Well, I said I wouldn’t do it, but all along I knew I would. I went off and got a Facebook page yesterday. Sigh. I feel like (you ever have dreams like this?) I’m dancing naked in front of 200,000 strangers and don’t have any place to go to hide. Yes, I know, I’ll get used to it. That’s what they all say, and that’s part of the scary part of it. I don’t really WANT to get used to having everything I think and do hanging out there for all to see. I’m old enough to recall when there was no such thing as touch tone phones (you had to twirl a dial thingy around to get the right number). Big Brother didn’t know your every move, purchase, and thought. And people didn’t sell information collected by loyalty cards to others so they could convince you to buy something.
By the way, if someone has to convince you to buy something, do you really need what they’re selling?
I was amazed at the number of potential “friends” that Facebook suggested just by mining my Yahoo email address. I should have known, though, that would happen. I’m thinking about closing my account and opening another one with a different, disposable address so there would be no history. Then I could just find the “friends” that I truly wanted instead of having the stupid software suggest to me that this person or that would really like to be my friend. Sheesh.
And what is this farming business? Do people have nothing better to do than to run a virtual farm? And what is that lost sheep stuff? Why would I care whether the virtual lost sheep was ever found, or whatever it is?
I know, I know. I’m just an old curmudgeon who is still getting the hang of solitaire and how to add someone to my cell phone book. I can’t really be expected to be up and with it (that’s an old expression) at my age.
On the other hand, I do know how to use the formula function in Excel. And I know what the vast majority of the ready-made formulas mean and how they are used. I truly enjoy creating a spreadsheet that is hundreds of cells long and wide with hundreds of interlaced and dependent formulas which provide answers to previously intractable problems in a matter of microseconds.
And databases that I created in the distant past (mid-1990’s) on what is now really clunky DOS-based software provided the same medical and patient-related administrative and billing information that commercial software now provides.
So maybe I’m not quite so curmudgeonly after all. Maybe my priorities are just a little skewed. And that’s OK because it takes all kinds to make the world go ‘round…even virtual farmers!
3 comments:
May I be your facebook friend too?
WDK
Well ya know, you really aren't dancing naked in front of strangers. Only your friends can see what you post. And as far as the sheep-just ignore them. The virtual farmers are adopting them right and left. I think you will enjoy FB after you get over the uncomfortable feelings you have. It's really not a big deal. I have more friends than I thought I would and some I don't ever hear from. Some have asked me to be their friend, and I sorta wonder why, but I don't mind. When people tell me on FB they are praying for me, it encourages me. I hope you will just relax and come along for the ride-it's not so bad!
I said I would never do it, but I suppose in the end, I'm glad I did. It's helpful to be where everyone else "is," just to keep up communication. I just ignore all the pointless apps, though. Why, again, do I want to take some stupid quiz made by a bored twelve year old? *sigh.*
Post a Comment