It’s such a time warp to reread my past blog posts.  There have been times I post with great frequency, and other times (the majority of the time) that I write sparingly.

I have grand aspirations of writing a book one day or even posting here more regularly, but somehow life always gets in the way. Or I stand in the way. Or other things grab at my attention…

In January of last year, I quit my job. It’s been a bit of a bumpy transition finding a new groove. My daughter was three years old at the time and every day was, and continues to be, an exhausting and beautiful adventure.

But I’ve also experienced an internal push-and-pull as I figure out who I am as a mother, how I fit into New Jersey culture, and what the heck is happening in our ever-changing world and country. It’s all a lot to process, but at least I have a bit more time to process and reflect these days.

And with that, comes the ability to make some changes. I have made a few.

I’d be curious to know how others are feeling, but it’s harder to tell now, since I decided in January of this year (what is it about January?) to quit social media. Well, almost. I have a lingering LinkedIn account in case I choose to return to a more traditional job, but I permanently deleted my Instagram and Facebook accounts. It was thrilling, but also sad.

I am free of all the social media influencers, the corporate ads, the weird algorithms, and misinformation, but I also don’t see my friends kids growing up or what events are happening in my town. So many businesses post the majority of their updates on social media, I’m now a further step removed from the movers-and-shakers in my area.

But, I’m happy to report, I am reading novels again (not just the self help books I was reading for the past decade), and happily enjoying my printed and digital copies of NY Times, New Yorker, and The Economist. Life still feels crazy and weird and surreal, but it’s a bit smoother as I am returning to a more reliable narrator and well-crafted article or essay.

Although I do miss those baby pics, vacation ideas, and seeing people I knew once upon a time, that I likely will not see or speak to again… We are now having a long overdue and quiet goodbye, as who knows if they’ve even noticed my absence. Social media is so strange like that.

There are a handful of friends I am texting and calling more frequently and for that I am grateful. And I am starting to journal again, however sparse, even adding in printed pictures from a mini printer I bought that syncs to my phone. It’s not the same as Instagram, but I’m enjoying it and hope it will be a nice keepsake for my daughter and stepsons one day.

Forgive me for the meandering post, but I’m out of practice… and give fewer f*cks these days about how I or my writing is perceived.

I am also drinking less alcohol, working out more (though not a lot), cooking healthy meals again, signed up for a CSA (looking forward to more greens and reliable eggs on the shelves), and making more friends. These are some simple, but solid steps to making every day a bit brighter in these winter months and weird political times. I can’t even go there today. Not ready to dive into that mess quite yet—yeesh.

Anyway, I wanted to connect again. To share a tiny update about me and my life. And to see how you, my friends, family, and other unknown readers are doing. Do tell! Do drop me a note in the comments, or send a text or email if you feel so inspired.

We all need to connect more with our loved ones. It’s important to share our stories and hear how everyone else is doing out there. So, hello again! Let’s chat.

Yours truly,

Erin Terese

P.S. Here’s a fun pic of a wild rooster wandering the streets of Key West. Something about all those wild chickens roaming the island just made me smile!