My Life Without Facebook:
Week 2

In case you missed it – I gave up Facebook for Lent.

This week was even more difficult than last. Last week my Facebook fast was top-of-mind to all my friends and family – this week the newness has worn off. People keep talking to me about things I would normally know about – expecting me to have a clue. But when I stop them and ask them to fill me in, I get the resounding “oh, that’s right, you’re not on Facebook.” And then there’s The Face.

“The Face” is the eye–squinting, wrinkled-forehead, pressed-lips look that you get when people feel sorry for you. I’m fairly certain I’ve used this look many times. Usually to communicate a feeling with others – typically when something has happened and I’m trying to show empathy to someone. Is that what my friends are doing to me? Feeling sorry for me? (NOTE: I’m exaggerating with that last line for effect – just go with it.)

But seriously, this past week proves one point I had hoped to make with this experiment – that you can’t communicate with your audience if you’re not using the communication tools your audience is using. If I could had been on Facebook this week, you’d know that I became of fan of my bank’s new Fan Page – CoreFirst Bank & Trust. Instead I have to wait until April to do so! And I would have known that Jayhawk Café, a new café in downtown Topeka’s Jayhawk Tower, had their grand opening. But I missed it because I didn’t know about it – I heard about it later that evening on the 10:00 news. Regardless, I’m managing. Not as effectively, or efficiently, as normal, but I’m making it through with a little help from my friends, family, co-workers and local media. Thanks everyone!

Here are a few other things you would have known if I could have been on Facebook this week:

•  WHAT!?!? There’s a Twilight “Scene It!” board game. How do I NOT have this?
•  Headed to the Heartland Visioning meeting! Can’t wait to hear all about their wonderful plans to revitalize Downtown Topeka.
•  Why are some stoplights in Lincoln horizontal and some vertical … did they just decide to buck consistency or does this madness have a real purpose?
•  Stupid friends – why aren’t you ALL on Twitter?! Okay you’re not stupid but my life would be easier if you were!

My Life Without Facebook:
Week 1

In case you missed it – I gave up Facebook for Lent.

It’s become painfully obvious to me that I’m going to have to start using the phone more often … even more so now that I’ve officially worn out the letters i, e, t, o and h on my cell phone, making texting a little difficult to say the least. It will be interesting to see how painfully awkward my friends and I are in phone conversations. My generation had just started talking on the phone when Yahoo Messenger became popular … and we quickly stopped talking and started typing. I’ve had the Internet since I was in 4^th or 5^th grade so you can understand why it may be hard for me to communicate outside of email, texting, social media, instant messaging or in person. The sad truth is that I’m not even sure I have some of my best friends’ phone numbers! (P.S. if you’re one of those people please drop me an email at bengelken@jhpadv.com – I miss you, friends!).

I’m still habitually typing facebook.com into the URL and have actually ended up at the sign in page several times. I did finally set up a folder in my gmail account. It’s called “Facebook – Lent” and I’m putting ALL notifications I get in that file to check on April 4. So no – I’m not cheating and reading my notifications to get around being on Facebook.

The hardest night so far was the night of the K-State v. Nebraska Men’s basketball game. I didn’t know what to do with myself. It didn’t feel like enough just to rant to my Dad (who was watching the game with me). And my Twitter followers for the most part don’t care about K-State sports or follow me for my ranting. I thought about Google Buzz, but well, let’s be honest – no one’s on Google Buzz yet and why should they be when they can do everything on Facebook right now? So for now all my perfectly crafted, witty banter will go unacknowledged.

Here’s a little of what you would have seen this week if I could have logged in:
• Copywriting without Facebook breaks or Diet Coke do not make for a happy Brie

• Basketball 101 – Dribbling the ball – Learn how to!!

• Go nominate Topeka to be a test community for Google’s Fiber Network! Just imagine – Internet speeds that are nearly 100 times faster than what we currently have – and faster than anywhere else in the whole WORLD! ThinkBigTopeka.com

• DANG my job for holding me accountable (with no facebook updates) – this is one of the only times I’ve EVER been able to say that!

My Life Without Facebook

I’m Brie Engelken. I’m 23 years old and I’m a Facebook addict. Facebook began in February 2004 and by October I was an avid user. By May 2005 I was addicted – checking every hour I had access to a computer (this was before mobile web browsers took off!) just to see who was doing what, who broke up with who, and more importantly, who had scandalous pictures from last night’s big party.

