Day 4 on my FAcebook Fast

It’s the morning of day 4, so technically, this day has only begun.

But, Day 3, was stellar. I found myself automatically tapping the home screen of my phone where my Facebook app used to sit. If you didn’t read my helpful tips in an earlier post, I moved the Facebook app to the last screen on my phone. I didn’t remove it completely, because this is an experiment. And, I have business to attend to.

However, most of my time on Facebook, I’m discovering, is more boredom scrolling and looking to see if anyone liked my last post. And do I really need that kind of validation? I noticed also, last week, that if I post any of my more serious thoughts, only a few people like it. If I post something snarky or funny, people love it. I guess there is plenty of serious on Facebook and my followers don’t follow me for that.

Productivity speaking, I sat a lot yesterday, by the fire. I picked up my first sock from sock knitting class, which we can’t go to right now because of social distancing, and after some careful reading, I was able to finish the toe on the first sock! Then, I took a break, made a floppy hat from the Taproot Magazine, called Sunny Day Hat, and came back to the knitting to figure out the heel. I think I did, but it was getting late and I put it aside.

Speaking of the hat, I used fabric that I won on Instagram! A lot of giveaways happen on Instagram and I’ve won several to date. My niece won 2 Starbucks gift cards last week! It seems to be a great way to build a following, and I always enjoy supporting those shops and winning things from time to time!

And, also Instagram related, I received a tiny piece of textile art from Karen Pleass today. Oh my goodness, I do love Karen’s textile art. Getting real mail, even when it’s something I ordered, is so much fun. I kind of miss the pre-social media days and having a pen pal; Sending off a letter and being surprised when one arrived in my mailbox.

It’s Saturday, and I have fed my sourdough and I think I might try my hand at sourdough bagels today! I’ll include a link if I post a picture on Instagram later. Whether it’s instagram worth or not, I post it!

Your friend,
Anne Dovel

No Facebook? I’m doing okay

Day 3

Yep. I’m really vested now, in this no Facebook posting for 30 days. I’ve made it 2 full days and entering day 3. Hence, Day 3.

What’s going on since Day 1? Well, for starters, I baked 2 batches of sourdough bread yesterday, plus, a sourdough chocolate cake. Can I tell you something, just between you and me? Because, let’s face it, blogging isn’t what it used to be and to be really honest, it’s probably just me and me.

Anyway, the sourdough chocolate cake, is fantastic. Almost, “how did I ever live without it?” fantastic. But, let’s get something straight here. Just because it’s sourdough, doesn’t make cake a health food. I want to believe that it’s easier to digest, however, at least the flour portion of it. I used my discard (which is a misnomer because I never discard my sourdough discard…I don’t have to) but to make it clear to sourdough lovers, I used my all purpose sourdough (almost 2 years old now) and my whole grain einka sourdough, which is not quite mature enough to fully leaven a loaf. Perfect use of immature starter.

You’ll find the recipe I used on the King Arthur website. Use your little googling fingers for that. I didn’t add espresso powder, because I didn’t have any. And, I skipped the frosting altogether. For years, when I made cake for my boys, I threw a few dark chocolate chips on top, before putting in the oven to bake. You get a little bit of gooey melted chocolate in each bite without frosting. Maybe that’s why none of my boys are really frosting fans.

I did make a simple glaze with powdered sugar and cold brew coffee with a splash of cream, for my son and hubs. And, if I calculate correctly, that still made it a reasonable treat for our quarantine days, at less than 300 calories per piece. Some of us, ahem, didn’t stop at one piece.

Besides, baking, yesterday was also cleaning day and my lovely friend, who cleans for me out here in the sticks, once every 6 weeks or so, came out and spiffed up my house from top to bottom!

I don’t care who you are, sourdough cake plus a clean house in one day. That’s a good day, even if the temperature is plummeting and snow is in the forecast.

Keeping a good attitude, because the forecast is only up from here!

Your friend,
Anne Dovel

(why not post a picture right here? Because, I already posted it on Instagram, and in a few ways, I can be really lazy, like figuring out how to post pictures on my blog, kind of lazy. I did see right away how to link, so let’s do that!)

How to Break Up with Facebook

Day 2

It’s not easy, leaving something you’ve been a part of for a decade or more. And in truth, I haven’t LEFT Facebook. I’m just taking a break; challenging myself for my 55th birthday month.

I got up on day 1, and looked for my Facebook button, which I cleverly moved to the last screen on my phone and iPad, so I wouldn’t just tap it without thinking.

