Missing the Old Internet

Maybe starting a blog in 2026 is a little ironic (don't you think?)

We live in a world of TikTok, Insta, influencers, algorithms, reels, AI, and a constant stream of content coming at us from every direction. And here I am... starting a blog.

I was born in 1996, which means I grew up in this really weird and wonderful little window of time. I remember life before everything revolved around a screen, but I also got to grow up alongside the internet and all of it's advancements.

I remember dial-up. AIM away messages. Burning CDs. Digital cameras with 100 blurry photos from one night. J14 magazines scattered around my room with posters hung everywhere. Calling friends on the landline. Going to the local gas station to rent a movie for the weekend. MapQuest directions printed on a piece of paper. Waiting for your favorite song to come on the radio so you could record it on your cell phone.

And maybe I'm romanticizing it a little. Actually, I definitely am. But I miss it.

I miss when the internet felt like something you visited instead of somewhere you lived.

I recently deleted Facebook, including a page I had built for my nurse coaching business, River Soul Wellness. At first, that felt weird and strange. I had put time into it. I had people following along. It was where I shared wellness information, recipes, events, thoughts, and pieces of my life.

But the more I thought about what I wanted to create next, the more I realized I didn't want another social media page.

I wanted my own space. No algorithm deciding whether anyone gets to see what I write. No worrying about whether something "fits my brand." No trying to turn every thought into a reel, a perfectly edited picture, or something designed to get engagement.

I just want to write again and share things because I actually like them.

So, welcome to TaylorSince96.

There isn't really a niche. One day I might share something I cooked for dinner. The next might be an outfit I love, something I've learned as a nurse, a home project, a hike in the Adirondacks, a song I can't stop listening to, something about my dog, or a completely unnecessary deep dive into something from 15 years ago that I suddenly remembered.

There will be food, fashion, definitely animals. There will be the river, the mountains, home, family, wellness, music, probably some opinions, and plenty of nostalgia.

Basically, if it's a part of my life, it's fair game.

I am also starting this at a time when it feels like maybe I'm not the only person craving some of the things we left behind. People are thrifting again. Records are everywhere. Digital cameras are becoming cool again. People want gardens and dinner parties and hobbies. We are decorating our homes with things that actually have personality. We're putting our phones down. We're realizing that maybe having every possible convenience at our fingertips didn't automatically make life better.

Maybe some things were worth keeping.

I don't want to go backward, but I want to bring some of the good stuff with me.

More cooking at home. More being outside. More music playing in the house. More pictures that aren't taken for anyone else. Less superficial relationships. More getting dressed because an outfit makes you feel good. Less stress. More sitting by the fire on the river. More having people over. More hobbies that don't need to become side hustles.

More real life.

So, that's what this little corner of the internet is going to be.

I'm Taylor. I was born in '96. I'm a nurse, wife, dog mom, Pisces, river girl, lover of the mountains, good food, good music, clothes, animals, home, and about 47 other things at any given moment.

I'm not entirely sure where this blog is going.

And for once, I think that's kind of the point.

Welcome to TaylorSince96.