On the road this morning to get my hair cut! Yes, I know this excitement seems a bit over the top but I’ve put it off for months. My hair is baby fine and when it gets too long – which it is – it just doesn’t look good. If I parted my hair down the middle, I’d look exactly like I looked in college. And I’m not in college, if you know what I mean. I’m going to tell Amanda to take 3 1/2 inches off.
I have a love/hate thing with social media. Everyone is tweeting, it seems, or texting, or on Facebook. I have a twitter account. I’ve had it for months. I think I’ve tweeted twice. And I had to force myself to. I can’t help but wonder who the heck cares about the minutia of my life? I don’t even care, so why should I expect someone else to? It just looks like an endless time-waster to me. Rather that tweeting about a moment, how about living in the moment?
I love Facebook for one thing: I have reconnected with former students and friends from theater, high school, college and grad school. That is simply wonderful. That’s what I use Facebook for. To connect to people I care about and who live all over the world.
The thing about Facebook that irritates me is the endless self-promoting that goes on there. Of course, we all want to share good news, it’s only natural. But when post after post is about ‘look at me…I did this or I did that’ – my eyes glaze over. It turns me off. The truth about me is that I’ve never been comfortable bragging about myself or listing my accomplishments. Don’t get me wrong, I’m proud of what I’ve accomplished. But I’m not a person who feels the need to tell everyone about it. Nine times out of ten, it’s my husband who will sneak in a post about something I’m involved in. And sometimes I will tell him not to!
I don’t link my blog posts there. I don’t want a Facebook page for this blog. Why do I need another page with fans when I already have you all here? I don’t get it. The time that it would take to maintain a blog Facebook page is time I’d rather devote to…the blog.
Maybe it’s just me? After all, with reality television, social media and YouTube, we have entered a world that is often about ‘me, me, me.’ I’m clearly not of this generation. I wasn’t raised to constantly toot my own horn. Maybe it’s that Midwestern Protestant upbringing?
The irony that I have a blog hasn’t escaped me. I love to chat about things here on this blog. But that seems different to me. I hope it’s different. I’m naturally self-deprecating. Most of the time, I see life through a humorous lens. Observations about life are the basis for most of my posts.
I’m sure I will occasionally share something I’m proud of – something I made or some decorating ideas – after all, I share something or other with you every day. But I promise not to make that the focus of this blog. I think of this blog as a potpourri of observations, ideas, projects, and the occasional heartfelt rant.
What are your thoughts on social media? Mine are clearly conflicted!
I have to get going. I’m closing with another photo of Ms. Smartie Scout:
She’s brilliant, isn’t she? And a bit crazy.
Whoops! It’s Thursday and that means Thrifty Living 2012 and I totally forgot to send you over to Elaine’s blog – where she is going to share about homemade household cleaners. Stop by!
I so agree, again, Claudia. I don’t twitter. I joined Pinterest just to see what was going on. After reading your post on liability, I deleted my 10 pins. I enjoy FB to keep track of my family and friends. My circle doesn’t seem to be the “self promoting” type. I have a cousin that uses it to bash political parties. This is getting very old to me. I also know a few that advertise their work……etsy, real estate. I don’t like that as well. Just recently I ended up freinding someone that I didn’t want to……I never did anything. This person is not a person I want to be friends with. I haven’t made any posts as I don’t want them to come up on their FB.
BLOGGING is different. I love my friends in the blogging world. I sign to follow ones that need prayers and encouragement and others I feel like I would want to be friends with in real life. I don’t link my blog on FB. It’s funny none of my relatives even read my blog. I don’t even think my friends do. I don’t think they get it, and that is just fine.
Oh, I am windy this morning.
Show us a picture of your new haircut. I finally bit the bullet and got a good haircut a couple weeks ago……but my hair seems to be soooo long.
Have a happy day.
