Bye, Felicia! (Facebook)

Ugh, Facebook.

I've been done with Facebook for a while.

I kept it active because I thought it was the only way to stay in contact with my friends and family after we moved, but I was just making excuses.  I hardly ever messaged anyone on Facebook besides my parents.  My friends and I communicated now and then through comments on a post, but that wasn't working for me because the posts are what I wanted to get away from.  In general they're meaningless, they're mindless, and half the time they aren't even real news stories.

I deactivated Facebook permanently after I made the shameful decision one evening to say goodnight to my husband and then turn right back around to grab my laptop and continue arguing with some lady over some controversial post our mutual friend made.  Instead of snuggling in with my number one priority, I wanted to hide behind my computer screen and exchange passive aggressive comments with a stranger.

What.

I didn't WANT to do that, but that's what I did because I had a problem.  My excuse for keeping Facebook revolved around maintaining meaningful relationships, but I was using it in a way that completely stripped the meaning from hours of my day, and I had to get a grip on myself.

Here are the steps I took to get rid of Facebook forever:

• Events: 
• Put all of the events I have said I will attend into a planner or the phone calendar.
• Copy all events I'm hosting and force my husband to recreate them under his account.
• Pictures:
• Save and ORGANIZE (immediately) all pictures onto my computer.
• Create photo books of all of the best pictures, wait for the books to come in, put all pictures onto a jump drive and forget about them until there's a fire or something.
• Alternative Communication:
• Exchange emails, phone numbers, and addresses with people I like.
• Sign up for WhatsApp.  Tell my favorites to also get WhatsApp to message me.
• Skype my favorite favorites who also consider me their favorite favorite.
• Instagram.  I like posting pictures for my friends to look at.
• Start a blog for my Grammy to keep up with what's happening in my life.

Don't give in to the shocked exclamations of "You can't get rid of your Facebook!"  

Living the Facebook-free life since November 1, 2015.