I’ve never been one to follow the crowd.

Long before stepping away from social media, I made other unconventional choices. I lived without electricity, not as an experiment but as a way of life. I pumped drinking water by hand, split firewood for heat and cooking, and lit my home with oil lamps and handmade candles. It was challenging, but it grounded me in ways modern life rarely does. I learned patience, rhythm, resourcefulness, and the quiet beauty of simplicity.

Years later, as cell phones became ubiquitous, I went without a phone entirely. Friends and family knocked on my door, tracked me down at work, or left messages with neighbors. There was something beautifully human in that kind of connection.

Later still, I voluntarily gave up my car for several years. I relied on buses, trains, bicycles, and my own two feet. Life slowed down. I noticed more: conversations overheard on public transit, familiar faces along daily routes, strangers who gradually became part of my world.

These choices shaped the way I think about attention, presence, and ownership. They also inform how I approach creative work and the internet itself.

Increasingly, I believe artists benefit from maintaining spaces of their own rather than relying entirely on platforms we do not control. Social media can be useful, but it can also be temporary and fragile. Accounts disappear. Algorithms shift. Years of work and connection can vanish overnight with little explanation or recourse.

For now, I’ve chosen to step away from that system and invest more deeply in direct connection, independent platforms, and real-world community.

So while I may not maintain a thriving social media presence, I’m absolutely here. I’d love to hear from you.

inquire@karriweaver.com

Or wherever good coffee is served “black as midnight on a moonless night.”

— Karri