With the hope of getting back into a blogging routine, I have decided to post some random thoughts. Things on the brain, but likely things you couldn’t care less about. Bear with me, it is all in the spirit of progress and more regular postings.
1. For some reason, I continue to eat through this box of wheat thins, even though my stomach now hurts. I picked up chicken noodle soup for lunch but when I got back to my desk, I realized it was basically all broth. How disappointing.
2. My husband agreed to buy me a piece of artwork for the holidays. I am soliciting suggestions from artists and art fans alike. We're looking to spend no more than $500, and probably more in the $300 range. Framed or unframed, doesn't matter. Please leave your suggestions in the comments (a link to a Web site bumps you to the top of the list).
3. I’d like to rethink how I use Facebook. Is it really necessary that I be connected to everyone that I’ve ever known in my 31 years of life? Do those people really care about my updates? (ref: obs #1) Probably not.
4. Better question – do my real friends care either?
5. With almost everyone using Facebook, what will our high school reunions be like? We’re already catching up, telling stories and sharing pictures. There will be no more anticipation over “I wonder what so-and-so looks like now?” and “I can’t wait to hear what so-and-so is doing these days.” Just friend them.
6. I'm wondering if I'll be able to weasel my way onto the Mall for Obama’s inauguration, or should I just stay home?
7. I wonder what I could get to rent out my condo for the inauguration. Or, at the very least, the air mattress. How much would someone really pay to sleep on an air mattress?
8. Sometimes, while walking to work, I feel myself getting “sidewalk rage.” Why can’t people walk on the right and pass on the left? Are there any documented cases of "sidewalk rage"?
9. And for everyone coming in for the inauguration... here, in D.C., we stand on the right while ascending and descending escalators. The left side is used for those who want to walk up or down. Please, please, please follow the local custom. It will make for a much better experience for both you and me.
10. Finally, I’m almost done with the wheat thins. I feel my sodium levels rising.
Showing posts with label Facebook. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Facebook. Show all posts
Monday, November 17, 2008
Tuesday, May 06, 2008
All In The Family
This weekend I attended a mini family reunion. Believe it or not, I hadn't seen (or talked to for that matter) my uncle and cousins in over 10 years. Just one of those funny family things that happens I guess. How that much time can go by without seeing family seemed normal to me before this weekend - I didn't really know any differently - but after spending some time getting to know each other again, catching up, laughing, and reminiscing on old times, I felt like I had discovered a new part of me.
It got me to thinking about family. "You can choose your friends, but you can't choose your family..." What is it about family (I'm talking extended here, not the people who actually raised you) that brings about the good, bad, and the ugly? Why is it that just by the very nature of someone being related through a bloodline to you, it changes the very nature of your relationship with him/her for better or for worse?
Yesterday, I had a somewhat nostalgic moment. I was en route to the doctor and stopped to get a slice of pizza on GW's campus. There I was enjoying my lunch outside, sitting directly across from a GW dorm. The very one, in fact, where my mother spent her freshman year almost 50 years ago. It was nostalgic not because I experienced any time in that dorm, but because one of my family members did and I felt that connection. I was trying to imagine what college was like when she was there. Yesterday, students in shorts and tank tops were packing up boxes and hauling their rooms away in rented vans. When my mom was in school, they had to wear skirts and had curfews. The dorm was all girls.
All of this family reflection got me to thinking about how I could connect/ reconnect with others in my family line. Like all great ideas, mine wound up on Facebook. :) I've created a group for my maiden last name. I've noticed that there are about 20 people on Facebook with the same name (it's quite unusual so I've always thought that anyone else with it must be related to each other). I'm trying a little experiment to see if we can all connect and share stories over Facebook, and maybe even determine if we are all related. These people come from all over the world and share something important to my family - our name.
I'll keep you posted!
PS - as an update to the previous post - I haven't joined the work page yet.
It got me to thinking about family. "You can choose your friends, but you can't choose your family..." What is it about family (I'm talking extended here, not the people who actually raised you) that brings about the good, bad, and the ugly? Why is it that just by the very nature of someone being related through a bloodline to you, it changes the very nature of your relationship with him/her for better or for worse?
