I feel like Clark Griswold.
I guess you need to be old enough to get that reference, but in the National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation, Clark (Chevy Chase) puts "250 strands of lights, 100 individual bulbs per strand, for a grand total of 25,000 imported Italian twinkle lights!" on the family home in true American style and class.
That is how I feel.
My wife wanted some Christmas lights outside. Which I understand given the darkness at this time of year, especially as there is no snow. So she went to the shop and picked up a box. She asked me "what do I need to consider?" and I had said just make sure they are warm white (as all of our other lights are warm white) and long enough.
They are warm white.
And long enough.
76 meters!
For the backward, that is 250 feet of lighting. And it was only to light a wooden screen that is five meters (15 ft) long. Suffice to say, it is a bit of overkill. We might be able to have a barbecue out there, using the lights as a heat source. Okay, they are LED so they aren't warm at all, but still, it could have run around almost our entire property.
Oh, and for those wondering, I took these photos at 2pm.
The look okay, and I guess the neighbours from miles around can enjoy them as the light up the night sky like a Dubai fireworks display. I am already dreading having to take them down in a couple months, as while they came in a box, packed nice and neatly, they are definitely not going into the same box again. They are going to make one of those "Christmas light knots" that requires someone with a degree in theoretical physics to untangle. Not that the degree helps, but they are probably patient personalities that like to sort out problems.
Around the various holidays throughout the year, I try to create some different content than I normally do. It isn't that I skip the other stuff, but I include more personal, family, home kind of stuff that gives some insight into the occasion and how we spend it. Too much content these days is engineered for the audience, which often leaves it bland and impersonal, as it tries to attract as many eyes as possible, with as little negative judgement as possible. Then of course, there is the "outrage content" that looks to attract people by polarising opinions.
I don't do either.
As I see my content on Hive, it is pretty much all personal as it relates to my experiences, observations and opinions, but also on topics that can be expanded out to other areas. I am not looking for views, I am looking for engagement. But I will get into the difference of that in another post at some point later - maybe later in the night. I like on Hive that I am able to write some content and people add in some of their own perspectives, experiences and personal opinions. I wish more would do so, but I can't force them, only encourage them with a vote. I am thinking about changing my "intuitive voting scale" by adding more difference between good comments and mediocre, but will see how that goes.
Note: A good comment isn't necessarily a long comment.
While my content is "seasonal", I was wondering if others do or feel similar in their own. Does it change depending on what is happening throughout the year - are there periods that are more personal or more formal - is it a conscious or unconscious decision to change? For me, it is largely unconscious, but because I observe and reflect, I feel the change quickly and then lean into it a bit. It is kind of like finding a new topic of interest, and exploring where it leads.
Let it flow.
And glow.
Taraz
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Funny, we just watched the National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation a few nights ago.
As far as content, I am not around as much as I used to be, but try to create content that does a lot of self reflection at times. My posts are more for me as a release and the consumption of others as a secondary. That may change moving forward. I don't know. My thing is finding more time to post, especially when my brain want s to cooperate.
I think these kinds of things become more engaging over time, as there is a human connection in there.
LOL.
Yeah, I think I agree.
This is true! And I have a degree in theoretical physics! OK a minor in theoretical physics, but simple mechanics should be enough for this problem, and it's not! I end up throwing the lights away after storing them for the year.
They look fantastic though! I never would have thought to go for a warm white. They do make your whole neighborhood look good. Your neighbors should be very happy.
I was just thinking about this! They aren't that expensive, even here. My wife said these were about 20€ - two coffees and a slice of cake. But it is the thought of wastage that makes me untangle them.
So many of the lights these days are cool white, but we chose to have warm for all our LEDs. We also have many Hue lights so we can change the temperature of them on the fly as we need.
Looking good! My wife was the same way. The darkness just really gets to her, so I have been putting up our Christmas lights earlier and earlier each year. I typically just do a few in the back that you can't see from the road that are just for her to enjoy.
Is darkness depression a thing there? They have some name for it here, but it escapes me.
A couple flood lights ;)
Haha, no, red and white led string lights. Yeah, SAD, seasonal affect disorder. They even sell lights that mimic sun light without the radiation for people to use as therapy.
I think the lights are very nice, especially the ones on the underside of the deck stairs. Who says you need to take the lights down when the holiday is over?
I think the lights make a nice complement to the deck throughout the year, although I guess you don't need them nearly as much in the summer months when it is sunny well into the night!
Well, those ones are permanent. :)
Not at all really. But they help in the late spring and early autumn, when it is still warm enough to get out there a bit, but too dark.
The deck turned out looking great. Very nice combo with the holiday lights. I say keep them permanent and host more parties with the soft lighting. DJ deck next build out!
Weirdly enough my paint by numbers posts were getting more comments than my let's plays or basketball posts. Perhaps my regular visitors are taking time away from Hive to celebrate holidays. Or perhaps some of them are not showing up due to lower prices...either way last few days I was getting less comments.
Holiday times are generally quieter, as people travel and are with family. When it comes to engagement, I think that watching people play something is boring :)
I appreciate the self awareness to try and push out personal content. So many forget that engagement is richer when you’re yourself and original
People focus on views, because that is what the mainstream platforms encourage as it drives their ad revenue. But for the most part, the engagement is mindless.
I love so many lights. And the stars in the windows. It's a magical time, especially for children.
It is nicer to drive around when houses have a few stars lit.
It cannot be that someone with a degree in theoretical physics can untie the knot of the "Christmas light knot" with his theoretical knowledge. It is only possible if he has practical knowledge. I myself have completed an MSc in physics. However, it is true that to solve the problem, one has to be very patient, which is tested in various practicals of physics.
Perhaps I should hire you to come and do the lights next year :)
Those lights seem like they could brighten up a whole small city! If they bring happiness during the gloomy winter months, then it's totally worth it 😉
Almost! Hopefully, they don't take too much electricity though.
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STOPThose are some beautiful Xmas lights 🥰
I think my content is not necessarily seasonal, but related more to what I or we are doing. Today for example we spent five hours re-designing the layout in our three aquariums, changing plants and decor around as well as cleaning walls and changing water, we still need to Windex them outside.
I love personal seasonal posts like this. I can feel the atmosphere, the family energy, even the impending untangling doom of the Led lights
You make lots of comments like this, some even on my own posts...but you never cast a vote on "these posts you love". No upvotes cast since Nov 18.
I get the impression you're just commenting for votes. Well, here's a vote (a downvote).
I don't track it, thanks.
The votes might not be worth much, but there is a courtesy (or lack of courtesy) isn't there?
That's the point exactly. I use Slob's comment-no-vote thing a lot and exposed this person on my own posts. I'm happy to comment back but don't want to waste my VP on comment-vote-farmers when there's many other's out there commenting for the right reasons.