Life lately: March offline, “mystery sickness,” and why photo albums are the ‘90s trend we need right now

I couldn’t let the whole month of March pass without an update. It’s been longer, really. Typically the month of March is “my” month—My Birthday Month, the month I start to get “in flow” for the year, and DEHIYA’s anniversary month but this March was really different. I was traveling—Austin and then Cape Town, South Africa at the end of February. That rolled right into March, my birthday went by with a blip, and we didn't even pause for a moment to celebrate DEHIYA’s 6th year in business.

I love a little digital detox.

Last month, I deleted the Instagram widget from my home screen. I found myself opening my phone and mindlessly clicking on it, looking at my DMs, then proceeding to scroll through reels for way too long. This was happening like every 10 minutes…for no reason. I was spending way too much time on social media. Removing the widget worked. Out of site, out of mind.

I was completely disconnected from social media and most of the world for the better part of the month. I spent the first week of the month in Cape Town with spotty service and the week I return I had my head down, playing catch-up. The following week, I had an ‘episode’. (As you get to know me, you’ll hear more about these episodes because they, unfortunately, happen consistently every few months.) They last about 4-5 days and involves vomiting, chills, cold sweats, restlessness, insomnia, inability to concentrate which then leads to dehydration, exhaustion, and excessive weight loss. It’s a whole thing and they completely take me out. I’ve seen a number of doctors and had bloodwork, ultrasounds, CT scans, urinalysis, among other things. There seems to be no rhyme or reason other than it coincides with my menstrual cycle, but this is a story for another day.

What I found is that after over a month of not having Instagram on my home screen, I rarely think about it and when I do, opening it is intentional. There was no withdrawal symptoms, no thoughts of “just 10 minutes”. And now I’m having a really difficult time jumping back in. “So don’t,” you say. If it weren’t for my business and my desire to stay in contact with a number of people outside of my regular texting circle, I would be fine without Instagram at all. However, I struggle to stay connected as it is; I’m not ready to let it go quite yet but I do love a little digital detox.

Bring back photo albums and physical photos.

As a result, I was completely present in Cape Town and able to capture everything, take it all in. I took over 1000 pictures, but haven’t posted not one single one. This is my issue with mobile phones and digital photos, my experience are captured and live on my phone. Can we please bring back physical photos albums? I don’t need any more 90s fashion trends but can we, once again normalize going to your friend’s house and asking to look through their photo albums, please? That was our Instagram—a snapshot into our lives.

Bestie and me at brunch in Camps Bay, Cape Town. March, 2025.

For those too young to know what I’m talking about, photo albums are a lost art. In the 1990s, photo albums and memory books were my self-care. I have always loved taking pictures. Back in the day, before digital cameras, you took your pics on a point-and-shoot. There was the camera lens but no screen to preview the shot, delete, retake, etc. You would develop film, print photographs, and meticulously arrange them in physical albums. For my most special seasons in life, I used blank photo albums with thick blank pages. The photos in this album were accompanied by handwritten notes and/or decorative elements I added, because I was in my teens and had way too much time.

I remember taking my film into the drug store to be developed and picking it up a couple of days. (Of course later as technology advanced, we were elated you could get your photos back in under an hour.) We would flip through the photos right there at the checkout, excited to see a couple of good shots. Typically, about 25% of the photos were of something random on the floor or ceiling. Another 25%, someone was blinking or looking away. But that other 50%? They went in the brand new photo album you just picked up on aisle 18. Asking to look through someone’s photo albums was asking to get to know them better.

I have pictures of Marrakesh, Paris, Oslo, Reykjavik, Vancouver, Jalisco, Mexico, and Cape Town from the past two years that just live on my phone. I’ve never had them printed out, framed or put into a photo album. No one will ever see them there, including me so I’m going to start an archival project of the 68k photos on my phone—purge all the screenshots and randomness I never deleted, organize them into albums, and print the money shots to be framed and collaged in beautiful photo albums. Bring back the photo album.

And even though it’s basically April, I am going to celebrate 6 years in business proper-like because that most certainly deserves celebrating. DEHIYA turned 6 and that is saying a lot for a self-funded beauty brand in this economic climate.

Oh yeah, and I did a thing. I went on a side quest on my way to Cape Town. It was my first go at international travel, solo. But I’ll save that story for next time.