Hi IAN Folks! I read an article in The New York Times a few days ago (in the dead tree version! Crinkle, crinkle.) The topic was how social media and the internet in general are sucking up what's left of our time. I know. Completely novel concept! (snark time out here.)
As you can see by Itzl's concerned look, this group is for us to check in at to let people know we are alive, doing OK, and not affected by such things as heat, blizzards, floods, wild fires, hurricanes, tornadoes, power outages, or other such things that could keep us off DKos. It's also so we can find other Kossacks nearby for in-person checks when other methods of communication fail - a buddy system. Members come here to check in. If you're not here, or anywhere else on DKos, and there are adverse conditions in your area (floods, heatwaves, hurricanes, etc.), we and your buddy are going to check up on you. If you are going to be away from your computer for a day or a week, let us know here. We care!
IAN is a great group to join, and a good place to learn to write diaries. Drop one of us a PM to be added to the Itzl Alert Network anytime! We all share the publishing duties, and we welcome everyone who reads IAN to write diaries for the group! Every member is an editor, so anyone can take a turn when they have something to say, photos and music to share, a cause to promote or news!
OK, we do have a diary schedule. But, when you are ready to write that diary, either post in thread or send FloridaSNMOM a Kosmail with the date. If you need someone to fill in, ditto. FloridaSNMOM is here on and off through the day usually from around 9:30 or 10 am eastern to around 11 pm eastern.
Monday:
BadKitties
Tuesday:
ejoanna
Wednesday:
Caedy
Thursday:
art ah zen
Friday:
FloridaSNMOM
Saturday:
Dave in Northridge
Sunday:
loggersbrat
Before I get distracted further by the Internet and social media (like DKos??) here's the Times link:
http://www.nytimes.com/...
So here's my brief confession. Looking for yours in the comments.
I do very little social media. Daily Kos is my main addiction focus. I don't do Facebook, etc. I do send texts. Email of course (I'm "mature", so I still like email.) I do have a smartphone (got it a few months ago) and like it but so far I use only some of its features. I still occasionally write "real" letters--and I send snail mail cards on many festive occasions. I'm not even consistent in capitalizing I/internet.
I will also confess that since my return to Daily Kos (after a few years' hiatus) my book reading time has suffered. I'm trying to remedy that. (Yesterday I actually finished two books--and not e-books--I had partially read.)
But the one balance-my-life-on-the-Internet measure I took and have abided by almost without exception for many years is this: I take one day a week (it happens to be Sunday, but any one dedicated day would do) as an "Internet Sabbath." That is, I don't go on the Internet. Period. Not even my beloved Daily Kos.
OK, your turn!