Today, like no other

April 24th, the last time I blogged. Thats one of my new year resolutions, blog more!

Let's see, I'm still working for this great software company here in the SF area. I moved to SF in August, and I now live alone (except for Bael).

Today I want to talk about the vast overload of information that flies at us constantly. It's overwhelming, it's inundating, it's exhausting frankly. I spent a bit of time recently tallying up all of the accounts I have at this or that site and I had to laugh. So, let's see, 4 blogs, 25+ accounts having to do with everything from banking to email. Oh yes, and 5 email addresses. Work, 4 for home, blah blah.

And then news. News flies at us from all angles from every which way whether it's online, radio, tv, coworkers. The emails.. omfg the emails. At work alone I get 150 per day. Most of it doesn't have much to do with me, but it still has to be sorted out. And then personal emails that come in to the different accounts. There's the "hey how are you" emails from folks I keep in touch with, and then there's the 'balance alert' emails. then we have spam (yes, some of it does make it through), not to mention some of the groups I subscribe to. Filters are yummy! and then we have the email friends send on about cute kitty pictures or here's a funny (or uplifting) story you /have/ to read. Sorry, I delete them, unread, 99% of the time. I don't have that much time (or frankly, the energy) to read everything I need to read let alone something that while cute, won't really change my day. And I confess, I'm guilty of it too!

Oh, and then we have blogs to watch for, read up on, not to mention twitter, facebook, and the 'Friendster' types out there. Myspace? Forget it. And then yahoo messenger (well all of them really), game accounts, SL accounts.. oh, and texting. Got to find out exactly what everyone's doing every 2 seconds. wheeeee!

Now, I'm just ranting and not advocating the elimination of any or all of these things. It's just a fact of life we have far too much going on.

How do we not become exhausted with all of this information and things to keep track of? I don't know if I have any answer. But, how do we minimize it and keep it down to a level where we don't run out the door to avoid? The answers lie in simplifying our lives to some degree.

Again, filters. Not only electronically, but once in awhile apply a filter for shutting down the computer, picking up a book, drawing, whatever works for you.

As we come to another year's end (no, not 31 Dec, I am talking 31 October.. Samhain) take a look at what you have going on in your life. Now is a wonderful time to become more thoughtful, more introspective about your daily goals and lives. As we cross the threshhold into winter be more aware of those things that nag at you, pull at your mindset, let them wash through you and out of you. Far too often all of these emails and twitters make it so we can't be in a present mindset. We're too concentrated on later.. what comes after now.

I suggest we all take the time to breathe, enjoy the moment you're in. There will never be another like it. The emails will still be there .. later ;)