Weird but true

[resolute]

So, it turns out I spend a lot less time doom scrolling during the summer.

Part of it is that I am no longer on Twitter. And that I curate my Mastodon, Tumblr, and TikTok feeds to be about friends and hobbies, not doom.

But a substantial part is that I live in Minnesota, and I am disabled and I get around my neighborhood on a mobility scooter, and I am immunocompromised. Once the snow hits I can only go places by car, and there are nearly zero restaurants and cafes with open patios after Halloween. I have a lot less to DO on the winter. Particularly physical activity.

Asinine physical activity, doing exactly what everyone says. "Gonna take a stupid little walk for my stupid mental health," as the meme says.

So I am just not sitting around, refreshing the same horrid news over and over again, as I do in January. I am scootering around playing Pokemon Go, I am gardening, weeding, planting, watering, and harvesting. I am watching the birds nesting in the yard. I am going to parks, I am seeing friends outside, I have plans to travel with my spouse. The sun is shining!

Okay, we REALLY need rain, I wish the sun was shining a little bit less. But just a bit!

I think that once autumn arrives I need to sign up for classes in fiber arts things. Something to either get me out of the house or just to have a scheduled Zoom class. And we got a rowing machine at the end of this past winter, which I love, so I expect to be using it once I can't get out in the garden every day.

Having activities other than scrolling news about frightening things I cannot assist, remediate, or control is actually better for me.

Who knew?

Comments

[catherineldf]

Hugs! and we need to schedule a second round of hanging out! Poke me in a few days, please.

[lydamorehouse]

I love being away from social media. I've taken Musk's ownership as an excuse to fully disengage from Twitter. Facebook and Insta are where I post pictures, but, like you, I have set those up to be mostly friends and so the scrolling, when it happens, is pleasant and short. I have no idea what the current meme is, though I do hear that orca have been "eating the rich" by smashing their yachts. And what else do I really need to know? :-)

From one Minnesotan to another, have a great summer on this, it's longest day!