Well said. You summed up a lot of what I've been feeling lately as well. Could it be the change in seasons? Our minds seem to take a turn this time of year, I've noticed.

I'm striving to find a more meaningful (and productive) experience online as well. I must say that your site and insight enhance my own time spent online a great deal. Thank you for that.

Hi Keri,
Thank you for the reminder. As I was reading your blog, ironically, I was thinking about all of the things that I would like to do every day... and don't do. I think that I will make my own list now.

I can certainly understand wanting to cut out television (so much of it is just crap, anyway; mind you, if you look hard enough, you can find some good programs), but I'm of the opinion that the internet can be a great positive force. It's been very helpful for me in terms of getting exposure for my work, but the most important thing is that I have connected with so many wonderful, talented people all over the world, who without the use of the internet, I would have never met.

i hear yah´! i have noticed my tendency to work off my daily reads as yet another way of procrastinating. for some reason, since i am accomplishing something - going through the list - it doesn´t feel as bad as just sitting around to drink coffee and browse the newspapers. but also it became an extension of real life habits: a search for the one smart sentence, an explanation, a good thought, a moment of laughter or amusement, a distraction, a wise statement, a hint to work with for my own good self. oh, and the worry to miss out on something! i am planning to get a second computer so i do my work on one that simply can´t go online and i am not tempted.

i was wondering about your list though. nr. 6 says have DIRECT experience of life. don´t get me wrong, i am a big list lover myself, but isn´t following a list of that kind yet another blog roll?

Phew! I am glad that you are going to still be posting regularly!

But having said that, I have been aware of wasting my own time on the internet, too. It's so easy to go from place to place, and before I know it, three hours of my life are gone & I can't even remember what I have been looking at. I think the internet is just as powerful as television in that respect. Last year I cut down from four nights of television (with multiple shows on each night), to only two shows that I truly love & I feel so much happier having let some things go. And yesterday, I deleted several things from my bookmarks in hopes that it will keep me offline more often.

But, obviously, you are still listed in my bookmarks! Keep writing, Keri. We'd all really miss you online.

Keri,

I found your site by means of another and I just want to confess that you have been quite an inspiration to me in just a short time. I've even created a notebook just to store archives of your blog and I look forward to reading your blog every day. Love this list! (and thanks for all the fantastic links to inspiration...)

Angi B

Brilliant! I agree. I want to throw my television out the window (but I never do). Experiments, hmmm, quaint idea. I'm going to try that!!

I find when I pay too much attention to the mass media, that I feel tons of angst, worry, fear, out of control, sadness, and an odd disconnected sort of feeling that makes me wonder how anyone can get through a nice "ordinary" day when so many bad things are happening in the world. Much less feel happy about anything. I am trying to change my thinking about these things. It's hard. I feel guilty. I feel paralyzed by compassion. But I want to put out positive energy to the world and I think that I'm realizing that in order to do that I need to reconnect with my life.

I'm going to write me a postcard like that. Thanks.

Laura

That is a great list. It feels good to know I already do many of those things each day. "Touch the earth" is my favorite.

I have done without TV for well over two years now, lovely. Wouldn't want to miss out on some blogs though. I think that is something incomparibly different. I have met really great new friends through blogging, and not just virtually. Can't say that about my TV.

Hi Kerri,

Like the list of suggestions - was that your sister suggesting the "call your sister everyday"?

I'm afraid I too spend what some would deem to be an unnatural amount of time online, but it really can be an inspiration, a bit like lucky dip, you never know what you're going to pull out next. Sometimes it's like playing word association games. Great inspiration for writers and artists alike. Sorry, but I love it, feeds my mind - with M.E. it's hard to get out and get that fix in the more usual ways.

Keep blogging, even if it will be less often, your fans are lurking out here.

Hello Keri

While I don't disagree about being more conscious of what one does, I do think there is a lot to be said for "wasting" time. I do watch TV, it provides a much needed downtime (perhaps I could be a little more chosey about what I watch, maybe not) and I also get lost in the internet on a regular basis.

Seeing things, even things that I apparently don't find interesting, is all fuel for thought.

Back to my cup of tea and some (mostly) mindless surfing.

Have a good day.

Best wishes from Wales

Michael

II think that you should add phone your sister to this list!!!! J

Hmm I understand your thinking. Everyday I wonder about where I should focus my energies. I was filled with hope for the world when I read you felt a need to abandon popular culture- TV. I hope it catches on with many more people. I never really get inspired by TV, but sometimes I hear/see something that peeks my curiosity. I might not have ever heard about the Opera Babes if I hadn't caught GMA. I do love to watch Peter Jennings. He has gotten so tender hearted and often ends his broadcasts with a choaked voice and tears in his eyes. He often shows this great pouring of emotion over sweet tales. It makes me think of the line from the Flaming Lips song "Do you realize?" Wayne Coyne sings, "hapiness can make you cry." Peter does not shed a tear in vain. I cried during Under the Tuscan Sun when Frances girlfriend says to her, "I don't want to mess up your love life." Frances just gave up seeing a really really hot guy, but Frances says to her friend, "You are my love life." Now there's a woman with her priorities straignt. I want to be like that too. Have a productive inspiring week. HD

An interesting experiment... Let us know how it works out. I feel the same way (and I watch TV mindlessly too, which eats up the rest of my time...) - using an rss reader somehow makes it worse because I end up reading everything that's updated. Silly.

Are you ever right about the internet sucking up massive amounts of time. Mindless surfing gets nothing accomplished and it is easy to get sucked into reading blog after blog after blog. I have a select group no more that ten that I visit on a regular basis and that is because they either make me laugh, smile or think. I don't visit sites of complainers or depressing people anymore, as they bring me down. I am working hard at being about being positive and sometimes you have to disconnect in order to reconnect. Wonderful that you recognize that.

LOVE the list- thank you for it.

Keri,
Nobody beats your illstrations... and your site totally inspires me! Go figure!

now that you think im a totall kissup (which im not - im totally honest) I'm a watercolor artist = and needed something 'new' and 'fun' to do lately - so I've been 'sewing' paper cards. They have a little machine at Michaels and I've been creating all sorts of FUN things.

Sometimes when Im in a 'bind' or feel 'uninspired' I just walk through and art store to try something new and different.
KEEP UP THE ART & spirits :D

Hi Keri,

Thank you for this beautiful list of instructions for a soulful day. Where can I find the Jim Harrison interview you are referring to?

Kim

Hi Keri,

Thank you for this beautiful list of instructions for a soulful day. Where can I find the Jim Harrison interview you are referring to?

Kim