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Acupictrix - Dr Jessica Grimm
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Historical Embroidery News...

Quitting Social Media

27/8/2018

27 Comments

 
As most of you will know, my Instagram account got hacked a couple of weeks ago. I felt gutted when it happened! And even more so after it became apparent that Instagram does not have a help desk with nice and knowledgeable people who will do their utmost best to help you sort the mess. Instagram help pages are scant (even more scant in a non-English language!). None of the suggestions listed there to recover a hacked account worked for me. The hack was so thorough, that I never received the recovery emails you are supposed to get. I even asked my provider to check if there had been unlawful access to my email accounts. Fortunately, that was not the case!
Hacked Instagram account
I badgered Instagram (and Facebook, they are one and the same thing!) with emails, snail mail letters and built-in help forms. Nothing helped! For the most part, I am still waiting for a reply. As my Instagram account is linked to my Facebook business page, I in effect, have two hacked Social Media channels. And I can't severe this tie either as I have no access to my Instagram account from where one has to do this. To prevent the hacker acting out through either channel and so harming my business, I reported the hack to the police. That was a fun experience: picture police officer in rural Bavaria making a protocol of my hack...

It became clear to me that, if I wanted to keep using Social Media, I would have to delete my Facebook business page and start again. Building up a new Instagram account and a new Facebook business page would have cost me a lot of time. Besides, which guarantee would I have that those new account wouldn't get hacked too? None! I decided to sit back and mull it over for a while. In the meantime, I would look at other means of promoting my embroidery business. Since I already sent out a weekly newsletter to alert my readers to a new blog post, why not beef that up a bit?

And then I started to note that not being on Social Media was actually a relief. Don't get me wrong, I really loved seeing what everybody was doing! However, seeing it all, comment here and there and posting my own messages took a large chuck out of each day. Think two hours or more... And with hindsight, it stressed me more than I really knew. You see, racking your brains once a week about writing an interesting blog post is quite doable. Racking your brains several times a day to make sure you show your best and sunniest side on your Social Media channels is tiring! As soon as I stopped, I felt my creative juices flow again. Paradoxically, not being visually bombarded all the time, relaxed my own creativeness and all sorts of new ideas started to bubble to the surface again. Great!

All the above, together with the whole unsavoury business of using especially Facebook to undermine our democracy, cemented my resolve: delete most of the Social Media accounts I manage. At present, I am Facebook-free, Instagram-free and LinkedIn-free. Don't get me wrong: I am not against Social Media. But I am against the very large companies behind them. They love the data you and I create, but they don't care when something goes wrong. So, my website, my blog, my newsletter and my studio are the places where I love to interact with you. You probably see less of me, which means you have more time to create. If you want that is :).
House of Embroidery perle silk thread silk ribbon and stranded cotton
Morning Glory by House of Embroidery
On a whole different note: I had to raise prices on the hand-dyed House of Embroidery yarns and ribbons I sell. Earlier this year, House of Embroidery had to raise their prices due to a rise in costs of raw materials. They also had to source a different delivery company as shipping things from South Africa is a nightmare (those who read Trish Burr's blog will know). For me this means that getting the parcel cleared by customs has become more expensive too. My husband joked that I should start importing weapons: far less restrictions :). In order to make the price raise hurt less, there is a 15% off coupon in this week's newsletter! You can sign up for my newsletter using the button in the right-hand column.

P.S. I am off to Vilnius (Lithuania) tonight to visit the Church Heritage Museum :). Back on Friday to ship your House of Embroidery orders!
27 Comments
Agne
27/8/2018 12:20:35

Jessica, I am very sorry that I shall not find you in facebook, but I understand you very well. Now you'll have more time for stitching (and that is really good for you and also for us, reading your blog).

By the way, will you use WhatsApp?

Have a safe flight! I am going to write you an e-mail (just in case if you do not use WhatsApp too).

Reply
Jessica Grimm link
27/8/2018 13:19:52

Thank you Agne! I will still be using WhatsAppp, since my mum is hooked :). But no longer Facebook's messenger. See you soon!

Reply
Rachel link
27/8/2018 12:27:55

I have every sympathy with you. There are beginning to be other versions of social media that aren't as amenable to being bought by juggernaut companies and that get their money by straightforward advertising rather than the creepy stuff, but it's a hard problem to solve, because the whole situation rather crept up on us,

It sounds to me as though what you really need, though, are a few months of uninterrupted creativity. Happy Stitching!

Reply
Jessica Grimm link
27/8/2018 13:21:26

Oh, that would be so nice Rachel! But alas, my husband would run out of clean clothes to wear and the cats out of food pretty quickly:).

Reply
annelot
27/8/2018 12:41:19

You can hear this from more and more people: the constant alert to respond to messages on all of your social media. It is draining your mind. To have more time for your creative activities will give you more satisfaction!

Reply
Jessica Grimm link
27/8/2018 13:21:56

Indeed Annelot!

Reply
Patti
27/8/2018 13:48:46

Just before reading this, I was ruminating that if I spent more time stitching and less time surfing (embroidery posts in particular) I would be a lot more productive! I will just look forward to your newsletter.

Reply
Jessica Grimm link
27/8/2018 13:55:52

Yes, it is a conundrum for many creatives. On the one hand you need to be out there, but on the other hand you need time to make :). I am glad you enjoy my newsletter!