I feel EXACTLY like you do, Claudia. WHO has the time? I am not a Twit(ter) and I don’t do FB because of our dil’s job as a federal agent…for her protection. I guess I just don’t get it. I spend enough time blogging without spending MORE time telling others that I blog, etc. I wonder how far this will all go and if it might “wear off” in time? I see that some of the younger people are already taking their FB’s down.
Hope you post a picture of your new “do”. xo Diana
I could not agree with you more. When my daughter will read something to me from facebook it is almost always a brag from someone. Some of the things we have first hand knowledge by knowing the grandparents that what the younger ones have said on facebook mostly isn’t true. Such a sad waste of time trying to impress everyone. I’m somewhat content with my life and have no reason to brag. I live a simple, consistent life style and feel at peace with it. Thank you for sharing what I did not have the words to say.
I can’t wait to see your haircut; be sure and post a photo as soon as you get home!
The trouble with social media is that there’s too much! I don’t know how many accounts I have, Twitter, Facebook, My Space, etc… At first I used FB a lot, but then, you get tired of reading that someone is at Taco Bell eating a burrito! Plus, that’s just one more app that takes away my time in the “real world”.
You can unsubscribe to a person’s updates on Facebook. Just click to the small gray arrow to the right of their FB entry and the option is there. It won’t unsubscribe you to the person…. only to their updates and then they won’t annoy you with their self promotions… LOL I unsubscribe from updates a lot.
Claudia, sweetheart, this post says everything that I feel about social media and more. I have a Twitter account, but haven’t uttered a tweet. I maintain three FB pages, one for me, one for my nursery, and one for our nonprofit canine cancer organization, and I feel like a do a half-way job on all of them. Reconnecting and keeping up with friends (both new and old) is the best part of FB.
I have done what Di suggests, and I have unsubscribed from people who endlessly self promote. Now that I think of it, I have a few more that have earned the ‘unsubscribe’ status. (No one’s life and/or children can possibly be THAT wonderful.)
We won’t talk about haircuts. I need one in the worst way, but I’m being an ostrich about it.
First, I too, am getting a haircut today. Now, about this social media thing. It all way too much isn’t… I just can’t keep up with it all. And these kids today are crazy to put it all out there. I follow all my niece and nephew and boy have they forgot they “friended” their Auntie Kate. Now, I don’t comment as then they shut me out. Time to leave for my bang trim.
Claudia,
I joined Facebook to connect with family and friends. When I first started blogging last year, I did post a link to my blog and asked my friends to take a look and provide some feedback.
The thing I hate most about Facebook are all the games and the requests I get to join the games. I got tired of seeing constant postings about Farmville, Fishville, Mafia Wars, Poker and all the other array of games. I check into Facebook once in awhile but I’m not very fond of it.
I’m like you I don’t tend to self promote but I noticed where I work that those that self promote seem to get promoted and they get raises. My new boss said I need to continuously put down my accomplishments for the year and to ask people for letters saying what a great job I did. She says it’s important to do this every year for my annual review because managers don’t remember what I did during the year. I tell you, I’m not very comfortable with this but I could use a raise so I guess I’ll have to tread a fine line between self-promotion and listing my accomplishments. I joined Twitter and posted one tweet. I DON’T like it. Who in the world wants to hear what I have to say. After one full year of blogging, I still don’t get many readers but those that I have connected with are good enough for me. I joined a few linky parties but that’s not me either.
I guess we all have to try things on to see how it fits.
~Sandy
Two words: Hate it! I have a facebook page—under a fake name—so I can see photos of my grandkids and great grandkids but that’s it. My granddaughter and daughter think I’m nuts, but I don’t care. I like to preserve as much privacy as I can. I tweeted ONCE and got filthy language so that did it for me. I quit twitter and removed my name. While there is some bad about the social media there is a wealth of good, sugar, so I just do what is good and not care about the bad. It’s a struggle though.
xoxo,
Connie
I kind of want to keep my life on Facebook with my friends seperate from my blog life. Sometimes I may share something on my blog I do not tell friends and vice versa. Does Scout agree?
