Thursday 2 October 2008

Can you spell "irony"?

For a whole lot of reasons, I have been very quiet on the blog front lately ("Really Georgie? No!" How kind of you to say so....).

Since being at home on maternity leave with the Princess, I find if I sit down in front of the computer, hours just get sucked away, I do an email or two, read some blogs, do a little Ravelry-ing, and the whole day is gone.

I have lots of goals for my leave, not the least of which is to enjoy my special time with the Princess (but never doubt I have a massive, multi-layered list of Things to Do), and unfortunately being on the computer excludes every thing else. I don't think sitting on my lap watching the screen counts as suitable stimulation for a 3-month-old.

I have made a conscious effort to reduce my screen-time. I don't want to find whole days have been sucked out my week by faffing about the internets. I don't want to find it's January, I'm heading back to work, the Princess is 6 months old and I've done nothing of consequence with this very important time. I am very privileged to have significant maternity leave in a country where many women are forced to go back to work after just 6 weeks (and many don't even get any remuneration for those 6 weeks), and I feel obliged not to fritter it away on frivolous things.

It's spring here in Canberra, and I want to enjoy being outdoors with the Princess and Pirate Jim. I would like to achieve some long-standing goals around the home, such as decluttering and re-organising all the stuff we have. I want to have more than an hour a day to spend on knitting. I want to get back to sewing, and crocheting, and spinning, I cant do that from in front of the computer.

As a consequence I have dropped out of the blogging habit, and although I try and read them, I comment much less often on other blogs. I still read, but I just observe, don't participate as much. I have been an appalling correspondent of late, and am dreadfully behind in returning emails.

But I miss it. I have decided that, rather than feel guilty about my screen time, I need to be more disciplined, give myself discrete windows of usage time, and not stray from that.

So ironically, rather than step further back from blogging, I will step up instead, and take on a challenge. Blogtoberfest has started over on Big Cat's Emporium, and I'm signing up. There's no pressure, just the challenge of posting every day. I'm a day late, but better late than never, I say!

Bring it on! Now, I'm just off to check Rav, and my email, and the weather in Belgrade....

10 comments:

amy said...

Nah, you're not a day late. It's still October 1 here. :)

Rose Red said...

I guess you can look at it as staring at the computer all day, or you can look at it as a different way of making connections with people (which is how I justify it!!). But yeah, fresh air and sunshine is a good thing for you and the kids too!

Looking forward to reading your daily posts!

MadMad said...

Oh, yeah. I TOTALLY hear ya'. I'm often conflicted myself - computer time is never over; you can read blogs 24/7... and still not be done. Go enjoy your baby, and don't for a minute feel bad about not commenting, or answering emails. Otherwise you just end up feel guilty all day, and who needs that?

Bells said...

Good to see you're on board! It'll be fun, I'm sure.

DrK said...

well if you can do it given what else you have on your plate, i can do it too. blogtoberfest here we come. lovely to hear from you but we really do understand xx

DrK said...

ps your post title made me think of my hsc english exam question. discuss the use of irony in pride and prejudice. did they ever think of a different question i wonder?

TinkingBell said...

I have so much trouble keeping up with all my blogs - and often fel guilty when I let them pile up!

But really, they get looked at 2 days a week - which means I coment about every 5th post.

We miss ya Georgie, but we understand! and this time is precious, and so quickly gone...

Rachel said...

I feel totally the same and I don't even have any special little people in my life!

Cathy {tinniegirl} said...

Welcome aboard. I hope you enjoy the festival. Looking forward to catching up with your blog.

Lynne said...

Yep. The internet sure knows how to consume time - it's a voracious feeder!