Yesterday, I had a somewhat nostalgic moment. I was en route to the doctor and stopped to get a slice of pizza on GW's campus. There I was enjoying my lunch outside, sitting directly across from a GW dorm. The very one, in fact, where my mother spent her freshman year almost 50 years ago. It was nostalgic not because I experienced any time in that dorm, but because one of my family members did and I felt that connection. I was trying to imagine what college was like when she was there. Yesterday, students in shorts and tank tops were packing up boxes and hauling their rooms away in rented vans. When my mom was in school, they had to wear skirts and had curfews. The dorm was all girls.
All of this family reflection got me to thinking about how I could connect/ reconnect with others in my family line. Like all great ideas, mine wound up on Facebook. :) I've created a group for my maiden last name. I've noticed that there are about 20 people on Facebook with the same name (it's quite unusual so I've always thought that anyone else with it must be related to each other). I'm trying a little experiment to see if we can all connect and share stories over Facebook, and maybe even determine if we are all related. These people come from all over the world and share something important to my family - our name.
I'll keep you posted!
PS - as an update to the previous post - I haven't joined the work page yet.
Sunday, April 20, 2008
Where to Draw the Line?
My office has created a Facebook page. We're a non-profit and looking to engage the GenX/ Geny Y/ Millennial generations in our programs. Now I face the dilemma: do I "become a fan" of said organization? At what point do too many worlds collide? I started this blog hoping to keep anonymity. Then I attached it to my Facebook page - but still, its only my friends who read it, so that's fine.
I have a Facebook page, one that I largely try to keep out of the work domain. Yes, a few of my work friends also moonlight as Facebook friends (and a large handful of them have left the organization so at that point, its free game, right?). But for the most part, I like to keep these worlds separate.
Problem is, I've been a big advocate of getting our organization into the Web 2.0 world and using sites like MySpace and Facebook to attract new participants and to spread the word of our work. Is it hypocritical if I don't "join" the group? Fortunately, the office's page is not a network, which means that those who join can not necessarily view my profile, without me deeming them a "friend" first. But, if those in our office with Facebook pages become a fan of the organization, will there be an instant link among us - will everyone in the office want me as a Facebook friend, and then will I feel compelled to add them? I'm not trying to make it seem like I am the most desirable Facebook friend in the office, not by a longshot. At this point, I'm a fair amount older than a lot of my colleagues (they probably joined Facebook in college and surely don't belong to the group "Unlike 99.99% of the Facebook population, I was born in the '70s.") Yet, I won't easily be able to ignore their requests as I work with them - everyday.
Then is there a certain stigma with the older group in the office? Will they be talking amongst themselves as to who in the office has a Facebook page? Will they start looking over my shoulder?
As social networking sites like Facebook become more popular, start engaging the older population, and start filtering into the work environment as just another marketing tool, maybe a Facebook page will become as common as the business card. Until then, I've got some thinking to do. I may watch this one from afar for a while, and see how it plays out.
Keep you posted!
I have a Facebook page, one that I largely try to keep out of the work domain. Yes, a few of my work friends also moonlight as Facebook friends (and a large handful of them have left the organization so at that point, its free game, right?). But for the most part, I like to keep these worlds separate.
Problem is, I've been a big advocate of getting our organization into the Web 2.0 world and using sites like MySpace and Facebook to attract new participants and to spread the word of our work. Is it hypocritical if I don't "join" the group? Fortunately, the office's page is not a network, which means that those who join can not necessarily view my profile, without me deeming them a "friend" first. But, if those in our office with Facebook pages become a fan of the organization, will there be an instant link among us - will everyone in the office want me as a Facebook friend, and then will I feel compelled to add them? I'm not trying to make it seem like I am the most desirable Facebook friend in the office, not by a longshot. At this point, I'm a fair amount older than a lot of my colleagues (they probably joined Facebook in college and surely don't belong to the group "Unlike 99.99% of the Facebook population, I was born in the '70s.") Yet, I won't easily be able to ignore their requests as I work with them - everyday.