Nothing like a visit to the salon to lift the spirit! Enjoy your trip and new do!
I initially joined FB only to keep up with some of the younger members of the family. They are more likely to communicate through it, than through other venues. I have also enjoyed reconnecting with high school and college friends with whom I had completely lost touch. I do also have a page for my business, and must admit it is has been beneficial. However, I also tire of the constant self promotion, political opinions and petty comments. With recent changes in my vision, I am being forced to limit my time online. FB may be on the chopping block!
I guess it’s there for those who like it. If you don’t, just pass!
S
xo
I agree social media is a bit too much these days. FB is fun to reconnect with people which I’ve done lately and had fun with it. But I must admit I don’t really know that much about FB. I find it a bit intimidating. And Twitter, My Space, and the rest. Haven’t a clue.
And Scout looks so much smarter. It’s true that glasses make us smarter. That’s why we have to get them as we age. I’m getting so old and smart I just can hardly stand it. :)
Soon after I joined FB my email acct. was compromised. I decided to discontinue using FB just in case that was where the problem started. I’m very shy about bragging about what I can do. As you say, my husband often tells about me.You described why I blog so well…when you listed observations etc.I really enjoy your blog…and you enjoy that haircut today.
Balisha
Lately I’ve started to feel that social media takes too much of my time. More and more I realize that I spend too much time on the computer. I’ve never been interested in twitting. Who would be interested in reading “Hey, I’m doing my dishes” or “I’m walking my garbage to the chute” or “I just embarked on the elevator”. Ha! Ha! Ha! I live a very quiet life and that’s what I like.
I like Connie’s idea about joining FB using a fake name. This is brilliant and so funny! Just like her, the only reason I ever joined FB was to see my family’s photos.
Anyways, I need to cut down the time I spend on the computer. I could be working on my dollhouse or writing. I run to the computer a zillion times during the day. All my friends are in my computer! I ask Google question after question in the course of a day. Am I the only one who does that?
As for the haircut, I cut my own hair. However, I think I’m due for a professional cut one of these days. I’m looking forward to seeing your new cut, Claudia! Wonder what Scout will think of it. She’ll probably look you over with an analytic look on her face! Priceless with those glasses!
I agree with you Claudia,
I have a FB account and it has been fun to reconnect with old friends from school and relatives which I may have never heard from again if it weren’t for social media formats like that. I’ve never Twittered and don’t care to, nor do I follow a Twitter (?) That being said, such sites are definitely formats for “self promoting”…it is mind boggling that anyone could possible KNOW 957 people, let alone be “friends” with them :) I try to spend no more than a couple of minutes per day to check in and see what’s up with my close friends, but even that can sometimes be more of a bother than not. I have signed up for a Pinterest account but am afraid to “PIN” anything because I don’t want to be drawn in to yet another format like this….
what’s a person to do? I enjoy your blog and follow a few others on a regular basis. I like that you are a real person, with real problems like the rest of us. Life isn’t all “Sunshine and Lollipops” and it’s refreshing to follow blogs of people that aren’t afraid to let their warts show :)
feel the same.
i have less than 20 people on my facebook..it is for people that do not live nearby that i love.
no twitter for me tried it and it was all about promoting… people.. sites etc.. bleh.oh an arguing everyone wanted to take their bickering to the streets. weird.
i read a handful of blogs.
i never think you are self promoting by the way..you and brenda keep it real and i like it.
love scout..the effects you used are stunning.
happy haircut day!!
I remember when going in for a haircut was wonderous and the best place to be entertained with social media (talk about twittering!). I learned more stuff waiting for my shampoo and cut! It was wonderful. Now it’s a private affair, in a little beautiful room – but she still has gossip magazines and shares amazing stories. As for FaceBook? My husband and I share and we only have ‘friends’ that at least one of us has shared a meal with (you’ve got to draw the line somewhere) and even with some of those I’ve done as Diane suggested and blocked much of what they ramble on about. Hope you are enjoying your new do.
