I will just let it all out...
Last Saturday I joined Facebook.
I swore that I wouldn't, thought it was stupid, thought it was only useful to single people, didn't know if I wanted to find too many people from my past, etc, etc.
On Saturday morning I took the plunge. Why? Because my cousin left on his mission last week, and my aunt sent me an invite to view her Facebook page/stuff whatever. I figured if I want to be a good family member and stay up-to-date, supportive...sure. Why not? Not to mention, blogging has found many old friends and I have loved all those people I have found.
Well, I sit here at my computer, the morning of my 4th day into Facebook, here to record my findings and feelings...Oh! and faux pas...
So Saturday morning, stupid me, just set the thing up and started trying to find my way around. I became frustrated because I couldn't even find Mike and the only page I could see was my aunt's page, because she had invited me. Invited. There is a lot to be said for that word.
Personally, I'm not a good friend. Friend. Another word I'm not sure I understand. I'm not good at staying in touch and while I have the best of intentions...just not my thing. I'm not sure I have ever been good at correspondence. I really felt like "if I know you...especially if I've known you more than 3 months or so...sure we're great friends!"
I'm not thinking this Facebook thing will work for me. Invite, Friend, Ignore, Wall, Poke...what have you...(though the last word disturbs me)
Apparently, I set up my account, and 'logically'...when the question asked "send an invitation to people in your email?" I clicked yes. Obviously people in my email are people I know...dare say friend. But is that true?
So on day 2 I find out (from a younger, more 'experienced' Facebook friend) who you invite on Facebook means something. You should not invite just anyone and everyone. You can REMOVE friends from your Facebook account, and topics of conversations can be "guess who sent me an invite? can you believe that?" I assume if you remove a friend from your Facebook...it means you are not friends, have never been friends, and don't want to be friends in the future. Sounds simple...but then again, I'm pretty slow.
Man!
Day 3 I start to worry about who is in my contact list of my email account. I realize that I don't really know if EVERYONE in my email is necessarily my friend. Crap! I run through my email and see that...sure enough...some people I really don't know and don't ever know how I got their email. Ooops!
Do I really care? Not really. And on Day 2, when I got going...did I invite anyone and everyone I saw from Elementary school through High School, old neighborhoods and new? Yep. Do I comment on everyone's things?...if I feel the urge! I was being sucked in! And I was really loving it!
The thing that urk's me about blogging is the ever absorbing...private or not private? ...people leaving anonymous comments (my dear friend Nony)...and the worst?...Can I comment on someone's blog if I don't feel INVITED?
Are there really blog stalkers or do we all love to read peoples views and opinions on life whether we know them or not. Why do we feel we shouldn't comment if it's out there for the world to see.
I personally have never once wished that someone hadn't commented. I love comments! Good and bad...just don't be a sissy and leave your name...but say what you want. I feel that way and yet I read a person's blog and think "should I leave a comment? will it look like I'm stalking?" Well geeez! I totally am stalking if I'm wondering that. I think "what if that person doesn't want me to comment or thinks I'm a loser?" picked that one up in 6th or 7th grade. And then there's "I've commented on 'so-an-so's' blog a few times and they haven't commented back...is that a hint that I shouldn't comment on their blog anymore?" Yet I wish I could comment on lots of peoples blogs and don't have a chance or can't get the time...or they went private and I forget to check because they don't pop up in my blog roll. I also see people's and want to say 'Hi' or see what their up to and they are private. Does that mean the door is closed...you are not wanted...you do not have a 'golden ticket' and it's because I don't like you! Or...they don't want 'Chester the Molester' looking at their kids? Is it rude to ask in a comment "hey? I'd love to catch up with 'so-and-so', would you send her/him my info?" And then wait for the "whew!" of acceptance, or the gut-blow of denial!
I could go on and on...just petty and stupid things that I frankly have overcome after a year of blogging and have learned to love my hobby for how I feel when I write and adult interaction when I'm feeling crazy. But I'm not going to pretend I haven't asked those questions.
Anyways...(I'm really finding it hard to focus now)...my point is that I thought Facebook was pretty cool. It was kind of scary how many old connections I found, but I really thought it was brilliant to see how connected we are. As a culture, a religion, a school, an age group...and I thought it wouldn't have those stigma's blogging had. Well...I was wrong.
The bottom line:
1. I'm not a very private person...maybe I should think about becoming more.
2. I guess I consider most people I have met, my 'friend'...that is my definition of friend.
3. I don't belong to any certain social circles...I'm happy to socialize with anyone, anywhere.
and 4. After a couple hours of wandering through Facebook...I feel like I wasted away those couple of hours. I didn't learn anything from "Sally is picking her nose"...but after a couple hours of blogging?...I feel more productive. Granted! Both involve being sucked into too much time in front of my computer...but for ME, in MY current situation, that's my feeling. Facebook is fun...blogging is more heartfelt.
