##Information Diet
### Where it currently stands

"Smart" phone
--------------
I've been using dumb phone for a year and three months.  I 
have no immediate plans to go back.

Fakebook 
---------
I've been off for thirteen years.  I actually missed the 
part where they let everyone's parents on, and I'm glad I 
did.

Twitter
-------

I kept winding it down and winding it over time.  I haven't
even lurked there since well before the election (though I 
got on election night to message a friend and that was 
nice).

Reddit 
-------

I quit 2/20.  Another case of winding it down over time.  I
had a small sub I was moderating, and got down to basically 
only checking that, but then I got other moderators in my 
place and left a profile that has breadcrumbs to find me 
if anyone ever cares to.

YouTube
---------

I even think I got this one, too.  I've been off a whole 
week, and unlike Twitter and Reddit, this had a direct 
catalyzing event. I was watching an interesting musician 
and my spirit was swelling and . . . I hit an ad and the 
experience was so jarring that I closed the tab and thought
to myself I had enough, for a lifetime. -- yes, yes, I 
should have an adblocker, but at this point it would have 
just prolonged the last feed I couldn't stop, so all's well
that ends well.  

In all of these cases, if I am reading a post and they link
to these sites, I allow myself to absorb what is there before 
returning.

Only a few days after quitting YouTube I discovered the 
smol internet.  Perfect timing. 
=>gemini://gemlog.blue/users/NetCandide/1614963387.gmi	(Coincidence Disclaimer)

[Update -- 9/26/2021 -- I certainly did *not* quit YouTube 
at that point.  I think I am ready to now, and this fits
the pattern of how I left the others: first start 
optimizing the feed, getting rid of what is obviously bad,
and then noticing how boring, empty, and repetitive it 
becomes. . . Quit with a whimper, not a bang.]


. . . 

After writing this I realized that I should address 
television.  Well, I don't spend much time with television
at all.  When I lived on my own, I never owned a tv or paid
for a streaming service, and even married I watch at most 
one show with my wife at dinner, and even at that I tend to
walk out on the show when I am done eating.  


===

I'd love to hear from people.  My email is the handle minus
"net" (work by Voltaire that starts with "c"), at sdf.org.