I had my haircut yesterday, after waiting for months as usual. It’s really in my best interest to keep my hair cut frequently as the weight of it when it gets long shows just how thin my hair is …
Anywho, social media. I don’t see the need for a separate Page for your blog either … I have Twitter Feed (I think) automatically push my blog posts to my feed — it’s no extra work for me beyond set up — and any of my 213 friends might be intrigued enough to read my post. I’ve had fellow church folks comment and sometimes acquaintances … but Facebook for all its frustrating privacy issues seems to be the place I hang out most.
I have a Twitter account and I check it on my phone when I’m bored and have Wifi. It also gets sent my blog posts, or my “1,000 gifts” posts through the “1,000 Gifts” app. but that’s about all I do with it.
Pinterest I’m really taking too, although I have to review my pins to see if they go back to the original source. I know I have a good chunk of Tumblr ones and I’ve tried getting back to the original sources beyond those not always with success. But I’ll work on that in my copious spare time.
I joined Facebook once years ago so I could see pictures my son had posted. The result was a barrage of invites from people I never heard of and never wanted to hear from. So I never posted anything on my site. Since then I STILL get invitations to be friends although over a year ago I managed to find directions for unsubscribing. Obviously it didn’t work — very irritating.
I don’t “join” any other sites because of that experience and another bad one with PayPal.
Blogging is different — the women are wonderful and I can find blogs that fit me well and whose authors I would love to meet in real life. That’s the bonus.
Hi Claudia! THANK YOU!!!!!!!! I get so disgusted with social media on a regular basis that I have to rant about it to a friend from college that I re-connected with on Facebook! :-D True! I see from my blog’s stats, however, that one of my biggest sources of traffic is Facebook! So many times I’ve wanted to drop everything but the blog–that’s the only thing I really enjoy out of all of that stuff. My temporary solution has been to do the minimum on Facebook, Twitter and Google+. It takes me 10 minutes per week to do what I do there. Then I can spend the time where I enjoy it. But I still have a really hard time with the self-promotion aspect of it–my own–it makes me want to gag. It’s supposedly what I need to do to make some money. Here’s a big secret that I’m now telling the world: I’ve never made a dime selling my greeting cards online even after all of the mad tweeting, Facebooking, blogging, Etsy shop, Google+, etc for the last YEAR. Instead, I’ve sold every one of my greeting cards in a face-to-face exchange where people could really see and touch my cards. So why do I keep doing that social media stuff? I don’t have a good answer. I’d love to go back to a simple life with some lovely blogging–that would really be blissful! :-) Jennifer
I don’t use Twitter but I have gotten a lot from Facebook. It’s been fun to catch up with some childhood friends, be in touch almost daily with family around the country, and it’s a great tool for people in the horse world. I suppose that’s true for other “industries” as well. But for photo sharing, I have to say Google+ has a very large photography community and that’s inspirational to an amateur like myself. It’s just an individual choice so we all have the option to get involved to any degree.
On the bus (or even on the street) people have their cell phones gripped in their hands like life-support systems. They’re continually consulting it, texting into it, talking into it. They say it keeps them connected while in fact it disconnects them from what’s real and happening around them at that moment. It’s a bubble of media, an isolation bubble, that prevents them from experiencing where they truly are at that moment. When I walk to work (or take the bus) I like to look around and notice things. To feel part of the landscape and activity around me. I feel the same way about cameras on holidays: you can either take endless pictures, viewing everything through the barrier of a lens, or you can look up and see it with your heart, eyes and mind and carry that image with you always. A certain number of photos is lovely, but stop and just LOOK at things rather than always trying to digitally capture them. In that captivity, I think you actually lose something…
I know what you mean about the haircut. I have that same kind of hair and REALLY need to get it cut.
I don’t Twitter, and I’ve gotten bad about checking my Facebook page. I use it mostly to keep up with family members far away.
I know a lot of people use Facebook as some kind of competition, to see how many ‘friends’ they can get. Others have done well using it for business.
