Fear Of Missing Something. It's a fear that I share with a lot of my friends. Online friends and some in-real-life friends.
As I try [again!!!] to get my computer addiction under control, it crossed my mind that I miss something no matter which way I turn. I may miss the online conversations. But if I participate in them to my heart's content, then I'm missing something at home -- the time reading with Maggie, the math play-time with Andrew*, the cleanliness of keeping the kitchen floor properly mopped, watching a movie with Gary, phone chats with Mom & Katie & Paul, etc.
* Okay, so Andrew thinks it's torture. Give me an algebra book and I can't help but think "play-time"!
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
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After a long enough withdrawl, the FOMS goes away. Trust me, I've gone through it. Sobering up is very hard.
ReplyDeleteYou know, there's really a lot of online stuff that I wouldn't mind missing. Problem is, if you don't wade through the trivial you might miss the not so trivial. For me, then, and maybe for a lot of us, it's not so much FOMS as it is FOMSI--fear of missing something important. I want to make sure I know about the stuff that matters. The challenge is to glide by all the nonsense while you're trying to catch up on the substantial. That's not always easy to do because the nonsense can be so much fun! Sometimes I am able to ignore it pretty well, but other times I get sucked in and then realize it's time to step back and re-callibrate again. It's a constant challenge to maintain a healthy balance.
ReplyDeleteI don't know if the word I really wanted there is "healthy"--sounds like I'm talking about food. Oh well, you get the idea.
ReplyDeleteCheryl, I think "healthy" is the right word.
ReplyDeleteAnd yes, it's fear of missing something important that keeps me from unsubscribing altogether, and keeps me skimming. I figure I'm missing the Important things along with the fun things, because I'm skimming so lightly. Like Erin said, the withdrawal is hard. But I know I need to do this right now.
One of these days I will do it, too. Right now I'm on a bit of a cyber-diet but it's not really my choice so I can't take credit for being in control. When I do get some time where I can choose what to do I am too inclinced to hide in my little cyber-closet instead of giving my attention to other things that could use it.
ReplyDeleteI'm hoping this summer to work on getting my entire life back into balance--the eating, the exercising, the homemaking, the brain-stretching . . . it always seems like I'm looking to the summer or the new year or whatever it is to do that. But right now all I can do is get through. This summer I'll be done with this job. So it has to get easier . . . right?