formerly Diane's Addled Ramblings... the ramblings are still addled, just like before, and the URL is still the same...
it's just the title at the top of the page that's new

Friday, January 29, 2010

I Was Afraid This Would Happen...

I have discovered yet another online addiction.

Facebook.

You guys know I resisted starting a page for ages. I didn't see the point, really. I was certain it was just another time-suck. But I gave in, figuring I'd just see what it was like and, sure I was going to hate it, thought I'd delete my page within a week or two. Yeah. Right. That was several months and 125 friends ago. It's actually been pretty cool, I have to admit. I don't play any of the games or pass virtual drinks around or hit anyone with virtual pillows, but I do 'play' on it every day. It's enabled me to get back in touch with people I never imagined I'd ever hear from again. It allows me to just drop quick notes to friends to let them know I'm thinking of them, without having to do the long, back-and-forth email thing. Cool.

An unexpected benefit of FB has been the writing. For those of you who don't know, FB lets you post 'status updates' as often as you'd like. You get 240 characters (about 4 lines) to say what you want to say (and oddly, most people wind up referring to themselves in the 3rd person, as each post starts with your name). The character limit really requires some creative writing, especially for wordy people like me. Not everyone is wordy, though, and some people use them to tell their friends pretty much everything they're doing...

"Mary is waiting for her kid at the orthodontist."
"Joe just ate a steak for dinner."
"Susan is going to the bathroom."

OK, well, that bathroom one might have been a bit of an exaggeration, but you get the picture. I don't use FB for updates like that. I don't think anyone really needs (or wants) to know when I'm going to Target or how many times I peed in one day (unless, of course, I peed a shocking number of times... that might be notable). I thought I'd give you a few of the posts I've put in the past couple of weeks, since I haven't been around here much. They'll give you an idea of what I've been up to... or not...

Diane was alarmed and disappointed at the ease and speed with which the words 'dumb' and 'ass' shot out of her 10-year-old's mouth. Her 10-year-old was alarmed and disappointed at her own clear lack of discretion. She was also just a little scared of her mother's Evil Eye, which very nearly reduced her to mere ash... dumb ash.

Diane thinks that grown men who declare their affinity for Star Wars on their license plates and have pictures of Yoda and Luke Skywalker emblazoned on the back windows of their trucks probably don't get a lot of dates.

Diane wonders if it's terrible that I laughed REALLY hard when I saw a photo of my ex's new wife (you know, the one to whom he has not actually admitted being married) and noted that she has gained all the weight (and more) that I've lost this year. OK, you know what? I don't care if it's terrible... it's FUN-NY!

Diane believes that if talking was an Olympic sport, she'd be raising a gold medalist.

Diane has a 10-year-old who came home from school this afternoon feeling ugly, stupid, and clumsy. I felt so bad for her that I didn't tell her how those days still happen, even when you're 44.

Diane does not understand the point in separating whites from colors (as in laundry, not people... no, wait... as in people, too!) IF there is nothing in the 'colors' pile that will run. I also see no point in owning an iron as long as Downey keeps producing their bottled wrinkle releaser. Just sayin'.

Diane is considering drowning her supremely cranky 10-year-old in the supremely flooded basement. Yeah. It's Monday.

Diane had a dream last night that I got my feet stuck behind my head and someone took a picture and posted it on FB. I actually did get stuck like that when I was a kid and my mom had to unstick me. I just checked, though, and I can no longer do it (shock and surprise, right?!). I can, however, still touch my toes to my nose. I don't expect the need to do so will arise often, though. Nor will a photo of it.

Facebook. Fun. Addictive. Bit of a time-suck. But fun. Really!

22 comments:

Rachel Cotterill said...

You made me laugh :) I didn't even know Facebook had a character limit. You'd be good on Twitter.

A Woman Of No Importance said...

You're right, Diane, about keeping in touch with people on FB, it's good for that...

I've caught up with reading your bloglet, (I've been lurking and not commenting, but still reading, owing to crappy time pressures, for a while) and am very interested in your focus on goal-setting and how it's helped to change your thinking - Did you read anything, Diane, that helped you to alter your mindset? I'd be very interested in understanding that... I'm not good at setting goals. I kind of just drift, twitter, warble, flutter! My love to you! xox

Zuzana said...

