Hello!
I've been thinking a lot about how much I love the Internet. Even with all the obvious downsides, I think the Internet gets a bad rap. We've been focused lately on the scourge of misinformation and disinformation (and hate speech, data mining, consumerism, cyberbullying, etc. Yep, downsides abound.)
There are a lot of things to be worried about and believe me I’m worried about them. BUT I also think
we continually look past the good.
Here’s my truth;
every single day
I find something online that inspires me, makes me laugh, teaches me something or connects me to something or someone I wouldn't have had the chance to be connected to without this worldwide, global web. EVERY SINGLE DAY. I mean, c’mon! That's pretty darn cool. I find friends, inspiration, comfort, and humor waiting for me whenever I want it. I have a friend. I call her Becky (because that’s her name). Whenever I need a laugh, I go on Instagram to see what she has posted because it’s always funny. Take the examples to the right here. HYSTERICAL, right?
And then there’s art. All the art. OMG. There’s so much art, creativity and beauty on the Internet. Just the photography alone is enough for me to want to grab my camera and go take photos of everything I see.
And there’s the teens. I get to glimpse into their world. I follow my son and daughter's music and see the way people respond and support them. I get to see what my kids are listening to and watch their creativity get instantly acknowledged. My niece is now on TikTok. I absolutely love seeing her with her friends dancing. I love that I get to see inside her world.
And then there’s the info I can get at a moment’s notice!
How do I make vegan cupcakes that don't suck?
Who won the Oscar for Best Picture in 2017? Wait, who is that guy who was in that movie about that thing? (I spend a lot of time thinking about movies.)
And how about the fact that I will never ever have to torture myself by going into an actual store and having to try on a bathing suit in an awfully cramped and horribly lit dressing room? THANK YOU, online shopping.
And then there's sometimes a quote that I need to read at exactly the right moment that helps guide me.
Here's a taste of what I love. I follow @alex_elle on Instagram. Her feed is filled with gentle reminders like this. Here's a funny and heartwarming note via Twitter from one of my daughter's "fans". And, a photo one of my son's best friends posted on her photo site. (@ffrenchphoto - she's incredible. Check her out.)
