I really recommend a break from the Internet - a complete fast - no phone, no checking mail, no going to favorite news portals even just to get headlines. I recommend praying a lot more, and if you don't paint like I do, work in the garden, in the yard, do something physical - to allow your mind to roam. Allow yourself time for reflection and recreation. I don't think the Internet is an appropriate form of recreation. When you come back online you have a healthier perspective.
Maybe it's the subject matter of my painting, but I crave pure Catholic doctrine. I can't be away from the Church, I can't live without the faith. Life is nothing without the faith... without the Church. I get a good feeling from faithful Catholic blogs. There are blogs out there that are not faithful - and we try to be friends, we try to dialogue and be open to ideas - that's fine for scholars and debaters and for people who are trying to convince one another about something... There is an information overload however. One can over-expose one's self. We so want to be understood and accepted - but there is a danger in revealing too much of ourselves - the danger being we can lose out very self. I'm not sure we need to know every one's innermost thoughts, their deepest struggles, much less that we reveal our own to everyone online. I can't be a slave to blogs or the combox or the email box - thank God I'm not on twitter or Facebook.
I don't know what I'm trying to say - but be Catholic. Be faithful. Be careful of adulterating the faith, of watering it down with false charity.
There is so much evil in the world, so much compromise amongst those who call themselves religious - but the Roman Catholic Church is the only ark of salvation.
Anyway - call me crazy, but I'm back online.
(I also hit 'publish' too soon.)
Art: edward gorey
