Sunday, March 29, 2015

My Affair with Instagram

Hello dear Readers!

I've been feeling awfully guilty lately, as I've been cheating on you with a new beau.

Yes, I'm having an affair with Instagram.  I feel bad about it.

You would have seen this photo of Finn if you follow me on Instagram

About a month ago, I was suffering terribly from Fear of Missing Out.  Everyone seemed to be on Instagram, but I was holding out.  Suddenly, it felt like everyone was hanging with the new girl except me.  I had ignored her and now she was really popular.  Suddenly I was 15 and hanging with the wrong crowd.

My daily walk, also documented on Instagram

When I first started using Instagram, I was thoroughly confused.  

How does it work?

How do I find my friends?  How does this thing work?  What is a hashtag and how do I use it?  But being possessed of a working brain, I quickly figured it out.  And suddenly there was Loi from Tone on Tone saying hello and Steve from Urban Cottage, and Lauren Liess and Stefan from ArchitectDesign.  Hey, all my friends are here!  

Who do I follow?

Every designer you know and love is on Instagram.  Bunny Williams is there (although I think she has an intern do her posts).  And so is Charlotte Moss. I follow them both, and Windsor Smith, and Michael Smith and Mary McDonald and anyone else you can think of that you love.  I love Matthew Patrick Smyth and follow his great photography.  And Jeffrey Alan Marks posts a lot of photos of himself (which is okay by me).  And I've found amazing new designers to follow, like Amy Vermillion, whose work I already love.

I follow a lot of random people.  

The only criteria is that they *make me happy* - that I love their photos, or I admire their view of the world (who knew that looking at an Instagram feed was like staring into someone's soul?)

That means I mostly follow people who post photos of their cats, flowers, their travels, and a lot of interior design.  I also have a thing for coffee drinkers and readers and people who live in cottages in England and have a lot of cats and boxwood (my fantasy life also includes a Range Rover, rubber boots, a country estate, horses and dogs).  

I am a humble and easily-satisfied soul.  

Finn gets a lot of exposure on Instagram

The only celeb I really follow is Lena Dunham because she has a beautiful mind (but sadly a rather boring Instagram feed...I'm giving her a couple more days before I unfollow her). 

What do I post?

Posting a spontaneous photo says "here I am...I exist...here me roar!"  It feels fun and empowering to share your life, the little things that make you happy.  Let's face it, some days, it's important to have a witness to our lives, even if it is a bunch of strangers.  

Some people maintain a very tightly edited Instagram feed, while others see it as a place to let their hair down, a little "behind the scenes" look at their lives.  

I haven't quite decided which camp I fall into, but I know that I love the photography aspect, the little mini-project of composing a photo a day in my environment.  

Objets d'Easter.  What's on my coffee table might just make it onto Instagram.

Some days I take it seriously and try to post something eye-catching, while other days I post whatever strikes my fancy at the moment.

Stuff I might not post on the blog, like what I'm reading, finds its way onto Instagram!

Like?  No Like?

Instagram is spontaneous and liberating.  And it can be rather addictive.  You keep checking to see if anyone liked your photo.  

One of my favorite designers, the lovely and amazing Matthew Patrick Smyth, seems to know I exist and visits me regularly to like my photos.  I feel so loved (sadly, he still hasn't started to follow me).


And Windsor Smith even talks to me:

See how important I am?  

But as good as it feels to be acknowledged by our *heros*, Instagram can suck you into a black hole of liking and wanting to be liked.  

Thanks to being strong-willed and stubborn as an ox, I quickly decided that I would enjoy Instagram most if I stopped attaching to the outcome.  Thank you Buddha.  

I've decided to post whatever I feel like and follow people who make me happy and engage with me.  I've stopped following many of the hugely successful people who never comment back (unless I am simply engrossed by their photos and their work and don't mind stalking them in silence).

I am here for the beauty.  And the relationships.  

My Blog

Which brings me back to my blog.  I've been posting here for 9 years and I will continue.  After all, my 10th anniversary is next March!

I love the long form of a blog post.  I like the process of gathering and distilling my thoughts and composing a story to share with my readers.  I am so grateful that someone wants to read what I say, that there are kindred spirits out there who love some of the same things I do.

In the next year or two, David and I are hoping to renovate our house a little and I can't wait to share that here.  I will need your help!  We are going to take it slow, and save the money first.  And I've been making a lot of small life changes I want to share too.  And my blog is going to get a face lift too (it needs it!).

So please stay tuned and consider joining me on Instagram.  

If you're already there, please come find me and say hello!!!  If you aren't, what are you waiting for?  You will love it (trust me, said the spider to the fly).

On Instagram, you can find me by searching for:

windlost1

See you there?!

42 comments:

  1. Such a fun post :) So fun to stalk you on IG!!! I must admit: can be quite addictive the whole IG thing. And thanks to it, I've discovered amazing restaurants, shops, ideas, etc Happy blog anniversary - xo

    ReplyDelete
  2. Funny - we have the same exact experience! For years I had been told to join and figured 'i can't do it all!' but as blogging has seemed to pass out of favor I've found it's a fun way to share things with like minded people -for as you say it's all about relationships. It's been so fun catching up with you there!! Like you say it's a different venue. I never felt comfortable sharing personal things on the blog but I always can share little snippets of what I'm liking thats going on in my life with my insta-friends! Funny -my blog post today is somewhat instagram focused too! Much like facebook I think blogging isn't going anywhere, just changing and not as 'cool' anymore.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Terri since I have joined Instagram I enjoy it immensely, love seeing my friends, and seeing so much inspiration in one place. I am not doing a lot of hash-tagging and such, just putting what I find beautiful out there! Like you, I love hearing from Loi, Stefan etc! Thanks for sharing!

    xoxo
    Karena
    The Arts by Karena

    ReplyDelete
  4. Yes, I will follow you , from Norway.