I have definitely noticed your addiction.;)
I have been on facebook for almost 4 years now and it just simply has not that appeal for me.;) But I am an exception to the rule, I think.;)
xo
Zuzana

Debbie said...

we share the addiction..and for all the same reasons:)! ALTHO I love annoying my brother in law by posting how many loads of laundry I have done, how many times I have left the house and how many bills I have to pay! hee hee! The bathroom thing might really send him into spasms! Seriously he has hidden my posts! Cracks me up!!..no hidden family issues here! NO siree!!! LOL!!!

Lori P said...

I couldn't agree more! I've reconnected with tons of people from the past and long lost family on Facebook. I LOVE LOVE the way you're commenting. It's inspiring and maybe I'll have to spice mine up a little. :)

Have a great weekend.

Anonymous said...

Hey now...listen missy!! Don't you be spending all your time in that place!!!

You're blog was here first...etc..etc!!
You've got people here who want to see how you're doing!!

Seriously though...I do know so many people who get so much out of it.

It obviously makes you happy Diane so...ENJOY!!

Unknown said...

Love "Diane had a dream last night that I got my feet stuck behind my head and someone took a picture and posted it on FB." Funny. It can be addictive.

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Fun play online said...

Yeah, FB is quite cool to keep in touch with people from all paths of life but that can also be a bit of a nuisance sometimes. I've had an account since 2006 and believe me I've known of friendships being shattered over some petty FB argument-that of course probably only triggered it off-because some people take it a tad too seriously and simply let it rule their lives.

Diane said...

Awww, GF, you know blogging is my first love. I'd give up FB long before I'd give this up!

Sheila said...

FB is addictive and a time suck but mostly because of the rabbit holes you can fall down...looking at other friends, discovering friends (or frenemies) from the past, looking a pictures of people you havent really thought of for 25+ years...it is a bit frightening how much you can learn about others from FB...even if you aren't their "friend".

hooray said...

I'm addicted, too. That's why I've decided to go offline for the most part. I will only be reading 3 blogs in the future: YOURS, Blognut, and Blogthismom. I'm giving up facebook and my own blog for lent which is coming up next week, right? Or the next week. And I'm turning off my phone and only checking it twice a day. Do you know how much my chest has been hurting since I've made these decisions? A LOT! I've already disconnected the cable and internet at home, and I really thought I was going to die.

But I have to do it! It's made me EAT more, though, so I don't know how to achieve balance!!!

Blech!

All that to say, I GET IT!

;-)

hooray said...

Okay, sorry that was like giving my own update or something. Only it was more than 240 characters. I do think facebook is good for a lot of things, but today I spent way too much time trying to see which famous person I look like, so, you see, I really must give it all up and be a student!

boneman said...

well, good news/bad news

Good news is, I accept most folk as friends
Bad news, it seems that even though i don't play any of the games, somehow facebook has decided that I AM playing, and has sent out invites to my friends about drinks, hearts, smiles and working on some farm while avoiding the mafia.
(?)
But i don't play the games....

Anonymous said...

Hey, I need one of those 'Like' buttons here, 'cause I likey this post ;)

Jenners said...

Well your status updates are interesting and fun. Most aren't. And I do want to know if you pee a shocking amount of times!!!

I go hot and cold on Facebook. I'm pretty cold on it now. All those "passing along a drink" or "join Farmville now" get on my nerves!

blognut said...

Welcome to the dark side, my friend?! Glad you could make it.

And I'm sorry about those bathroom-y status updates!! :)

Amy McMean said...

yeah, i blame facebook for my lack of blogging lately. I've been......busy on FB.

dianne said...

Ah, so that is where you have been. :) ♡

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Sometimes Sophia said...

That nose and toes thing is good news. But I'll trust you. No photo necessary.

Have had a FB page for a while, but never got into it. Just another drain on my time. And you can count my tweets on one hand. Oh well.

Live More Now said...

Ha ha ha!! I can totally relate. FB surprised me in a pleasant way, even though I resisted the urge for awhile. It's fun, though. Especially when you occasionally enjoy a good on-line staking session. ;) Wait, did I say that out loud.

ALSO! Been meaning to tell you, 1) I am so proud of you and your new profile pic! and 2) you are darling! oh, and 3) If you ever come to Seattle or I come to Pigsknuckle or whatever it's called, I will totally do a portrait for you. And in exchange you can just write one or two clever lines about me. ;)

Happy February!

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