Reply
Jane/Chilly Hollow link
27/8/2018 15:12:06

Frankly, I think you are better off without Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and LinkedIn. I am stuck with a Facebook account since I accidentally founded a huge needlepoint group there that I have to run, but otherwise, color me happy to avoid the hassles and the interruptions in a life I try to keep serene. Good luck being your own boss now!

Reply
Jessica Grimm link
27/8/2018 15:21:38

Oh that's hillarious Jane, "founding a huge needlepoint group by accident". Yes, since the algorithm changed, the business gurus would tell us all that we should found a group instead... Nope!

Reply
Dima link
27/8/2018 15:21:12

I'm highly aware of how much time I spend (waste) on Instagram every day. I keep meaning to cut down on the number of feeds I follow but then I feel bad. Not sure if I could ever stop as I've been able to get immediate feedback on pieces when I get stuck. But I agree about the anxiety of needing to post every day. I'm sure I'd get more followers if I did that and if I spend days planning my posts (as my sister keeps urging me to, she works in the social media field) but I can't be bothered. If I post something it's because that's what I'm working on right this instant and not planned or fabricated.

Reply
Jessica Grimm link
27/8/2018 15:27:22

Ah, and that's one of the other problems Dima. Giving advice etc. on Social Media is a difficult thing when that 'advice' is also what puts bread on the table... I was never very good at finding a ballance there and not upsetting people :).

Reply
Dima Santina link
27/8/2018 15:39:27

I understand what you mean. It's a little harder when it's a business instead of a hobby. But in this day and age a business needs to have some sort of social media accounts as old advertisement techniques are no longer valid. I'm still trying to convince my friend that she needs to open an Instagram account for her boutique. Right now she only has a Facebook account which doesn't give her as much exposure to the younger stitchers.

Jessica Grimm link
27/8/2018 19:22:09

However, exposure is not the same as a paying customer...

Ann
27/8/2018 15:29:38

I am very sorry for you to have been placed in this position, by forces literally beyond your control.

I look forward to hearing from you in your own good time and by your preferred means.

With very best wishes and Good Luck.

Reply
Jessica Grimm link
27/8/2018 19:23:17

Thank you Ann. Actually, I think it was a blessing in disguise ;).

Reply
Mabel
27/8/2018 16:20:10

Goed van je om alles op te zeggen wie weet is dit een idee.
Jouw werk is zo mooi en ook de materialen die je verkoopt iedereen volgt je wel via de nieuwsbrief.
Veel succes en lieve groetjes uit Dordrecht

Reply
Jessica Grimm link
27/8/2018 19:24:42

In het begin best een beetje eng, hoor Mabel. Maar het geeft nu zo'n rust!

Reply
Velia Antila
27/8/2018 19:18:42

Dear Jessica, I am truly sorry for this terrible incident you have had with the Social Media. We here in the US, have has hackings into our government system through FB, in case u are not aware, the owner of FB, whose name I cannot recall, was made to come & testify to the US Congress about this problem, because Russia infiltrated through them during the elections, favoring TRUMP. Made him clean up his act and report back on the solutions to delete and refuse accounts that are not certifiable legitimate.
I have never given them any information where they can find me, I gave as little as I possibly, not even a photo of mine is everywhere that I could be identified, no, I am not hiding, I am protecting myself and for several years left them. I have even told them to stop sending me notifications, I just log in whenever I feel like it, otherwise I do not even communicate with any of the people I know and visit. Yes, I'll make comments but that is the extent I have with FB. I do not belong to any other social media, it exposes people to a lot of shenanigans.
I do hope you continue to have a blog so we can follow your wonderful hand work and lovely projects you embark on, you are a great inspirational needle artist.

Reply
Jessica Grimm link
27/8/2018 19:26:46

Thank you Velia! Oh, yes, I'll keep my blog; far too nice to write about embroidery :)!

Reply
Nancy Anne White
28/8/2018 06:30:04

I’m so sorry to hear of your struggles with social media. Backing away and limiting your exposure sounds like the sanest approach. Personally, I prefer newsletters.
All the best always and I look forward to your next blog post.

Reply
Jessica Grimm link
29/8/2018 22:13:01

Thank you Nancy Anne! I am having a great time in Vilnius visiting interesting embroidery exhibitions with fellow embroideress Agne. You will soon read all about it!

Reply
Lena
28/8/2018 15:00:04

Sorry to hear you've had all that hassle. I'm glad that you're not quitting the internet altogether - it's always fun to hear/see what you're up to!

I'm crap at updating blogs, so I'm glad I'm not trying to do it for professional promoting.

Reply
Jessica Grimm link
29/8/2018 22:15:03

No, I love the internet far too much! And I really like my blog and the journey I can document in it. But I miss your blog posts, Lena!

Reply
Lena
1/9/2018 11:24:16

I'm been too busy PhDing to do much craft work :-( . And then this hot summer... But I did write a bit about this spring's ZooArch meeting: https://ossamenta.dreamwidth.org/55198.html

I hope to have some deadtime at next week's conference. Perhaps I can get a bit further on either the blogging or the embroidery.

Méri Almeida link
29/8/2018 16:52:07

I'm sorry for your business troubles. Don't like nor facebook nor instagram I'm in both for following my daughter's and son's families Long ago I've shut down my page in facebook and keep my personal page only with only six very very close friends and can follow some pages. I use Instragram restrictly as well.
Can I contact you by email for advice in your shop? So many beautifull colours ! I am confused...

Reply
Jessica Grimm link
29/8/2018 22:17:43

That sounds very sensible, Meri! Yes, do send me an email. However, I won't be in my studio until this Saturday.

Reply



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