# 321: Post Meta Life
How I walked away from Metaland and reclaimed my time.
How I walked away from Metaland and reclaimed my time, plus announcing the April Paid Subscriber Meetup and a favorite recipe for Steak and Potato Pie.
Tuesday April 29 Paid Subscriber Meet Up: Old Cookbooks
April Paid Subscriber Meet Up: Tuesday April 29, 9-10 AM Pacific/Noon-1 PM Eastern/4-5 PM GMT
This month we’ll be chatting about old cookbooks. Bring your oldest cookbook which could be…
the oldest cookbook you own
the earliest published cookbook on your shelf
or an old cookbook that has meaning for you
Post Meta Life
Several years before COVID I left Facebook but if I’m being totally honest with you, I really only sorta left it. I stayed away for a few seasons but found myself sneaking in the backdoor; first to see if there were any important communications on Messenger I might have missed; taking just a peak at Marketplace for listings; checking groups in which I was a member; finally back to full scrolling and posting. My time away, like a Lenten fast, had merely been temporary.
I hated how I allowed Metaland (Facebook, Instagram and Messenger) to take up so much of my time but rationalized my return as a business necessity to get word out about pie workshops, camps, virtual classes, book releases, and events. But time is precious and once gone there is no way to get it back.
So, I decided to walk my talk and get off of all Mr Meta’s platforms. I didn’t just temporarily pause my accounts, I permanently deleted them.* Years of posts, photos and videos gone for good, and other than estate, garage and yard sale listings on Marketplace I really don’t miss them.
What do I do with all that “extra” time? My days are full and there isn’t really any extra. Reading and writing, house and garden chores, walks and bike rides, family and friends fill me up physically, spiritually, and emotionally.
P.S. Be sure to save the date, April 29 for this month’s paid subscriber meetup!
*For those who are interested in learning about how to do this, type “Permanently Delete Facebook Account” in a search engine and lots of articles will pop up. You can do the same with “Permanently Delete Instagram Account,” too. A few years back I did this with Twitter, too.
What I’m Reading
Consider the Fork: A History of How We Cook and Eat by Bee Wilson
I'm re-reading Consider the Fork for the third time. The wooden spoon, cooking pot, measuring cups all have influenced our culture in the kitchen and beyond. I find Bee’s writing captivating and especially like the chapter entitled "Fire," which follows the path from open flame, to gas and coal ovens, and on to microwaves, and feel that it is the heart of the book. Wilson writes, "There are signs that we miss fire and regret its absence from our lives." I agree.
Nice Things To Do
Something that you can do for me is to heart ❤️ this post. It not only lets me know that you are stopping by but this really helps my ratings on Substack, too. Thank you!
Steak and Potato Pie
Sometimes a meat pie is what is needed…even in Spring! Here’s one I’ve made for years.