web.

Lately, there's been a noticeable backlash against smartphone use. It started with awkward Instagrams of people staring at their phones instead of enjoying the activities happening around them. Then there was a short video making the rounds that featured a woman who "forgot" her phone and moved through her day like an outsider. And then, Louis CK went on Conan and delivered a manifesto that was shared on my Facebook feed no less than a dozen times last night.

I can't help but wonder how many of those Facebook "shares" were posted via smartphone.

Enough is enough, we seem to be saying...via Twitter and Facebook and Instagram and YouTube.  In other words, we're ready to acknowledge the problem, but we're not willing to change our behavior to address it.  See also: The seemingly endless lines for the new iPhone yesterday morning that wrapped around city blocks and shopping malls across the country.

Personally, I've been struggling with this issue for a while now.  One one hand, online clutter is as problematic as any other kind of clutter.  Just like an overflowing closet or a teetering bookcase, my online accumulation serves as an unnecessary distraction that diverts my time, energy, and focus from more fulfilling things. On the other hand, the web is aptly named -- it allows us to maintain threads of connection with the people and places that matter to us.  What can I say?  I like the idea of connection, in whatever form it takes.

This is particularly true for me when it comes to Facebook.  I've loved connecting (or reconnecting) with friends, and I generally enjoy seeing their photos and reading their posts.  But having the Facebook app on my phone means that I am constantly checking in to see what's "new." The barrage of information is near-constant, without any built-in boundaries.  And, if I'm being honest, it has become addictive.  The more access to information I'm allowed, the more I want.  I'm reminded of an oblivious chain-smoking friend who once told me that she only smokes when she's bored.  Based on my Facebook usage -- at my desk, sitting in traffic, while shopping, during intermission, in bed, at the studio -- I must be very, very bored, indeed.

Enter minimalism.  (Is there's anything it can't fix?)  I've decided to minimize my virtual life in the same way I minimized my real life.   I'm keeping my phone, but I'm reducing my usage.  I'm keeping my Facebook account, but I'm going to carve out a specific time each evening to catch up on my news feed.  No more mindless surfing by taking out my phone while sitting in restaurants or waiting in traffic.  No more looking down at a screen when I should be looking up at everything around me.  I'm going to give my head some time to clear.  I'm going to see what it feels like to be bored.  I'm going to spend less time exploring the web and more time weaving it.

Disclaimer: if I don't respond to your status as quickly as I used to, or return your text or email immediately, please don't take it personally. I promise, I'll get back to you soon.  And when I do, you'll have my full attention.