Facebook-Free Mondays

A few weeks ago I was dismayed to read a spoiler on Facebook about Downton Abbey just one day after it aired. We usually watch the episode on Monday or Tuesday. I decided that I am going to instigate for myself a Facebook-Free Monday, so I did not check my page yesterday.

For the most part, I didn't miss Facebook. I get tired of these things (and please forgive me if these apply to you)

people who "share" rumors without checking them out beforehand
poor grammar (figure out how to use its or it's, your or you're, people!)
too many posts from a single person in a short period of time (if you're posting 6-7 times a day, you
    need to get a life)
not any posts from others or even a profile picture from some
too many photos of the same thing
people who share a facebook account with their spouse (really? do you share email accounts, too?)
posts which say things like - please share if you love your daughter.... Of course, I love my daughters! I
      just don't need to clutter up my page with someone else's graphic
complaining every time Facebook changes the layout (which hasn't really happened in awhile)
     (remember when people were so mad about the timeline?)
and one of my least favorite - posts that say things like "Oh, no!" which require the readers to ask what
   the matter is.

On the other hand, I do miss some things when I am not on Facebook. For example, I probably missed some birthdays yesterday, and then, when I logged in this morning, it was there that I first heard about the passing of one of my childhood and life heroes, Pete Seeger.

So, I'm not ready to quit my account, but I am going to try to be less addicted to it. (Is that possible?)

How to Fold a Fitted Sheet

As my friend, Kim, was preparing to send her daughter off to college last week, she remarked on Facebook that Lily was ready to go since she had learned how to fold a fitted sheet. If you are like me and saw the title of this blog post, you would have said, "Fold a fitted sheet? You mean, how to wad one up?" Of course, Kim's remark created a flurry of replies, which prompted me to look this video on youtube (there are many). Today I gave it a whirl, and though this does not look perfect, it is WAY better than my usual efforts, and I know with time, it will get better.

Timeline!

Oh, the awfulness! Oh, how dare they? So many of my Facebook friends are complaining loud and clear, "Don't make me get Timeline!" Well, I am here to tell you that I went over to the dark side a little while ago, and I am still alive, and I still spend too much time social networking. I'm just not sure exactly what all the fuss is about. 

Frankly, I think the visual appeal of Timeline is better than the old wall. Yes, the two columns are a little confusing - items can change sides. I think I can handle it.

Since all I hear are moans about changing, I wondered what all the reasoning is behind this heel-dragging. Of course, I Googled "why people hate timeline" and came up with a few items. 

You can *gasp* see past posts more easily. Don't want people to see those embarrassing photos and posts? Don't put them up in the first place, or take them down. Yes, I know that once on the internet, always on the internet, but I guess I don't believe that people are really going to try to dig up all kinds of dirt on me. I feel as though I am a pinprick in a galaxy. 

Old Wall

Timeline - visually more appealing

I read some complaints about how it is arranged by decade, and how it has a "born" entry. I am sure that you have a reason to dislike this change foisted upon you, but really, is it worth all that effort to be so vehement? It's another change that one day you will undoubtedly long for when those sneaky folks at Facebook make another drastic "improvement". Remember, you probably complained about the wall you have now when it first came out.

I'm guessing that people are just resistant to change in general. I, for one, enjoy new things (mostly!).

In the end you probably won't be able to fight it, and once you're in, why not make the most of it? You can Google "great timeline covers" and get some inspiration to be creative with your cover photo and profile pic.

Instagram

Several weeks ago I saw that this house had been "flocked." At least I think it was not done by the owners of the house.  Perhaps it was a fundraiser for the CHS band?  Anyway, I liked the looks of the plastic flamingoes (notice the two hanging by their necks? They gots no legs....)

I took this photo with my iPad, and I was inspired to join Instagram (now that I actually have an iPad) so that I could run it through the filters to see what would come up.  I am sorry that I don't remember which filter I used, but I liked the effect, and this was one of my first entries on Instagram.   

Some of my photos I will send to my Facebook page, some just on Instagram. 

How Many Friends Are Too Many?

I read a little while ago that one person can only hold about 150 friends in their circle at a time.  Perhaps that's true.  I don't know.  I have 314 "friends"on Facebook, and yes, some of them I know only slightly, but I do know all of them.  Maybe one of these days I'll pare down my list, who knows?

When you have lived in a town for a long time, raised your children there, put your heart and soul into working for the community, it turns out that you may have way more friends than you realize.

Frank D'Emilio has been learning this the hard way.  If you live in Claremont, you know about the uproar of Frank's dismissal as principal of Sumner Elementary School.  You can read one of the Courier articles here.  As a former Sycamore Elementary teacher for many years and, most recently, principal for 7 years, Frank reached many people - students and their families.  In my case, I know him as fellow parent from my daughters' summer swim team over the course of many years.

It does not surprise me at all that when a Facebook group popped up called We Stand with Frank D'Emilio last Thursday, the number of Facebook supporters swelled, and it has reached over 1,000 as of today.  This number does not even count Frank's supporters who are not on Facebook, or who don't log into their accounts very often.

I, in no way, agree with the school board's two decisions, but I am glad to live in the kind of community that has the back of one of our finest members.

Skateboarding or No?

Gotta love Claremont.  Gotta love Facebook from which I stole this photo.  Gotta love irony.

Say what you will about Facebook. . .

Today I got in contact with a college roommate through Facebook. I had followed her a bit through the Alumni publications and knew that she had moved to France, but that's all I knew about her. She has been in France for nearly half her life now, and she and her husband run a champagne vineyard. Now I have a link to her blog about running the enterprise!

Facebook

I like to change my profile picture on Facebook occasionally. A photo from 1975 received more comments than any other photo I've posted. My sweet cousin, Lisa, told me that I look like an angel in that one. (Ha!) My friend, Dick, color-edited it and removed a line that was going through my head.

I decided that I needed an updated version of that photo, so Hal took the other one yesterday before I went to play in the orchestra concert. In the new photo, I am holding a viola, not a violin. But the organ is the same!