I'M SNOOPING IN THE SHADOWS

Am I "Lurking"?!

When I’m sitting on a sunny beach, or lying in bed after dinner, half-listening to reruns of The Rookie or FBI, I reach for my magical device that lets me sneak into the lives of complete strangers. I watch them, laugh with them, sometimes at them, and occasionally chastise them for their countless misdeeds. Once I’ve burrowed into other people’s lives, it takes enormous willpower to turn my device off because let’s be honest: who doesn’t love a little harmless gossip about strangers, especially when it’s served up in 30-second reels, right?

My name is Stevie Weinberg, and I am an Instagram-aholic.

My device of choice? The iPad. (My iPhone’s tiny screen just doesn’t cut it for my “seasoned” eyes.)

With a few swipes, I can be whisked back to favorite travels or jetted forward to dream destinations. I hear the most magnificent music, and the most god-awful screeching you hope never to hear. Ballroom, tap, and ballet performances are just a fingertip away, often prompting a bit of my own toe-tapping.

Fashion is my thing; I know those reel sites backward and forward. I confess to a fondness for human mishaps, escapades that trigger belly laughs, my husband recognizes the sound and knows exactly why. I don’t bother with celebrities; their lives aren’t real, too staged. Instead, I scroll through impossibly decorated cakes, army dogs leaping from airplanes, sparkling diamond jewelry, and lovingly restored vintage cars.

It’s all so mindless, which is exactly why it’s fun. I get to zone out. I don’t remember a thing I’ve scrolled past once I shut down, and I never carry my iPad outside the house.

Like every addiction, mine has its triggers: the beach and my comfy bed.

I’ve tried BlueSky, X, Facebook, and even YouTube, but Instagram is my particular weakness.

What about you?

Now it’s your turn. What’s your social-media rabbit hole? Drop a comment below and let me know where you find yourself mindlessly scrolling. I promise, no judgment… we’re all snoops here. What’s your social-media soft spot? Care to confess?