Nuniek.com

Yesterday was one of those days that reminded me why I love being present in real life. I met Bunga, a good old friend of mine, for a long overdue catch-up at The People’s Cafe. We talked non-stop for two and a half hours: from personal updates, projects, religion, family, trip, to powerful wanderlog app demo, lol. Just the two of us, no distractions, no scrolling. Pure, heartfelt conversation. By the time is running out, my husband dropped by to bring a gift I had forgotten to bring earlier for Bunga’s son. Shortly after, Bunga’s husband also came, along with their 10-year-old boy. The sweetest moment was when the very first thing their son said to his mom was a sincere apology because he didn’t get the test score he was hoping for. No cover-up, no delay, just “sorry” and a confession. I found that moment so pure. It showed the kind of openness and emotional trust that’s rare these days, even among adults. Another interesting thing happened at the same time was when I saw Okki, not fa...

My first day after deleting every social media app from my phone felt liberating and deliberate. I began by announcing on my feed that I was officially on hiatus for the joy of missing out. In parallel, I shared a story with a link to this very blog, so anyone curious about my experiment could follow along in depth rather than bite‑sized snippets. With each tap of “uninstall,” the digital clutter on my home screen vanished, and I swear I could feel the invisible weight of all those apps drop away. I was already noticing pockets of calm where I would normally have reached for my phone. My mind felt lighter, more spacious. Instead of reflexive scrolling, I found myself reaching for a book, or jotting down ideas that had been buried under a mountain of memes and hot takes. It was astonishing how free I felt when I finally broke the habit of letting every trending topic dictate my mood. As I'm writing this now, I realized how much I miss uninterrupted thought. The silence felt like a g...

I’ve been seriously considering deleting all social media apps from my phone. Lately, I feel like I’m consuming too many “snacks” (i.e. mindless scrolling through feeds) instead of enjoying “real food” like reading in‑depth articles or engaging in deep thinking. Social media has become a buffet of bite‑sized distractions that leave me feeling hungry for something more substantial. Back in 2000, when I first embraced the internet through mIRC chat rooms and blog posts, the online world felt like a safe haven. Only a few could afford to use it, mostly educated and curious people who valued thoughtful discussion. The barrier to entry was high, and that created a community of like‑minded individuals who were genuinely interested in ideas and exchange. Today, that barrier has collapsed. Everyone uses the internet, but rarely with conscience, and while smartphones are smarter than ever, genuine curiosity seems in short supply. The viral nature of social media is both mesmerizing and terrifyi...