Five Stick Friday

It’s that simple. I have to simplify my life. And one of the ways I’m going to try to do that is drastically reduce the use of Social Media, but instead transition to logging what’s on my mind in my own little section of the digital universe, rather than continue to be an advocate for much of anything out “there” on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, etc.

It’s tiring….but it does provide one internally useful purpose. I have things running through my mind almost every waking moment that seem to be weightier in topic than they used to be. I’m a product of media. Social Media. Cable News. Online Newspapers. You name it. I consume it.

And I doubt I’ll stop consuming it. But instead of blurbing about it on social media and continuing to be part of Mark Zuckerberg or Elon Musk’s “product”…I’m going to freeform thoughts here. For myself. And whoever else decides they care to read them.

There are worthwhile “things” and “causes” I want to spend more time on, besides the obvious “cause” of earning a living until I retire in few years.

In no particular order the things that stay on my mind are:

1. My family
2. The schism in the United Methodist Church
3. The state of the Marching Arts ( DCI, BOA, etc. )
4. The threats to American Democracy
5. My faith
6. The political takeover of the “Church” by zealots
7. My dogs

See? Too much! Too much to process. I have to let some of this go. Here’s what I’m NOT going to let go.

1. My family
2. My new role as a Board Member of Spirit of Atlanta
3. My job ( obviously)
4. My friends
5. My faith
6. My dogs
7. Music

Notice what’s missing between the two? I’ve railed for almost 7 years on social media about Donald Trump. Honestly, most of that was to just get the thought off my mind. But it inevitably invites discussion, which turns to arguments, which turns to more division. Trump wins.

I have spoken out for years about the takeover of the church by zealots who know the power of indoctrination and regularly pervert the teachings of Jesus Christ. And again…while the main idea is to get the thought out of my head…it’s not helpful to anyone else. So those kind of thoughts will be expressed here when I need to get them out of my head. Because I’ve got to simplify.

As much as I love my home church ( Dalton First United Methodist Church)…I’ve spent an inordinate amount of mental energy on the split they are going through right now. I’ve got to simplify. I don’t live in Dalton any more. I have to put this down and let the people that do live there fight their battles for themselves. I’ve got to simplify.

I despise Elon Musk. Yet entering the public foray of social media to discuss him is yet another waste of time. I’ve got to simplify.

I’ve been through bouts of this before. Swearing off social media only to fail. I’ll probably fail again. But that shouldn’t prevent trying. So this time, I’m going to use a crutch. This blog. Where I can type anything I want (because I don’t live in Florida), and it’s okay…because it’s highly likely no one will ever read it anyway, and it gets it out of my head and out of my system.

If by any chance you DO want to read what is going to evolve into a journal, knock yourself out and subscribe to this blog and you’ll get an email notification when there’s something new to read.

And, as antithetical as it might seem…I’m going to post my first few blogposts on social media. Because I have friends that will think after all these years that I freaked out and went off the grid or worse if I simply disappear. I’m not disappearing. I’m simplifying.

Because…I’ve got to simplify. For my own mental health. And probably that of others as well.

One final thought for today. For those I cherish the most…my wife Laurie, my daughter Erin, and my son Davis…I hope that years down the road I leave them something to know me better than they even do now. Something that shows them how much and fiercely I love them…instead of just being the “spaz Dad” that talks too much shit about Trump. If that mission is accomplished…and even only that mission…every keystroke will be worth it.

Have a nice Tuesday, everyone. And get a nice chuckle out of knowing you read this from a social media post.