Then is there a certain stigma with the older group in the office? Will they be talking amongst themselves as to who in the office has a Facebook page? Will they start looking over my shoulder?
As social networking sites like Facebook become more popular, start engaging the older population, and start filtering into the work environment as just another marketing tool, maybe a Facebook page will become as common as the business card. Until then, I've got some thinking to do. I may watch this one from afar for a while, and see how it plays out.
Keep you posted!
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Facebook Reminded Me: It's My Birthday
31 is something of a non-birthday. At least in the few hours I've been experiencing it thus far. Coming off of the excitement, despair, celebration and amazement of turning 30, 31 is like the new 22. You're just moving deeper into the next decade without an age milestone in sight.
In the days leading up to today, people were wishing me (or sending me) an (early) happy birthday. Why? Because they were notified on Facebook. For me, whether it was denial, being busy at work, or just plain disregard, I was completely taken aback during these encounters. "Right! My birthday is coming up!" with genuine surprise.
Hence, I come to my conclusion... through the myriad of people who referenced my birthday over the past few days, some of whom, but not all, would probably have not known or remembered it was my birthday without a reminder - I credit Facebook for keeping me on track. One of the many wonders of Facebook!
However, Facebook - maybe for those of us who belong to the "Unlike 99.99% of the Facebook population, I was born in the 70s" group, you know, those of us who are getting up in age... maybe you could post a birthday reminder on our pages too.
In the days leading up to today, people were wishing me (or sending me) an (early) happy birthday. Why? Because they were notified on Facebook. For me, whether it was denial, being busy at work, or just plain disregard, I was completely taken aback during these encounters. "Right! My birthday is coming up!" with genuine surprise.
Hence, I come to my conclusion... through the myriad of people who referenced my birthday over the past few days, some of whom, but not all, would probably have not known or remembered it was my birthday without a reminder - I credit Facebook for keeping me on track. One of the many wonders of Facebook!
However, Facebook - maybe for those of us who belong to the "Unlike 99.99% of the Facebook population, I was born in the 70s" group, you know, those of us who are getting up in age... maybe you could post a birthday reminder on our pages too.
Thursday, September 06, 2007
On Facebook
A few weeks ago the cover story of Newsweek was on Facebook. There were two articles in particular - first person narratives - on "Why I Love It" and "Why I Hate It." The final verdict is still out for me, I mean, I haven't even completed my profile yet. I have profiles on Friendster (in the days was I was so innocent to the social networking world) and MySpace (when I played up my alternative art side and, initially, decided to add every musician/ punk rocker/ band member who sent me a friend request. Ultimately, I received too many concert solicitations to deal with and let go). And here, yesterday, I started over on Facebook.
It is a blank slate. How do I want to convey myself to the world? It is a new era of first impressions... connecting with old high school classmates, neighbors, co-workers who haven't been privy to my daily trials and tribulations. Do I want my old friends from high school to know that I sometimes still watch The Real World? Or that I am still driving my 1994 Toyota Celica that I drove for the first time into the Junior parking lot 13 years ago? Or how about my camper who I just reconnected with after 10 years. She was 12 when I was her counselor, now she is 22 and seeking her first job. What does she need to know about me?
I'm working on getting it all together. Stay tuned to my Facebook page. That, is of course - as all Facebookers presume... that you care.
It is a blank slate. How do I want to convey myself to the world? It is a new era of first impressions... connecting with old high school classmates, neighbors, co-workers who haven't been privy to my daily trials and tribulations. Do I want my old friends from high school to know that I sometimes still watch The Real World? Or that I am still driving my 1994 Toyota Celica that I drove for the first time into the Junior parking lot 13 years ago? Or how about my camper who I just reconnected with after 10 years. She was 12 when I was her counselor, now she is 22 and seeking her first job. What does she need to know about me?
I'm working on getting it all together. Stay tuned to my Facebook page. That, is of course - as all Facebookers presume... that you care.
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