ToT Topic: Social media (Twitter, Facebook, Google+)-what does it provide for you? Do you use it primarily to keep in touch with people? Do you use it to network for your job? Are you a social media junkie? What are the pros and cons of social media?
We may have covered this topic before for ToT, but I honestly can't remember. I'm not going to elaborate too much because it's late, and I want to go to bed soon, plus I don't have a ton to say about social media. I do not tweet, twitter, or what have you. I do not have a phone that is smart enough for instagram, and I don't even know what Google+ is. Seriously, what is it? Someone tell me. I do however use Facebook. Since I'm a stay at home mom, I don't use it to network for my job, unless it's to set up a play date. I have to admit that I very rarely checked facebook at all until about six months or so ago.
It all began on a rainy afternoon....just kidding. My husband surprised me with a Kindle Fire for my birthday last year. I have to admit, I wasn't too excited about it at first. I love to read, but I love to read books. I like the feeling of turning the pages, and looking at the covers. I like examining the different type faces. I'm a dork. What can I say. An old fashioned dork. So, the Kindle Fire collected dust for a couple of months. Then, I realized we have wifi at my house, and I can use the Kindle (seriously, I need to give it a nickname so I don't have to type, "The Kindle" fifty million times. The Kindle will now be referred to as Gretta) to check my email and facebook. This may have been a huge mistake. See, I couldn't really check email and facebook that much when my husband was working in our home office because he was on the computer. The office in our house also happens to be freezing cold due to poor insulation, so no one really wants to spend much time in there. Anyways, now Gretta makes it too convenient to be on facebook and email. I find myself spending way too much time checking out Gretta instead of doing other important things...like the dishes, or reading the newspaper. Anyways, I'm getting off topic.
I use facebook to keep up with what's going on with my friends and family. I like sharing funny moments in my day or news about my family or what's going on in my world on facebook. I try to walk that fine line between what I think people may want to know, and what is socially acceptable on facebook. The trouble with that is, everyone has a different opinion on what is or is not acceptable. I often hear people complaining about the subject material of their friend's posts or pictures. Everyone has an opinion on what should or should not be "shared." For a long time, that kept me from posting anything. Now, I just don't care. If I'm having a bad hair day, and I need to express that to someone besides my 3 year old and the dog, then I'm going to do it! No one can stop me. :) If I want to put up yet another picture of my cute kids, then so be it. I like to think that the people that are my friends will enjoy seeing my kids, yet again... in another goofy picture. I post them especially for family and friends that live far away, and for those that live close, well, if they are really my friends, then they will just put up with it. :0) At some point everyone has over "shared" and I think we all just need to cut each other some slack, or instead of complaining about a certain friend's 900 "sunshine and rainbows" posts, tell them, hey, stop shoving your stinking happiness in my social media face all the time why don't you?" Geez. By the way, that last bit is directed to no one I know in particular. Just saying, I get tired of hearing people ***complain about what other people are posting. If it bothers you that much, just tell the person that you are complaining about. Maybe they think everyone is enjoying what they share, and don't realize that maybe they need to mix it up a little bit. Who knows. I think Facebook is what you choose to make of it, and if I don't want to see what you are posting in my daily newsfeed, then I will just hit the "hide" button, and move on with my life.
Wow, this last paragraph sounds pretty hostile and snarky. I kind of got on a little bit of a soapbox there. I never do that. Sorry folks. So, um, what kind of role does social media play in your life? Check out what the other ToT ladies have to say while I go take a nap or eat some chocolate.
***when I say people, I mean myself included. I am also completely guilty of complaining about posts I see or items that people share. I'm going to make an effort to stop being so over critical, and I know it's something I will have to be more aware of.
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