The term TMI (too much information) is usually used for sexual or other intimate information shared inappropriately.

But recently I realised there is, for me, another meaning.

Recent political situation is worrying me. There are many pressing issues, including the possibility of war, conflicts in Ukraine, Israel-Palestine, conspiracy theories, rising antisemitism, religious influence, abortion debates, the rise of populism, anti-democratic politicians, and censorship.

So, I am following many sources, and the more I do, the more I worry.

Take Facebook and other platforms. The posts are often interesting, but it all takes time.

Emails- all those lists I am subscribed to.

It is not so much the content as the amount.

It changed the way I use of my time.

I used to read more books and write, even though I was a full-time medical doctor. Now I am retired, but don’t seem to have time for anything.

Where does it go?

WhatsApp, Facebook, The New York times, The Guardian, emails, then sending videos, chatting on zoom, attending zoom workshops…

I didn’t get access to this technology till I was older, about 55.It was fascinating, all those possibilities.

Now I am 70, and it has taken over my life.

I stopped writing, read much less, and I worry.

I am Jewish, although I only found out age 14, and I have no religion.

I also do not feel my Jewish identity was more important than my Czech identity, or British identity- I have been living in England since 1987. These are three of the many boxes I belong to.

But after researching and writing my novel and connecting with my relatives, I became worried.

I hear the voice of my mother telling me off for telling my children, who are half Jewish about it.,” It is not good for people to know, there is always antisemitism.”

And now, I am reading a lot about the rise of antisemitism, and of course, in the virtual world, the information follows the pattern of your previous reading.

I can’t stop worrying about the wars, Putin, and I’ve been reading a lot about the Stalin era and the Holocaust. Last year, as far as books go, I lived in 1933-1953. Not a good part of the twentieth century.

The lucky part of my personality has always been not worrying about things I couldn’t change.

In life, relationships, work. If I couldn’t change it, or the only action was not acceptable, I stopped worrying about it.

I stopped trying to change traits I didn’t like in my friends and partners. There was an option to leave, and sometimes, I took it. The other option, when those relationships were worth it, was accepting those traits as something I couldn’t change, so I stopped worrying about it.

So now, feeling overwhelmed by the world I cannot change. I must stop worrying about it. If there was a situation when I felt my action would be useful, then I’d have to think again.

That is not the case.

So, I put a limit on my screen time; I am unsubscribing from all those lists. I might even pretend the new technology doesn’t exist.

But no, I don’t want to go back to the typewriter. My old one is now a decoration on my wall.

But I typed and printed my mantra:

DON’T WORRY ABOUT THINGS YOU CANNOT CHANGE.

 And another one:

STOP LOOKING AT THOSE SCREENS ALL THE TIME, IF YOU HAVE TO READ SOMETHING, USE PAPER BOOKS.

Well, I might still read my kindle…But it’s called Paperwhite, so that doesn’t count.

And if the WW3 happens, I will know about it.

Like Scarlet O’Hara, “I won’t think about that today — I’ll think about that tomorrow.”

I WILL HAVE MORE TIME, SO I WILL READ AND WRITE MORE BOOKS