Okay. I am the first to admit that there are some things about social media networking that I just do not ‘get.’ Sure, I started this blog for two reasons: (1) I have an opinion about virtually EVERYTHING, and writing this blog is my outlet, (2) Blogs have the potential to generate income, and I hope to build this as an additional revenue stream. But somewhere, I fell off the blog wagon and will have to start anew to reach goal #2. I still have my opinions.
Now this Facebook thing…well, let’s just say that I might have pulled the last straw with my daughter’s patience. There are some things I just don’t get. Like a few months ago. I changed my relationship status from being ‘in a relationship’ to ‘single’. Two people selected “like.” Okay.
You like the fact that I am no longer with the person I thought I would spend the rest of his life with? I told my daughter and she said, “It doesn’t really mean that they like it.” Oh. I was also surprised that Everyone saw what I had changed! I didn’t know that happened on Facebook!
Of course, I joined Facebook after my daughter told me she was ‘friends’ with my friends – and that some of the Mothers of the church (a term of endearment for elderly ladies in the African-American church) were on Facebook. Yes, I figured it was time to enter the 21st century social media network.
My daughter has been a champion helping me navigate Facebook. I have: changed my settings so Everyone can no longer “see” everything I do with my profile; uploaded mobile photos; and, learned how to go offline without interruption from others who want to “chat” while I want to do something else on the site.
I did figure out on my own the numbers game. In the virtual world of Facebook, anyone can be friends. A high number of friends on Facebook is the high school popularity contest remix. In my opinion. I consistently receive friend requests from people I either do not know (or cannot remember knowing) or people who never spoke to me away from the keyboard.
Now, back to last night. I questioned why one of my male friends would send me a generic message that – in my opinion – he could have posted on my wall. My daughter, apparently at the end of her rope said in a reprimanding tone, “You need to delete your profile. You keep reading too much into this. You don’t have to post everything to a person’s wall.”
Well, you would think she could show a little reciprocity of patience. Like I did during the 12 months of sterilizing her baby bottles and mixing formula so she would not starve…or, during her potty training years…or, her puberty period…you get my point?
I thought the Facebook wall is where people express everything. I do find it interesting that some people choose to post a synopsis of their entire day, including what they ate for dinner. And, I admit: You can equate me to the person who resisted the personal computer because she could not let go of her typewriter.
I am not eager to switch to something new simply because it’s new. Not until I can rationalize its purpose in my life. Yes, I do have a tendency to “think” too much and I relish my privacy.
Surely, I am not the only person who thinks too much. Maybe there is a social media network that connects to how I am wired, rather than the other way around. Given the growth of the Internet, it is possible that type of site already exists. Guess I’ll Google it and see what turns up!
"The only limitation in your life is the limitation of your own thinking."
