On January 1st, I deleted Facebook and I couldn’t be happier.

But when you’re not on Meta, it can be isolating.

You’re at a party and everyone is happily trading Instagram profiles, and the only thing you could offer reliably is…

…

nothing, actually.

Only gamers seem to know about Discord, and getting people on Signal is still like pulling teeth. Even a phone number could miss– there are still people out there that don’t disclose it for privacy reasons.

That happened to me during another icebreaker. We were sitting next to each other and they beat me to it, asking for my Instagram handle first. Unfortunately, I don’t use it in that capacity (more on that later). We eventually came to a compromise: email addresses. It’s been two months since I sent the first one.

…I’ve yet to receive a reply.

At the next shindig my contact info was just a TinyURL. It has the online places I actually frequent and ways to contact me.

…No new friends (yet).

And I tried sending someone a link to my personal website.

…I uh, got blocked? But that happened only once.

There’s always a failure rate to these things.

When I take it personally: no one wants to meet me where I am.

But actually, I think: No one wants to leave Meta.

It’s convenient. It’s popular. It’s what we know. All the organizations and queer peers are on there. So that’s why I caved and made an Instagram account. Where there’s a lack of RSS feed or newsletter, it’s my last resort. And I still miss important updates because nothing’s chronological, I’m drowning in ads, suggestions keep pestering me, and the whole thing like the rest of the modern web is user hostile.

I fucking hate it.

I may delete it out of spite in six months.

But I’m used to not having Facebook in my life now, and for a digital diet I’ve filled it with other things: GroundNews, tiny forums, my projects, Mastodon, a lot of Discord. I’m even giving Friendica a try (it is largely neglected). I’ve my messaging apps that also have a web or desktop client for when I want to use a full keyboard– it’s easier on my hands.

I think I’m only lonely because I miss certain people.

But also, it’s been oddly freeing. Instead of all those 200 friends, I got my chosen family and fellow weirdos. And the occasional stranger that crosses my path, goes "what’s up, doc?" and if we keep bumping into each other we even become friends!

I think that trade-off is worth it.

In short, I’m the Odd One Out and I am solidly in my Cryptid Era.

Which, cool.