Hello again world! It's been a LOOONG time!
So much has changed since my last post, but I feel like with all the other social media(s) (is that word pluralized??) out there you already know what's been going on! So, I don't really feel the need to update you on the past, but instead the present and future!
So a few weeks ago I decided that I had had enough with Facebook. It has always been a source of annoyance for Everett ("Why are you so OBSESSED with Facebook??" Let's face it.. it got annoying just hearing that everyday..), so with Lent coming up I decided to give it up. Now I knew better than to completed delete my account.. I have been on it since 2004, the beginning of college, and I feel like it's been a great chronicle of my adulthood. Yes, I AM one of those people who reminisces of the "gold ol' days" on Facebook, where the only colleges, I repeat COLLEGES, that had access to Facebook were Harvard and the University of Kansas.. OK and maybe a few other.. COLLEGES. It made networking and making friends at my new school so much easier. But then things started to change.. first they let colleges like Missouri join.. Mistake #1. Then they let students in high school join.. Mistake #2. THEN, the cherry on top of that cake o' mistakes, they let anyone join. And that is when Facebook fell apart.
A lot of people are embarrassed by the fact that their parents are on Facebook. I can't say that because my mom joined back when it was only for college students.. because she WAS in college. My biggest problem is all of those people out there who use Facebook for what it was not intended, and after my few week hiatus I want to share what I have discovered.
THINGS FACEBOOK IS NOT FOR:
1. Making inappropriate announcements on Facebook: Please don't immediately get on Facebook to announce the death of someone or that someone, like my grandma, is in the hospital. It is very troublesome for those of us not in immediate contact with family... Make sure everyone knows about it before posting it all over the internet.
2. Talking to Facebook directly: Facebook is not a person, don't tell it good morning.. It won't respond back... I promise.
3. Airing your dirty laundry: Do I really want to hear that your baby daddy isn't paying child support? Not really.. It only makes me talk crap about you behind your back... Which is my reason for why it was appropriate to give up for Lent- It makes me become judgmental...
4. Telling your "friends" about your day.. step.. by.. step..: Again, I promise, we don't care how many grapes your child ate for snack. We don't care that you had to pee as soon as you woke up. We don't care that you are bored or tired or any other mundane thing you have to say about your day. If you would like to share step by step let me give you two other places to air that information: invent your own blog or go to twitter. *I may have previously broken this rule, but it has since stopped.
5. Using Facebook as your personal therapist: What really gets me going are these people who complain NONSTOP about their problems.. no not the occasional bad day.. I'm talking every day they want to tell us their problems. I'm fairly certain most of your Facebook friends are not licensed therapists. If you "want a boyfriend", get off Facebook and find one. If you are "sad and lonely", get off Facebook and find some friends. Hey.. it's what we're all thinking..
6. Using Facebook to repeatedly promote something: Once a day is fine. When you post something once an hour I consider you spam.. and will report you.
7. Only using Facebook to play the lame games: Ok, once again I may have broken this one in the past. But I have been off the games for at least a year.
8. Your only means of communication to your friends: Let's face it, if you don't talk to them outside of Facebook, then they aren't your friend. Thus the reason I plan on deleting a BUNCH of people as soon as I return.
I'm pretty sure I could come up with more but that's all I have for now.
THINGS FACEBOOK SHOULD BE USED FOR:
1. Posting APPROPRIATE pictures of events, trips, etc.: My definition of appropriate has changed over the years. I noticed this when I went back to some of the pictures I had on here from my early days and was horrified by what I saw. They were deleted or hidden from the world.
2. Keeping in touch with people that have been separated from you due to circumstances beyond your control: i.e. your husband's job forcing you to move to England.
3. Sending your friends something you found on the internet that you felt they needed to see: Because not everyone is on Pinterest yet...
4. Making important announcements to the masses: Because it's easier than sending out 100 text messages. By the way- Congrats to all those who are announcing any pregnancies or pending nuptials that have recently announced via Facebook. It has actually been refreshing getting to be excited for these people face to face so they can see my very excited reaction!
5. Inviting people to events: Because it's easier than sending out 100 text messages and a more organized way of getting RSVPs.
6. Having important groups that give helpful information: Remember the days when groups on Facebook were titled "70s Rock Club Party" and that's really what it was about. A group of people who were attending a fake 70's Rock Club Party. (No... I NEVER added myself to one of those groups...........) Anyway.. those are not the ones I'm talking about. I'm talking about groups for a class reunion for example, or a spouse group for my husbands squadron. They are places where I can get helpful information that has to do with the real world. Although I did enjoy convincing people to make me an admin and give me a cool title. I wish I could remember my title from the Rock Club Party that I was never in...
Now I'm not posting this to tell everyone how to use Facebook (or am I??), I'm just letting you know how I will proceed to use Facebook in the future. And if you don't want to follow by my rules, then I'll have to come up with some other form of communication to get in touch with you if necessary.
By this point I know many of you are thinking, if she has this many issues, why doesn't she just block all those people. Well... the point of Facebook is not to block all of your friends who annoy you. (Which if they annoy you they probably aren't your friend and should be deleted.) So, no.. I will not block them because if they do have something important to say.. some day.. I want to know about it.
After my Facebook fast is over, I can't wait to get back on and delete my non-friends. Just think about how much more exciting my high school reunion will be when I don't know who married whom, or that person is that other person's baby daddy. Or she married HIM? Or wow their kid is ugly/adorable. It will be so much more entertaining than already knowing!
ANY WAY, I made a huge space because I'm segmenting into another topic: My return to blogging. Now it isn't official until I actually start, but my Facebook fast has helped me realize how much I feel I need to tell the world. So maybe venting on an appropriate social media where only the people who are actually interested in what I have to say will read it would be a nice change for me.
With that said, did you hear that Jan is in the hospital? Have a great day, Facebook! Ugh.. I wish Everett would stop leaving is dirty underwear on the floor. I'm off to the gym, after that I'm going to do a Jillian Michaels workout video, eat some dinner, play with my puppies, and eventually go to bed. I'm so depressed that my husband had to work today and has to go to school tonight... I'm so lonely... (HEY.. it's my blog I can do what I want!!)
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