I guess it’s all in what you want to do with the time you have.
Hope we get to see the new haircut.
I’m with BEACH BUNGALOW’S thought.
ciao bella
Creative Carmelina
xo
Miss Scout looks wonderful this morning! I have a facebook account to keep up with friends and family who live far away. I don’t post very often.
Suzan
Ladybug Cottage
Hear, hear!
I have Facebook for the same reasons as you do – to keep in contact with friends from various stages and places in my life. I don’t want it connected with my blog at all.
It takes enough time to blog and I’ve never bothered signing up for Twitter. Pinterest I use for bookmarking things I come across, but I’m rarely on the site to browse. I like the way it categorizes things and I can easily find what I’ve pinned. I do follow other pinners, but looking at their boards is becoming less and less important. I’ve decided I’d rather be living my life than planning/talking/discussing it.
I don’t Twitter or tweet or whatever and have no interest in starting. I have a love/hate relationship with Facebook. Because of it, I’ve reconnected with some wonderful family members and keep in touch. Love it. But, the negative is that there are one or two friends who use it as a way to constantly update me on their super gifted children. It’s like getting those obnoxious Christmas letters all year long. Not that I’m knocking all Christmas letters. But, you know the ones I’m talking about.
Whew! Thank you for letting me get this off my chest!
I have to agree with you on most points, Claudia. Out of it all, i like the blogging format best and I don’t link it to FB, just because, I don’t know, I just don’t want to. My son loves to tweet and usually does it for business as he is in an industry that is heavily dependent on social media. So, it’s perfect for him. I have a twitter account mainly to see what he’s up to.
Scout, surely you’ve moved on to “The Long Hard Winter” by now.
Ann
Well, I have a love/hate relationship with FB and do not comment much, just send private messages. It’s been great to connect with high school and work friends though, and stay in touch with relatives. No tweeting for me. And as for Pinterest, I agree with Debby, after reading your post it scares me. It looks like another time-grabbing monster.
I’d love to hear Scout’s words of wisdom on this topic of me, me, me. Think she’d get it??? Okay, down to business here. I have a blog which is truly my outlet to the world. I find the other social “outlets” a bit inane, if you know what I mean. If I spent time on those sites, my blog would most certainly suffer. I can’t spread myself that thin. So I choose to focus on my blog, and now the shop is enough to take the rest of the hours of the day over. I don’t really give a hooter’s damn what someone had at Starbucks. Or whether they threw up three times after eating at a restaurant. Or the other hundreds of tiny little things that make up our lives. How would I ever find time to take photos, if all I did was talk about them? I find these people that make up this other “social networking” a bit lacking in confidence, or very narcissistic. And boy, I know about that one from being married! I think we use to call it “get a life” didn’t we?
Brenda
Well, Claudia, since I don’t have any of the following accounts, i.e. Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Linkedin, Flickr, etc., I’m guessing you can see where I fit into the Social Media circus! I hardly have enough time to keep up with my work (as you know, the self-employed don’t know what a 40 hour work week is!), my family, our pets, my house (cooking, cleaning, etc.), and my blogs. Now I’m heading back to do more transcribing! Enjoy your new (shorter) hairstyle!… Donna
Hi Claudia,
Stopping by to say hello.
IMO there is just too much emphasis on all the social media. I do not understand Twitter and Facebook has been good for reconnecting with old friends and family.
Pinterest is questionable.
I’m with you. It’s my blog that means the most to me.
hugs
Sissie
Your thoughts were so interesting about this, Claudia. You know, I’ve never considered it “tooting my own horn” but rather talking about things I am so passionate about – of which I often talk about my work with my special needs pet, Frankie and the lives she has touched.
I also think, women have been taught not to “toot their own horn” as if something is wrong with that and that we may have an ego. But when I think you do it from your heart it is recognized in that way. When you don’t, I think people can see through that too. I think more people (especially women) should be proud of who they are and what they’ve done – so often we hide in fear of tooting (err, well, you know what I mean!).