By the way...my husband laughed at me as he had me go through my contact list...my contact at the State license renewal office...the Realtor who sold our last house...my contact for our server hosting company...many people who's names don't ring a bell, but have sent me an email and in my contacts. Because I'm careful (ha ha) and save the contact info for anyone who sends me a personal email. Why? Because 'just in case' I need to email you and can't find your email. And 'just in case'...of what?...JUST IN CASE I WANT TO INVITE YOU TO MY FACEBOOK PAGE!!!
Boy, am I friendly.
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Funny . . . btw I wasn't the Sally picking her nose was I? (Travis scares me with his facebook sometimes, just need to be sure)
Ha, Ha. Your are so funny yet I think you say exactly what we are feeling but do not say. I am glad you are my "friend". Even though we don't see each other, I always feel like I can tell you anything. Just tell me if I ever give TMI (too much info) but I highly doubt anything I say would do that. Have a good day!!!
BTW.. I need my hair cut and the rest of that stuff :-)
Stick to blogging...I am lost at facebook as well. I have a faceboook account but don't even know how I did it.
I've felt the same way about FB. I feel like I'm in high school again with the whole, should I ask for an invite, what if they don't say yes? Then I too feel like a loser.
Too funny. I was thinking I should blog about it (I have been on a blog hiatus. Can't think of anything interesting to blog about) and then read your blog.
Thanks for making me realize I'm not alone in all of this nonsense. LOL.
OMG Sherian! I feel the exact same way, and then I get overwhelemed checking people's blogs, and then I worry that they think I don't love them or think that they aren't important to me. I sure love you and I am lucky to call you a friend. Even though I don't see you that often, you are wonderful, and thanks for being you. I loved reading this, and it made me realize I am not alone in how I feel about alot of things. I like FB. Sometimes I wonder what the big deal is, and then I find myself on it for like 20 minutes! Ugh! I want to know everything about everyone all at once. Because I just don't feel like I have the time to check each blog at a time. Then I get frusterated, and just don't look at anyones and then I feel like a bad friend. It really drives me crazy, because how can I say I am wasting time on the computer when I am with friends. I mean I need a little adult interaction every now and again myself ya know! The kids convo is only good for so long. I am terrrible, and now I have written a novel. So here is my bottom line. Thanks for that. Everything you write is genius, and makes me feel so much better. You are a perfectly amazing wonderful real person!!
Ha ha! Yes you are dang funny and friendly. I hope you don't take me off your contact list or I may think we may exchange some words! AND the reason I don't have many people on my blog is not that I don't like them...it's that I don't have their EMAIL address! Facebook is fun, but not all of my "friends" will be invited to read my blog...it is more personal. I like to spy on their life a little, but really don't want that much involvement! HAHA. Lovin you and if I get my A kicked on Saturday I am blaming YOU!
I am anti Facebook! I don't need 457 acquaintances on my "friends" list to feel like I have a place in this world. I get tired of invites from people I barely know and then I feel an obligation to accept. My self-esteem is not related to the number of friends on my list. (Thanks for reading my ranting).
Most of my Facebook frustration comes from an accident I had. I was unaware that if you comment on someone's photo and another person has been tagged in that photo, they also get notification of your comment! Oops! It was one of those times that I probably shouldn't have said anything because I had nothing nice to say!
Best wishes in the Facebook world! I'll be interested in an update to see how things are going! P.S. You can invite me as a friend, you're not one of THOSE people.
Blogs are better but fb has been fun to see where all the kids from high school are now. All the "popular" kids are just regular people with regular lives. It makes me laugh and think, "why does high school have such an impact on kids when it really determines nothing for the future". does that even make sense? well it does in my brain. anyway, keep blogging.
Your blog is the only way I get to know whats happening with you and your family, so I am grateful that you are sticking with it. We love you here in Vernal!! See you this summer on the lake.
First of all, I want to aplogize for making my blog private and for a no show on your blog roll. I do have some stalkers that I don't even want them to take a peek in my blog (regretfully told them my blog address)and you're not one of them. You're obviously cool enuf to be invited. Smile. I just invite those who I don't mind stalking my blog. I'm not good at leaving comments although I love hearing comments. I know it takes 2, huh? About Facebook, I did not want to set up an account either. I kept having more and more people inviting me to facebook. I just had to stop it and set up an account. It's fun to stalk those people. No, I'm kidding. I mainly only go on FB to see pix and sometimes see what they say in their status. I know I'm pretty lame. Blog is more of a personal book I think. I love reading your blog. You always say the things that I totally agree. I am not that good of a friend to keep in touch with people either. I'm a lot like you except that I think I am more private. I dunno why tho. I dunno if it has to do with my deafness. Just used to being alone. No, no, I'm not looking for pity. I promise. It's kinda nice to be not bothered, if you know what I mean. Gosh I am leaving you a lonnnnng comment! I need to shut up. BTW I updated my blog. Smile.
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