The Most Annoying Friend and Family Member of All
I have not so recently discovered that I am the single MOST annoying friend to many of my dear and wonderful friends. And I am possibly a really irritating family member as well. Why is that you may ask, and more importantly, why do they put up with me? (We will get to that last detail later.)
I am one of those friends who just LOVES social media and there’s the blogging too. I love to share my happiness, my joy, my life. There are many types just like me, that use more than Facebook as I do, to put many of their social engagements and details of their life on display for the world to see. (Or at least on FB one’s friends list if you have the public blocked as I do.) Some even use multiple media such as Facebook, and Instagram and Twitter. Not me, I am just a habitual Facebook poster.
Yes, my life is on display, and some of my friends are not happy with being part of my displays. “Don’t put this on Facebook,” they warn me upon embarking on a social occasion out. There’s always a variety of reasons – they don’t like photos of themselves, or as in the case recently, they didn’t want other friends who they turned down for an evening out, to see what they were really up to. One warned me not to put a photo up until after Shabbat was finished, as she tries to respect the holy day. I have had that request before too.
One friend gave me this guest towel, kind of as a joke, and kind of as an admonition. In retaliation, I regale her with all the photos she is missing of her grandchildren’s fun activities by not being on Facebook. She’s seriously reconsidering, but reminds me still not to post of her.
And for those who think my entire life is on display – I have to correct you. Only PART of my life is on display due to the censorship I encounter among friends and family. There is so much now that I am not allowed to share, receiving warnings before, during and sometimes even after an event. Boo, hiss.
My son had breakfast with me the other day and told me he wants me to dial down the FB postings a notch. “It’s too much, Mom,” he said. My response: “Tough turkey, if this is my worst flaw, you will just have to deal with it.”
My daughter and her friends track my likes, my postings, and like to tease me about them, particularly how I like my own postings. (I was advised to do that to advance them in the news feeds.)
My friends and family who generally love me just have to put up with their lives occasionally on display as mine is, or their past unearthed in my blogging, or worse, both photos and personal moments on view in my blogs. My husband just LOVES being the subject of my many blogs. (Do you detect sarcasm?)
My son, who works for a big law firm did not want his birthday blog circulated at work, so he had me block some views. (He really did love the blog though.)
Friends and relatives constantly beseech me – “Don’t Blog about this!” At a recent birthday party, the birthday girl asked if what she said would be blogged about before addressing me in front of others.
Yet I must have some redeeming qualities for my friends and family to put up with this. I agree, for the more private types, I AM quite annoying. I am ME, I am an out there kind of person, exuberant, fun-loving, life-observing (and writing about it) but also giving, caring, kind and fun.
So I guess that is why my friends and family put up with me and my little social media and blogging obsession. I am really worth a little embarrassment occasionally, honestly I am.
You are my sister-in-law and I love reading what you blog, your status updates, and your comments about what you and your loved ones are up to in your lives. I also love checking out your photos. When I retired over two years ago (and then had more time), I decided to give FB a chance. I was so pleased to see that I learn so much more about my extended family than I could ever have otherwise.
In this blog, I totally get what you are saying about friends and family members not wanting their pictures on FB. I love documenting the more fun and/or positive experiences in my life, but I have one close friend who wants no pictures posted…ever, and one family member who needs to check out the picture first. However, at least everyone is open to my writing about my experience with them even if they don’t want me to post a photo. What I especially enjoy is to see comments, now and then, that I can really tell that my FB friends demonstrate through the way they express themselves, that they really read what I wrote. That’s more than a “like”; it’s a real smile moment for me.
I am glad you are on Facebook!