Today, Facebook is a primary means of communication in my life, as well as the lives of my peers. I start my day at 5:00 a.m. every weekday morning and by 5:15 a.m. it’s fair to say I’ve checked the statuses I missed while sleeping. I log in when I get to work at 8:00 a.m. and keep a tab open all day, checking in regularly just to see what’s going on. I get home around 6:00 p.m. most nights and I’m logged back in by 6:30 p.m. with a window open until at least 11:00 p.m. that evening. It’s fair to say that I don’t miss much.

Starting at midnight on Wednesday, February 17th (tonight) I will be giving up Facebook as part of my sacrifice for Lent (I’m Roman Catholic). For 46 days I will journal my life without Facebook, and the challenges I encounter along the way. The only leniency I will have is the ability to go in and un-tag pictures, but I can’t waver from that page onto any other part of Facebook. Check back for weekly posts about my journey (aka Blast from the Past) leading up to a MAJOR gossip catch up at Midnight, April 3rd/4th.

Want to hold me accountable? Feel free to visit my Facebook profile and see my inactivity.

Last weekend the jhP Team gathered with their significant others to celebrate this holiday season and another successful year. Festivities included sharing a hearty meal, hoisting a drink or two, and enjoying a spirited white-elephant gift exchange. Check out these party pictures for a sampling of the fun.

Official Notice: No Snuggies were harmed in the making of this party.

With temperatures rising so are the number of activities in our day planners. The idea of lazy summer days sounds great but with so much going on we ALL have bigger and better plans than a little R&R. Here’s how the jhP team plans to enjoy the next few months of extra daylight.

I have theatre tickets for the summer – so I plan to spend my time enjoying fabulous show-choir tunes under a gorgeous blue sky while I dream of the cool temperatures October will bring! – Brie Engelken

My family has softball and/or baseball games through the middle of July.  We’ll be eating a lot of baseball dust during the summer.  Although I’m pretty sure we had plenty this past weekend.  I don’t wash my vehicle until the season is over. – Theresa Knapp

This summer I will be enjoying the fact that we took our pool out last year! No more expensive chems, no teenagers sneaking late night swims and no high water bills! We will just enjoy our green grass, gardens and the AC when we need to cool off! – Linda Bull

Softball games and tournaments for my daughter and preparing to send my son off to college, so paperwork, dorm shopping and spending a bit of extra time as a family. – Michelle Stubblefield

I’m leaving Thursday for Bike Across Kansas. 545 miles across our beautiful state with 800 of my friends. Fun, food, Kansas scenery, great communities and bicycling. Can’t get much better than that. – Jake Huyett

Summer is a time to enjoy family. I’m looking forward to bike rides and swimming with the kids. And what would summer be without my annual rash. (just kidding about that last part) – Dan Billen

Other than the usual yard work, lounging in the pool and entertaining I am most looking forward to the family vacation on Fire Island in August with our kids and grandkids. – Leslie Palace

I’m going to spend as much time as possible with my family – going on walks, grilling out and taking Leo swimming for the first time. – Alissa Sheley

My family is going to a reunion in Ruidoso, New Mexico in July. I’m especially looking forward to leading an expedition to the summit of Sierra Blanca, a 12,000-foot extinct volcano that’s nearby. From the online photos, it looks like it’ll be a beautifully scenic trek. – Kurt Eskilson

My family is going on a family vacation with friends in July to Disney World. Other then that you will find us at in the yard or on the lake. – Linda Eisenhut

I’ve got a long “to-do list” but I’ll probably spend most of my summer jogging or trying to find my lost golf balls. When I’m out of the sun, I’m going to try learning Japanese (again) or maybe some 3D software. – Dustin Dean

We’re planning on going out to see my son-in-law perform for Pilobolus in New York City. – Gary Jones

We’ll spend as many weekends as possible camping. Otherwise, you’ll find us at home trying to get rid of the junk we seem to accumulate. My daughter’s answer to this was, “buy a bigger house.” Instead, we’ll be busy making the house we already have seem bigger. – Sherri Wilson

I have a dozen books to read and one to write, design, and draw. Summer will have to wait til’ September or so. – Brian Wells

My son turns 16 in November, so this summer I will be riding shotgun in the car with him, white-knuckled, forcing myself not to scream and cover my eyes. – Tracey Stratton

The Armstrong’s will be busy doing housework!  Finish building our fence, finish landscaping, finish unpacking, and enjoy our new home! – Mindy Armstrong

The Weichert clan will be playing baseball just about every night until the end of June and then we plan on kicking back, barbequing and just enjoying the kids. – Lyn Weichert