Tuesday Slice: My head in the sand

Aside from posting my blogs, changing my Halloween Facebook cover photo and profile picture, and Tweeting out my library happenings, I have been staying away from social media and the news as much as possible since Saturday afternoon.

I have done my civic duty by voting.  My family and friends have done the same.  My daughter FedExed her ballot from Japan; my son drove home from college to cast his vote early.

I participated in this democratic process, but I will not play the waiting game. This year has been enough of a stressor to willfully put myself in a heightened state of anxiety, and to what end?  Watching and scrolling will not change the outcome.  There is sleep to be had, and students to be served, and laundry to be done.  That cobweb in the corner of the window must be taken care of.  

I wish I was full of hope, like I was four years ago.  But so many people have accepted the plethora of lies and misinformation as truths from the current occupant of the White House that I am disheartened.  And social media has been the weapon of choice for those who would like to see us divided, who count on our greed and need for instant gratification that keeps us from investigating sources of information, reading past the headlines and first paragraphs, thinking before sharing.  It's the modern day version of "loose lips sink ships"; instead of divulging secrets, it's the spreading of misinformation that our enemies are using to attack our country.  

So I am staying away from consuming social media and the news this week.  The drama will be played out by those with much bigger roles.  I'll wait until the dust settles a bit; then, like a teenager watching a horror movie, I'll peek from between my fingers to see if it's safe to engage again.