The more things change…

Once again it’s #blogjune time and this year I have reasons why I didn’t immediately join in. (Although you might say I’m joining in now. Sort of.)

Thinking about this time of the year, I wanted to remind myself how it all started and had to dig through years of posts on this blog to check. I had to go back all the way to 2010, and 2010 feels like a very different time indeed:

  • From my first ever #blogjune post, I can see that many of us were still active on Twitter
  • Blogging was so much a thing back then
  • I had a different job back in 2010
  • My dogs Paco and Peppi were still young
  • Heck we were all so much younger then!

(My relationship with all the things, all the social media, has also changed a lot. I’m watching the development of generative AI with a sense of unease.)

I don’t think many people are doing the #blogjune thing this year. I’m almost tempted to set up a “traditional” blogroll here; the small numbers would make it manageable. Anyway, hello snail, Graeme, Kathryn, Andrew!

In other news: this year I have been trying to reduce my use/dependence on my phone and cut down on mindless scrolling. The activity tracker on my phone tells a shocking story – so many hours spent on particular apps. I’ve been trying all the usual things: no phone by bedside; leaving the phone in a particular location during the day (so I have to get up to pick it up – ie not within convenient reach at all times); stopping myself when I reach for the phone to observe what I’m feeling when I do; journalling instead of scrolling; picking up the ereader instead of the phone. Currently reading, for inspiration and encouragement and reminding:

How To Break Up With Your Phone by Catherine Price

How to Do Nothing: Resisting The Attention Economy by Jenny Odell

It’s a work in progress.

4 Comments

Ruth baxter 11 June 2023

Taking up something that uses both hands helps – I knit in meetings now because then I don’t mindlessly pick up my phone. Good luck with the journey.

flexnib 12 June 2023

Do you knit during in-person meetings, or just during online meetings? Because I imagine some people might get judgey if you’re knitting while sitting next to them…

snail 13 June 2023

I have seen folk knit in in-person meetings and that is fine. I am also impressed at the number of email other folk in the same meeting send out during the meeting.

flexnib 13 June 2023

Yes, email. Some people are prolific! I’ve also seen people do crosswords, chat to others (Teams), book holidays…
I usually doodle.