Social Media

Let me begin by saying that I'm no Luddite. I have all sorts of modern conveniences in my home. Multiple computers, routers, iPhones....you get the idea. Technology is generally great, but sometimes things can go a little awry, especially in the minefield that is social networking. 

Let's start with Facebook.  For a while I was totally into Facebook. I reconnected with several old friends.  I stalked a few old boyfriends and was reminded of why these relationships didn't work out in the first place. Things were good for a few weeks. Then I realized that there are primarily two types of people on Facebook. The type who post every bit of minutiae going on in their lives and the type who only post the fabulousness that is their amazing existence. Frankly I don't care to know about either of these things. While I still check out Facebook occasionally, I no longer maintain the neural up-link that some seem to find indispensable.

Then there is Twitter.  I was a little late to Twitter. I have only been tweeting for about 4 months now. I am still a fan of Twitter, and check it somewhat obsessively. I have, however; recently found some flaws in our relationship. For starters, there is the whole following thing.  As of the writing of this post, I follow 34 people. If I follow your tweets it's because I'm interested in what you have to say, I will actually read what you have written. I will occasionally get follow notices from people I don't know. At first I was somewhat flattered by this. I thought that someone must have found me interesting enough to read what I had to say. Then I checked these strangers accounts. When you discover that your new best friend is already following 12,000 other people it kinda puts a damper on that whole feeling special thing.  Really, once you're following more than, say, 600 tweeters there's no way you can keep up.

Finally, there is blogging. This is not actually my first blog. I started my first blog about 6 years ago because one of my cool friends had one.  No one read it. NO. ONE. It was pretty much my own fault.  I didn't know how to gain any exposure for myself and frankly wasn't really sure that I wanted anyone to read what I had to say anyway. Since then I have either gained some confidence or lost some modesty. Either way, I'm so glad to have you all here reading my thoughts.

Blogs are great because you can be picky about what you read.  If someone is constantly writing about how fabulous their job/kid/hamster or about their botched plastic surgery or their strange potato fetish you can just stop reading.  But you are just as likely to become interested in someone who you would never meet in your real life like a cool struggling artist, or a German Geology student.  And whatever you ARE into chances are there is a blog for you.  like haiku?   Into woodworking?  can't get enough knitting?
Blogs have got you covered.

Blogs can be well written or cn b ritten n txt spk. Blogs can be fascinating, or mundane - though the best are usually both. At any rate, I think/hope that blogging is here to stay 'cause I'm in it for the long haul!!