Well I've fallen off the wagon. The complications and stress of the injury, the disrupted routines across the board, made it more difficult than I'd prepared for.

I did make it through yesterday afternoon at least.

I may try to get back on the wagon today. Or might try again next month.

First time I've not been able to do it.

#90sWeek

I'm using Mastodon from my phone, because the laptop is harder to reach with my hip out. But I'm keeping it moderate. This is an area I've tackled and have been doing well at anyhow.

Anyway, I dropped by to say I'm playing Harvester. I'm enjoying it so far. As horror point and click FMVs go, it's extremely off-putting, in the best way.

#90sWeek

90s Week has been set back somewhat by my injury. I've been too focused on simple things like getting to the bathroom and wondering if I need to see a doctor or if I can afford it, and my routines are completely upended in other ways simply because I'm living in a different space. Not ideal conditions to decide to set down my phone, especially when it is painful to reach for the laptop.

I'm still hoping to start. I may go with softer rules, or start late, or idk, skip it.

#90sWeek

Here's what I'm hoping to get out of #90sWeek 2026:

I've already moderated my social media use and tech anxiety issues from prior years (and I did a soft version of this challenge over the summer – not really 90s restricted, but based on not doing things that made me feel worse). So I'm not planning to get anything out of it on that end.

For me, the 90s media is the carrot. I still think the 1990s was the single best era for music, so I actually save it for this week to keep it fresh. I was quite sheltered and broke in the 90s, so there's are still a lot of music videos, albums, movies, and shows I missed, and it's nice to have an excuse to go back.

The lack of distraction heightens the experience to the point that I can trick myself into being back in the zeitgeist. It's kind of like magic. So I'm hoping to do some inner work, maybe journalling and digital hygiene on my old writing files.

It also gives me a chance to try things I want to do but don't because they're less exciting. If I can find the journalling games I printed ("reading material," so in the spirit, it's ok if it was written recently), I'd like to try some of those. Cross stitch, art. And I'm going to try yet again to get back into my old reading habit, which was going strong all through the 90s.

I *will* get bored. Boredom is the point! We've forgotten how to get bored. That was part of my soft-challenge over the summer. I think it's healthy to be bored sometimes. Boredom shouldn't create anxiety, and the fact that it does is part of our modern sickness.

🧵

Ok I'm planning #90sWeek 2026, starting on New Years!

For one week, I will limit my media and tech usage centered on what was available prior to 2001.

This is my annual New Years Resolution, except I do it in the form of a week-long challenge. I skipped last year, but did the couple of years prior. My prior 90s Weeks emotionally prepared me to leave Twitter, and have been of psychological and emotional benefit that lasts years after the challenge has ended. There are points during a 90s Week when it feels like I've actually time traveled, and it helps reconnect my present-self with my past-self. It has reduced my attachment to devices and my willingness to tolerate things that make me cranky or anxious.

You can adapt these rules and play along with me, if you want. But part of the challenge is that Mastodon is a BBS wall, which means you can only update your progress from a desktop, pretending you're limited by dial-up!

90s Week Rules:

Get clear about what you want from 90s Week. Then interpret the rules based on intentional changes to your routines. Do whatever creates more mindful media and tech use in the ways you'd like to improve.

The spirit of the challenge, for me, is to reconsider my relationship to technology by immersing myself as much as possible in pre-2001 technology and media. Rules will necessarily have to be bent, but should align as closely as possible to how I've defined the spirit. (No way I'm setting up a CD or DVD player on a CRT – but you may want to!)

My rules:

1. No media made after 2001, except physical reading materials.
2. No technology (or practical equivalent*) made after 2001.
3. Avoid enshittification and ads. If it has those things, don't use it.
4. Work-related new-tech/media use is allowed.
4. iPad use is allowed, but only old-style, unenshittified games like pre-paid Majong and Solitaire apps.
5. Steamdeck is allowed (it's a "console" or "GameBoy", but only games made before 2001, already purchased, downloaded, and in a 90s Week collection for quick browsing.
6. Social media is allowed, but only from a desktop, and only if it is comparable to what existed in 2001, like IRC, ICQ, email, and forums. (Mastodon, in moderation, may be considered a BBS wall.)
7. The iPhone can only be used as a phone, SMS, or music player. (I've also got the Art Bell app, but it won't let me download 90s broadcasts, so I won't use it if it's frustrating.)

* Practical equivalent: For example, streaming movies is ok, but all friction that came post-2001 must be mitigated. Line up games, shows, music ahead of time to avoid having to hunt it down and fiddle with subscriptions or logins. Download media ahead of time when possible to avoid internet frustrations.

It helps to make a list of options ahead of time, and have the media/activities easily accessible. The first year I did this had me *very* antsy and reaching for my phone, like coming off an addiction. Make it silly easy to do the right thing!

🧵

So I guess I'll watch All in the Family next. Apple has it to buy.

Sad, I was really enjoying WKRP.

[Except they don't have all the seasons of that either, so f them. I won't have it set up before #90sWeek, but a media server has become priority.]

[Since season 2 of WKRP isn't available anywhere, I guess they let it on YouTube. So I'm back in business! I think!]