beloved Bon-Bon, retired (March 2012)
I gave up Facebook for Lent (Lent 2012)
Sadly, my sister's marriage ended (2012)
My brother and his wife had their third child, a girl! (July 16, 2012)
Just one day later, my beautiful grandmother passed away (July 17, 2012)

So, what will I be blogging about? Most likely life as a working mom. Why? Because I like to imagine that my body is as thin as I am stretched.