Trying Hard to Love Social Media

Do you ever wish for the days when we didn’t have to carry a phone in our hands constantly?  Do you miss carrying on a real conversation with someone or receiving real letters in the mail?  If so, you are probably a “Baby Boomer” like me.  Younger folks today can’t even comprehend how it was just a short time ago.  But, we must keep up with the times and you have to admit, having our phones with us is great for safety and getting the answers we need quickly.

I’ve been doing some thinking on this social media thing.  I thought I would share a little bit of what is going through my brain on this subject.

Facebook:

Facebook is interesting isn’t it? It’s fun keeping up with people that you’ve known forever, family members that you don’t live close to, people you met briefly and became Facebook friends.  You may even have people that are friends with someone else and you have chosen to be friends online.

I have a love/hate relationship with Facebook.  If I get on and read the main feed, I get sucked in and maybe two hours later I think, I need to get busy!  Articles pull me in and I end up going and reading something and then it links to something else and it goes on and on.  I have to limit myself or I can spend way too much time sitting and reading.

When I make a post and someone comments on it, I always make a point to reply or like their comment.  To me it is like someone talking to you and then ignoring them if I don’t reply back.

Messenger:

I love this feature of Facebook as you can have a quick private conversation with someone and the world doesn’t have to read about it.  One thing that happened to me recently was, I sent a quick note to someone and I noticed that in 2015 they had asked me a question.  I answered and told them I would get them the needed information they wanted as soon as I returned home.  Evidently, I never got back to them. That was embarrassing and I was very upset with myself.  Long story short, three years later, she got her request.

Twitter:

I have tried Twitter twice and just deleted it recently….again.  Twitter is just not for me.

Pinterest:

I love pinning things I like on Pinterest.  To me, it is like reading a magazine and saving the pictures that you like.  I don’t really spend much time on it, though.  I usually pin a few pictures that catch my eye each time I log on, but, that is about it.  I’m struggling with having so many boards and pins that I wonder how do you have time to view them all?  I’ve gone to someones board before and they will have 8,000 pictures on let’s say, kitchen designs.  Who has time to view all of those?  When is enough enough?  Do you delete pictures after so many or do you just keep going and going and going?

Instagram:

I really like Instagram…..BUT, I’m struggling a bit with this one, too.  Let’s say you are following 1,000 people.  How do you view everyone’s pictures?  I follow close to 200 and I can’t keep up.  I hesitate to follow more as I don’t think I have time to scroll through all of the pictures and “like” and comment.  And now, we have…

Insta-stories: (I think that’s what it’s called)

People make videos or still pictures and write notes all over them.  I can’t figure out how that is different than just putting it on Instagram.  I’m not getting it yet, I guess.  The really funny thing is when someone makes like 5 or 6  videos and they go on and on talking to you.  I can’t imagine sitting there chatting away to my phone to the world while people are looking on.   Maybe it’s just me…..I have enough trouble finding someone who listens to me face to face much less on social media.  I would hate the thought that I was talking away about my wonderful day and someone was hating the sound of my voice or wanting to say, “Who cares, lets move on.”  I do wonder if we are missing out on the “real” people around us by focusing on the world in our phones?  Maybe I will get it figured out soon and who knows, maybe you will see me on video  walking at the mall and talking to you about my day, I don’t know, we will see.

Blogs:

I love reading blogs.  I’ve always loved reading good magazines on subjects that interest me.  To me, that is how blogs are.  When you find a blog that shares things that you are interested in, they can be very enlightening and encouraging.  I work hard to make sure my blog looks nice and is encouraging with what I post.

*The reason I began my blog 10 years ago was because I began writing and I was told that you needed a website/blog in order to promote your book.  My book hasn’t been published yet and I’m still writing on my blog. I also got busy with women’s ministry for 9 years and tied that into my blogging as well.  Now that I’m no longer involved in a “women’s ministry,” I am concentrating more on my book(s).  I have put myself on a time frame of how long I will keep my blog going.  I won’t share that time line as it could change tomorrow.

Vlog:

This is like a blog but it’s done on video.  I enjoy watching some vlogs, but, I am so not there.  I don’t even like my picture being taken, I can’t imagine talking on video….as in my comments on the Instastories.

Phone Apps:

So many apps for everything imaginable.  I regularly go through my phone and delete apps that I’m not using or are a waste of my time.  I have to have my phone screens organized with types of apps, too.  I can’t handle clutter and when it’s on my phone, it drives me crazy.

I try to not view Facebook on my phone.  I put my social media on the last screen of my phone so I’m not tempted to sit and read my phone when out and about.

Texting:

I love texting!  I can keep up with kids, grandkids, my mom, friends, etc.  My main problem is getting excited about something and sending a text to the wrong person.  I’m known for that.  Or, my spelling.  Spell check will change my words and it hasn’t been pretty.  I’m also known for sending another text with the correct word right behind it.  One time I sent a curse word to my son. It changed the word shot to…..???  So embarrassing!  My lesson for texting is to go slow, check the spelling, and double check who you are sending it to.  Three things I usually forget to do.

Kindle:

I read books on my iPad through the Kindle app.  It’s really nice as I got a large iPad and I can see it!  I do not read blogs, articles etc. on my phone.  I save that for my iPad or computer.  I love holding real books and putting bookmarks in my stopping place rather than on my iPad. One thing to watch out for, if you fall asleep while reading, it might hurt when your iPad hits you in the face.  Just a warning if you are prone to falling asleep while you read.  But, it comes in handy when traveling and you can buy books so much cheaper through Kindle.

Those are my thoughts on Social Media for what it’s worth.  Don’t answer that!

If I could suggest anything it would be:

Be Kind.  If you can’t say anything nice, just don’t say it.  If you are following someone you don’t like, stop following them.  Don’t keep following and leave rude messages for them.  I see that a lot and wonder why they follow that person/organization/ministry.

*if you had bad service at a business, deal with the business personally, don’t get on social media to try your best to destroy someones livelihood/reputation.  This one always blows me away. We all get upset here and there with service, but, there is a better way to deal with them than blowing off steam to whoever will listen online.

one more…

Be Courteous. As in answering someones text or comment.  (Even if it takes three years)  If you read someones post and you like it, hit like, give them some love instead of just ignoring it.  It’s easy.  When someone speaks to you over social media, it’s just like talking to them in person and we wouldn’t ignore them……well, there are people that ignore some folks, but, you and I don’t do that, do we?

Have fun out there on your social media.  Use it to make a difference.  Use it to encourage someone, lift someone up, inspire…….share your blessings and your lessons you are learning.  We all need to be lifted up and encouraged, don’t you think?