Hi D,

Today’s a Monday and I am typing away my letter to you in a coffee shop I have grown fond of frequenting. I have not gotten in much sleep last night. Something I will regret later in tonight’s shift. You know the usual culprit. Preoccupied with thoughts and more than I would care to admit. Most persistent is the issue I am having with certain post formats in my diary. It has been bothering me since I started playing around with the theme’s many features. It has eaten away the better part of my night and earlier today trying to find a fix. But none of that is the purpose of this digital correspondence. Today, I was browsing through Lazada shopping for some outdoor supply and I chanced upon a feed showing a photo comment of someone sporting the apparel they purchased. Normally, I would ignore albeit the saucy display but what hooked me was the series of responses the comment garnered.

D, you have been asking why I have left the Social Media scene and this is one example, though insufficient, that is among the list. You speculated that I was evading and avoiding. However, rest assured that that is not the case although the reasons are far too personal and the act of my hiatus is hopefully a means to mitigate them. One day… I may share them with you but not in this letter.

Now, notice the series of responses the comment has garnered. Who would not be affected, in some levels, by how these people are reacting to a comment that should have not been made into a big deal? A part of me find them amusing for being drawn to it. Then another part of me is reminded of a time when I used to engage in such banter but in a more witty capacity and those were the Yahoo Group days. You can see how others are blatantly vulgar while others make a futile attempt at calling them out. This is the culture that social media has created spurred on by anonymity and virtual distance. Anyone can be anyone or someone else. There is no fear of physical retaliation unless you are outright asking for confrontation by having your actual personal details plastered under your profile.

Nevertheless, you can see why I had to leave, D? This is a portion of it but I would be remiss if I do not admit that there is something more.

Yours truly,

H