Before I get into too much, I wanna take a moment to highlight some things that I’ve come across this past week. Maybe I reposted these over on Masto. One I definitely know I didn’t. Either way, have a look!
Some things from around the internet:
– If you live in the US and have ever been effected by severe weather, weather.gov would like to hear from you! You don’t have to be a weather nerd or experience severe displacement due to weather events. You can find out more at: https://www.weather.gov/weathergovsurvey
– The Conde Nast Union held a walkout over, essentially, union busting. Conde is planning on cutting 20% of union members in a planned layoff, as well as reducing the severance provided. The walkout was on Tuesday, January 23, but you can contribute to them still through their GoFundMe, as well as not giving Conde Nast publications any clicks: https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-conde-nast-union-workers-on-walkout
– Lastly, did you know that you have the right to an external review of any health insurance denials? I sure didn’t, nor did I know that different states have a different process. Here’s more info from the Center of Medicare and Medicaid Services: https://www.cms.gov/CCIIO/Resources/Files/external_appeals
Now that I have brought you shiny treasures from around the internet, let’s chat.
An amusing side-effect of no longer posting whatever comes to mind whenever I want is that I think I’ve forgotten how to blog. As in, personal blogging, not doing write-ups on things or sharing short fiction. Just casual, off-the-cuff, blogging.
On the one hand, not just spouting off whenever has probably saved me a lot of moments of being angry. I check in on Masto about twice a day, just to catch the highlights and maybe look into some hashtags, but overall I’m about as plugged in as I was years ago when the internet was slow. It’s nice. It’s just a tad bit quieter in my head.
I also feel as if I’m getting more done. Now that my attention isn’t craving to be split five different ways, I can at least focus again for an hour or so on something. I’ve been remembering to eat at reasonable times. I’ve gotten out for walks. Maybe I didn’t realize just how garbage my mental health had become. Whatever it is, I feel like an Instagram influencer who is living that #aesthetic life and having a glow up.
On the other hand, FOMO. It’s not too bad, thankfully, and is avoided by watching people try to have complex opinions in small character limits. I also might be leaving one of the writing community hashtags I enjoyed…mostly because while it asks interesting questions, it also gets people pretty stirred up. We’re all allowed to have opinions, I’m just not sure if it’s wise to engage with it in the long run. Maybe it’ll change with next month’s prompts, who knows.
There have also been some takes that I’ve had to resist the urge to react to. Knew that was going to happen though. It’s the internet, someone will always have a disingenuous take about something.
One thing I am contemplating doing, to help with the “I don’t know how to blog anymore” feeling, is to start responding to other #WritingCommunity prompts on the blog. Just once a week. When I was responding to them in microblog post format, I often was finding that I was hitting the character limit before I had finished saying what I wanted to — especially for the POV questions. So, not only could I fully say what I want to, but it would be nice to have all of those responses catalogued somewhere.
“How will you retain relevance though? In an age where everything moves so fast, if you’re not constantly promoting yourself, you’ll never get anywhere!” I hear the Greek Chorus of Critics crying.
Scarcity breeds curiosity. People can follow my blog. Good, I hope I am irrelevant. You’ve probably never even heard of me anyway.
Inner indie kid aside, that wraps up my thoughts for now. I have more, there’s always more, but today isn’t the day I want to get into it. Stay safe and sane out there. We live in increasingly interesting times.
PS: Random discovery this week — roasted peanuts make for an amazing vegan cheese base. Looking for smokey cheddar? Try dry roasting some raw peanuts. Basic recipe for a mac and cheese sauce that J and I use follows:
- 1 cup-ish of unsalted roasted peanuts
- 2 cloves garlic, whole
- 1/2 cup nutritional yeast
- 1/4 cup-ish taco seasoning (really, to taste)
- 1/4 tsp tumeric
- 1/4 tsp hing
- 1 1/2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 cup milk alternative
Throw all that in your blender until smooth. Bam! Delicious smoky cheddar-like not cheese. You’re welcome.
Now, as Peter Capaldi once said in a show one time: “Fuckity bye.”
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