When Writing is Not Enough (or is it?)

How do we connect?

I’ve received two compliments in my life that I’ve never forgotten. Two that resonated so deeply, they are forever held in my heart. The first was in 2000, when my roommate came home from seeing the film Chocolat and said the character played by Juliette Binoche not only reminded him of me, he really felt he was watching me on the big screen. The second was being recognized as exceptional at “friend maintenance”: staying in touch, reaching out, maintaining relationships even across distance and time. And this was before texting was common and social media even existed.

Today there is a bevy of platforms that help us stay connected. I resisted Facebook for years. I ranted against it. And then I stuck my toe in. To my surprise, I enjoyed it. I connected with old friends and made new ones. I can honestly say it expanded my world. I learned things. And then. Then it became complicated. I rarely post there anymore. What will be read, even celebrated, versus what will be misunderstood and debated? Sharing is tricky now. Now, it seems, folks don’t participate in discussions where each person presents their point of view and listens to the other’s as much as they debate, judge, and attack. And I have no stomach for it.

I took down my Finding Home page on FB and deleted my Twitter account. Most folks probably didn’t notice. There is so much information and entertainment thrown our way. How do we keep up? If something we enjoy ends, that’s okay, there’s always something else to fill the space.

According to one source, there are 600 million blogs currently on the internet. 600 MILLION. That is almost double the population of the United States!

“Out of all this size, the United States is among the countries with the highest number of bloggers in 2021 at 32 million.”

Personally, I subscribe to something like 28 newsletters and admittedly, I don’t read all of them all the time. Okay, I read about a third of them. I rotate what I read based on the title. Some get deleted before even opening. Am I the only person who gets so many emails that I sometimes can’t keep up? (No) Admittedly, when it comes to connecting, I’d rather have a phone call more than anything. (But if you write me, I promise I’ll respond! - even if it takes me a few days.)

I am deeply grateful to everyone who reads Finding Home. There are currently 721 of you, plus another 145 that are still reading JanPepplerHOME on WordPress. And with every new subscriber, I can’t help thinking, “What do they want to read? What can I offer of substance?” I honestly want to know each of you. I want to connect. I want to hear your stories.

The truth is, there will always be something else to read. Someone else to fill the gap. I am humbled that you’re here.

A few folks have encouraged me to start my own YouTube channel. At the very least, for videos about renovations on my new (old) home in Sicily. At best, for workshops on understanding and developing our relationship with home. But did you know there are currently 114 million YouTube channels? And more get added each day.

I started a podcast before Substack integrated it into their platform: the Finding Home Podcast. You can find it on Apple, Spotify, and on six other podcast hubs. It began as a tool for folks who would rather listen than read my posts. But I really would like to do more with that. I want to interview people, have conversations. And maybe I will. In the meantime, best estimate is that I have 5 listeners. And there are an estimated 2.4 million podcasts.

And now Substack just introduced Substack Chat, which is “like having your own private social network.” In the first day of launching, five newsletters that I subscribe to sent me invitations to participate. In five different chats.

Even as a writer, writing can be difficult for me. I struggle to find words, to provide inflection that would normally happen in my voice, or tone. When I respond in a chat, can you tell I’m interested? Can you feel me lean in? It’s hard to tease out a thought when the exchange is not happening together, at the same time.

Here’s the thing: I miss conversation. I loved teaching at the college level primarily because I love conversation and discussion. Years ago, I was a big fan of the Utne Reader. I attended a monthly salon.

Then, for three years when I lived in Idaho, I hosted a monthly JCF Mythological Roundtable. These days, book clubs have become the new salon. But what if I hosted a monthly Zoom chat? Perhaps the Hygge Home Hour? Would you attend?

The poll option only allows for one choice and only for one week. What about guest posts from other writers? Do you like those? Maybe there are other ideas you would like to suggest. Please, leave a comment or email me.

My mind reels with questions. How do you decide what to read, what to watch, what to listen to? Is it for edification, information, or entertainment? A combination? Does it change with the seasons? With your mood?

Am I asking too much? Probably. Stimulation overload. Forgive me.

(Just write, Peppler, write.)