I guess for me it comes from finally believing in me, and liking me and all that I stand for that I don’t consider it tooting your own horn. And when you share what you are passionate about, you tend to atrract that tribe – and how cool is that? :)
Just my humble thoughts.
~Barbara
I like FB for just the reconnecting with old friends and family. I almost never make a status update or whatever they call it. I am thinking I am on the computer much too much anymore. I can see how people get addicted to all the social media stuff but I am trying very hard not to do it. It’s not easy.~Hugs, Patti
Claudia, I have a lot of strong feelings about social media. I do not use Twitter and fail to see the point of it. Facebook is used for wrong on so many levels. Recently teens at our local high school created a “burn” list of un-popular or what they described as “un-desirable” students. It was taken down of course but adults do not behave much better. I know of people who have connected with old flames and gotten divorced. I have a personal account just to check on my kid who is in college. I never post. I do not connect my blog to FB. I did that a few times but was uncomfortable when I did it and will not do it again. I am not good at self promotion either and I guess that shows but I am fine with it. I have not joined Pinterest and have never planned to do so. That is artistic theft on many levels. My little blog is enough internet interaction and I find many kindred spirits here. olive
I joined facebook about two years ago and never went back on again. I don’t know why. I don’t twitter either. I guess I feel it would take up too much time. I am satisfied with my little blog.
Blessings, Joanne
Your friend Olive says it all, and most of the other commenters are in agreement by looks of it. As for me, I ONLY have my now 5 year old blog, enabling me to keep in touch with all the lovely longtime, and some new, friends who stop by to see me – which I so enjoy. I do not subscribe to any social media sites and never will. I have seen young people in my own family seriously hurt by Facebook – it has become the curse of modern society. As for that Pinterest thing, from the little I know of it I have a feeling people are breaking the law stealing others photos etc., and that it also becomes an addiction using up far too much precious time! I spend too much time just blogging, e-mailing, researching etc., so cannot even think of doing anything else online!
Hope you are happy with your new haircut dear – may we see you soon please? That sweet Scout looks adorable here – great pic Claudia.
Sorry I’ve not been able to comment whilst away – I’ll try to make time to read all your missed post though as soon as I’m caught up – I so dislike being out of the loop!
Hugs – Mary
I have a love, hate relationship with social media. Yes, I too come from an era where one didn’t spend time blowing one’s own horn. That being said, as someone who makes a living selling online, I have found out the hard way that social media is an integral part of promoting your business. I have a facebook fan page for my business and a twitter account for my business. These are the places where I promote my business. I seldom promote my business on my blog. I want my blog to be more about living a vintage life. Yes, I do get business from my blog and that is wonderful, because I do have to make a living. I just don’t want that to be the focus there. :)
Laura
Good Morning Claudi
I enjoy the blogs here of yours. I also got my hair cut three days ago. My friend said. Post it on your blog. So I have. I get growing it long my hair and then it looks a mess. Then when do I get time to cut it. When I look in the mirror and say . Oh my. Who is that old lady starring back at me and frowning. I do not do twitter, I tried Linky oh what a confusing site there. I was out of there. I have Facebook Grandkids got me on there two years ago or more. Now they are at a point. They dont want Grandparents using the wall. I do not like constant postings to me for Farmville or Fishville. I do like blogs here and I follow them but I also know that some people doing crafts feel they are better then others.So they do not bother to make friends or follow. Alot use pricey craft material. I used what I can and my Imagination. So far I have like 8 followers. Maybe I am a Social butterfly and some may think I am blowing my own horn or my craft or my blog is of know interest to them. I am very much a blogger and I do like people who treat me with respect and I do the same to them. So that is me. Each to there own. We can not please everyone can we. I do like your blog. Yes show us your hair cut. I love mine so may you I am sure. I am 70 so I can use all the comments. (Kidding) It is much easier to manage. Have a great week.I enjoyed your comments here of others.