    ReplyDelete
  5. i felt the same way about IG so I joined and lasted a few months. i closed my acct about 2 months ago. i just can't keep up with all the social media! good luck and i hope you continue to like it! xo

    ReplyDelete
  6. Thank you for including me..... I will follow you! I thought I was following you!!!!!!!!!! Thanks again... Fun blog.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You are following me. My bad. How did I miss that event???!!! :)

      Delete
  7. You go girl! I am totally addicted to Insta's, after discovering last October. I'm gramming for work and myself, that's a lot of loggin in and out....... So glad you are enjoying it :) xxx

    ReplyDelete
  8. Hi Terri,

    For some reason, possibly the high security I have on my internet I cannot open your email link on Blogger profile. So, herewith my email address re: ebay / rug via instagram. ljdhunt73@gmail.com. Please could you remove comment so I don't have any lovely sales pitches by the million!!

    Thanks,

    Lisa in London

    ReplyDelete
  9. Anonymous2:01 am

    I finally gave up too and joined Instagram again a couple of months ago. it does seem like we can't avoid it, doesn't it. that said, I still prefer my blog and the freedom I have there.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Great post. I finally joined Instagram last May and love it. I do blog less though, but that's okay. Not all of my blogger friends are on Instagram, and I like to keep up with them.

    ReplyDelete
  11. I am also on Instragram, most of the time, see you there <3

    My account: katarinaeleonora

    Hugs
    Katarina in the north of Sweden

    ReplyDelete
  12. Hi Terri, I am a fashion/wardrobe stylist and found your blog today on Diane Dorran Saeks' blog. Anyway I enjoyed this post and will follow you Instagram.
    I wonder if you have any opinion about ArchitectDesign's comment above: "Much like facebook I think blogging isn't going anywhere, just changing and not as 'cool' anymore."
    Best, Marcy

    ReplyDelete
  13. Seems as though you might agree since I realized this post was in March?

    Would love to hear your thoughts.

    mc@marcycarmack.us

    ReplyDelete
  14. Hi, Really great effort. Everyone must read this article. Thanks for sharing.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Anonymous4:58 am

    Wondering whether you have given up your blog. Miss it very much!

    ReplyDelete
  16. Great post! I've seen so much inspiration. Great effort. Thanks for sharing!

    ReplyDelete
  17. Wonderful article! I enjoyed reading your post. Thanks for sharing and keep on posting!

    ReplyDelete
  18. Hi Teri. Just wondering if you're coming back to the blog. Hope so!

    ReplyDelete
  19. Anonymous9:48 pm

    It's great to see you back blogging I enjoy reading in more detail about what you are doing and seeing. I think you have a great eye and your blog posts have a quiet serene beauty about them. I've been checking in for years and don't normally comment.

    ReplyDelete
  20. Nice blog! I read your article. I really like all the points that you mentioned are interesting and helpful. Thank you for sharing this blog.

    photography studio Calgary

    ReplyDelete
  21. "What i do not understood is in truth how you are no longer actually much more smartly-appreciated than you may be right now.
    You're very intelligent. You realize therefore considerably on the subject of
    this topic, produced me in my opinion imagine it from a lot of numerous angles.
    Its like men and women aren't involved except it is
    something to do with Woman gaga! Your personal stuffs nice.
    At all times care for it up!"

    야한동영상

    ReplyDelete
  22. I appreciate, lead to I found just what I was having a look for.

    안마

    ReplyDelete
  23. Anonymous6:39 am

    webgirls.pl When it comes to preventing candida albicans, sufferers often times have their operate cut out on their behalf. The reason being candida albicans can certainly grow to be chronic and on-going. Bearing that in mind, in the following paragraphs, we are going to provide a selection of some of the best established yeast infection treatment and reduction tips about.

    ReplyDelete
  24. Anonymous10:31 pm

    비트코인 보너스 Lots of people have loved this game of baseball for many years. There are supporters around the world, from devoted small-leaguers to perish-hard spectators. This article has suggestions to prove how satisfying baseball is really.

    ReplyDelete
  25. Anonymous5:37 pm

    https://gamezoom.xyz Getting a work out partner can substantially improve your muscles-constructing results. Your companion can be a important way to obtain inspiration for adhering to your training session session, and forcing one to increase your endeavours while you figure out. Having a reputable spouse to work out with will also help help keep you safe simply because you will possess a spotter.

    ReplyDelete
  26. It will always be helpful for articles to read something from practice on different sites from other writers.

    바카라사이트

    안전놀이터

    스포츠토토핫

    토토사이트

    토토

    바카라사이트

    ReplyDelete
  27. I am extraordinarily affected beside your writing talents, Thanks for this nice share.

    ReplyDelete