“Where is it? Oh, yeah…I moved it because I’m not posting on Facebook this month…birthday challenge, remember?”

Talking to myself is nothing new, so don’t be concerned.

In my previous post, I mentioned the alternate route. Cold turkey doesn’t really work well for me. I knew I had to have something to rewire my subconscious need to check Facebook or post something, then check back numerous times for replies, to reply to.

I read several blog posts about how other people did when they left or took a break from Facebook. One thing became clear right away. Facebook doesn’t make it easy. I mean, they can delete your existence on the platform and give you no forwarding address. But, if you try to delete your pages, they ask you, “Are you sure?” You say, “yes, I am. Delete. Delete.” Then, they say they will delete, and you get a message saying, “In 30 days, your account will be gone for good…we’ll give you a chance to rethink this.” Basically, that’s what they do.

So, I didn’t delete my pages, because that’s not my goal with this challenge anyway.

Here’s what I did to make it less alarming for my friends who expect to find me active on Facebook.

1. I made an announcement. You can find it <here>.

2. I mentioned how they could contact me. And where I would be posting and doing live videos. That would be <here>, on Instagram.

3. I left Facebook messenger on my home screen, because that’s where many of my coach team, business, friends and family find it easy to communicate with me.

4. I started this blog again. Because it’s my “alternate habit” to replace posting on Facebook.

What would you like to know about this experience? Leave it in the comments below and I’ll consider posting about it on a later date. And visit me on Instagram!

Blessings to you today.

Your friend,

Anne Dovel

It’s National Sourdough Day!

I couldn’t believe it! An Instagram friend, messaged me and told me, “you do know it’s National Sourdough Bread Day, right?”

I did not! Nearly every day here is sourdough day, and even though I already had sourdough cinnamon rolls and bread in the works, with this newfound knowledge, I started a fresh loaf of sourdough in honor of the auspicious occasion.

Sourdough. It can be so scientific and technical. And, it can be so simple.

I choose simple.

For years, I wanted to get a sourdough starter going. I picked up books and read blogs, and then saved it for another day, because learning all the terminology was making my head hurt.

Enter this book, Wild Bread. I don’t remember where I saw it mentioned, but it seemed like a good one, so I ordered it.

It was exactly what I was looking for. Flour, water and air. No lists of terms I didn’t understand. Just stir together flour and water and repeat.

It is said that pioneers would protect their sourdough starter from freezing and there are stories that gold miners would “snuggle” with their sourdough crocks to protect them. It was a treasure, because they didn’t go to the store to buy powdered yeast.

It’s just short of 2 years, since I started my sourdough starter. And I make amazing sourdough bread with water, flour, salt and starter. And it’s not rocket science. It finally dawned on me, my ancestors didn’t check the hydration levels of their dough. They did it by feel. A splash of water, a handful of flour, a little salt and slap it around on a table or relatively clean surface. That’s how easy I wanted my daily bread to be.

Starter, flour, water, salt. Knead. Shape. Bake.

Your friend,
Anne Dovel

Here’s a loaf I made recently and gave to my cleaning lady and her daughter. Dutch Oven Sourdough on Instagram.

Goodbye, Facebook

April 2020. This is my 55th birthday month and I decided to follow my extreme athlete friends’ example and do a birthday challenge. I sat in my comfy rocker by the fire the other day and kept asking myself, what could I do that would challenge my habits? That would be a little bit scary? And I don’t mean, scary like jumping out of a plane, scary. No, I’m talking more about habits. What should I do without for 30 days to see how it affects me?

Facebook. I need to not post on Facebook for 30 days. That was my decision. And I’m going to document on my new blog, that I start once a year and never continue. Because, who really blogs anymore?

I will, this month. And I’ll tell you why. I have discovered, in my life, when I want to change a habit, I can’t just drop it. I have to have a plan, an alternate route.

For instance, when I decided I wouldn’t drink Dr. Pepper every day, I had to have something else in place as an alternate habit, until I got over reaching for a Dr. Pepper. Make sense? I had to rewire before I could retire that habit. I could be all wet, but it’s worked for me many times now.

So, let’s see what a month without Facebook looks and feels like.

Before we go further, let me tell you, this is not exiting from social media. If anything, it’s simply narrowing down where I am on social media, which is primarily Instagram. That’s where I will be, publicly.

Let’s do this thing!

Your friend,
Anne Dovel