Concluding 2014.

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Dearest friends,

I wish you all a delightful New Year and hope that it brings you the happiness and success you deserve.

On a personal note, this past year was full of many wonderful memories for my family and I. Even more adventures await us in 2015. As this year concludes, annual introspection has illuminated my shortcomings and will guide how I approach the next year.

It is evident to me that I have wasted far too much time on social media to the detriment of things that actually matter. I often find myself agitated and angry in response to others. At times I bathe in self-righteousness, write in a condescending tone, and engage in arguments with a fervor that far exceeds the worth of my viewpoint.

I have spent countless hours mindlessly refreshing various websites, like a drug addict waiting for the next hit. Harder yet is the knowledge that I sacrificed quality time with loved ones in order to check the latest tweets in my feed or to post some quip that probably was not very funny. It really is a sad way to spend one’s life - a life that is painfully too short.

I have much to accomplish in 2015: moving my family across the country, increasing my professional output, writing more, becoming a better father and husband, and a few more goals that I am not yet ready to share. These all demand time, attention, and effort that social media will only act to dilute. Accordingly, I am engaging in a personal experiment to investigate what I can achieve without a social media addiction. Starting on the first of January, and lasting for at least six months, I will not use Facebook, Twitter, and any other related networks.

The lone exception to this rule will be for automatic posting of content, such as a tweet linking to a blog post. That will allow friends to follow my writing (if they are so inclined) without my direct interaction. Alternatively, people may subscribe to this site’s RSS feed.

I value your friendship. If you need anything, do not hesitate to email me anytime. I look forward to sharing what I learn.