What was life like before Facebook? Or, better stated -- what was love like?
Now, I'm not one to blog about personal relationships, sure they're juicy, but get too personal and it feels like a middle school Xanga -- not my target audience. But let's be honest, who doesn't love to talk about relationships? Specifically love. Personally, I think one can tackle various aspects of this topic (safer on the comedy side) with complete ambiguity. After all, romance is spice.
What I'd like to focus on is Facebook love. This very blog, being a public, easily accessible medium that'd I'd assume two to three people read a day (one who accidentally found this page on a google search, one being me, then sometimes good 'ol mom ... ok, maybe not always mom). All in all, I feel like this is a safe setting to get out my views on Facebook love. But before I continue, let me define it:
Facebook love is a proclamation of love between one person and their boyfriend/girlfriend, finance, spouse, etc. Facebook love can even go so far as to include the tormented soul who prides them self on cryptic status lines such as, "if only he'd notice me" or "ain't no sunshine when she's gone." (Admit it, at least half of Facebook users have gone here once -- if not multiple times).
How do I feel about Facebook love? Well for starters, it's about as entertaining as Saturday morning cartoons (in case you're culturally confused, that's entertaining). I have several roommates (all female, naturally) and I hear them on repeated occasions squeal with delight when a wedding or engagement album has been posted. I am guilty of this as well. But it doesn't stop there, oh no.
For starters, there's the relationship status: complicated means I'm sort of invovled but want out, single means I'm confident that I'm alone or I'd like to not be alone, in a relationship means you can know I'm taken but not with who, in a relationship with ___ (insert name) shows relational pride, married is a clear off the market, engaged is usually a giddy female, then lastly, not listed -- the crypic bunch -- often the crowd that is either A.) sick of dating B.) Been badly hurt C.) Not interested in dating (rarely this one) or D.) Un-condoning of Facebook love. Or, of course, there's the occassional, "too many relationships to list just one so I'll leave it blank" sort. And if it stoppped here maybe Facebook love would be somewhat under control, but as one could guess, it doesn't.
There's a bucket load of other aspects of Facebook love that can be fun time wasters for the "purpose driven procrastinators" (not to be confused with Rick Warren, Purpose Driven Life). Take couples wall to wall, for example. Sometimes the things people post to their beloved is stomach-doubling funny. Then there's blatant "lovestoned" about me sections. Albums, let's not forget the albums! Ahh, and messages (which no one can see) but we know we've all been there, stealthly conducting Facebook love behind the scenes.
Is there shame in any of this behavior? I don't know. Am I guilty of this behavior? Though less than some, when I meet "Mr. Right" odds are, they'll be at least a picture or two posted, and who knows what that first dropped domino will trigger.
Here's the catch, the kicker, the conclusion of this post, if you will. Facebook is about "connecting," it's designed to "share your life," and though the concept of sharing life in such a public, unpersonalized manner is a bit unnerving, it is our culture. Whether we resent it or love it, love is a part of our lives, and Facebook can only hide that for so long.
What was love like before Facebook? Between two people ;)
Thursday, July 24, 2008
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Honey, This Smile's For You
Every morning on my way to work I play the “radio game.” Though others may not be familiar with it, I am highly familiar with its terms, and for me, it goes something like this: change the radio station to find the best song currently on (basic). But the part that constitutes as the game for me, is the later and later I happen to be for work, it starts becoming, “change the radio station every time you’re stressed about being late for work”; though I cannot control how late I am at that point in my morning, I can control the music. This brings me satisfaction.
This morning I was notably early and because of this I was listening to almost full songs. Actually I went so far as to keep it hanging on a particular radio station 1.2678 seconds after the song had ended to hear the announcer say something, that for reasons not all entirely known to me, cracked me up. The announcer proceeded to highlight a recent study from the University of Indiana where research discovered that guys are notoriously awful on picking up on signs if girls like them.
Eye-batting, hair twirling, coy smiles, this stuff may have worked in 1926 (think pre-depression prairie days). But in 2009, the effects are much weaker.
This was cracking me up because I was thinking about how funny girls can be showing “the signs” and how dense guys, at times, can be in picking up the signs (disclaimer: I’m not saying guys are dense). I was just envisioning that girl in Bio 101, 8:00 a.m. class who laughed in her not morning volume of a giggle (yes, my laugh is loud, too I realize) at some guy who’s joke was not funny to anyone else. All the other females catch onto her attraction like a hitchhiker-weed to socks, but the guy just really thinks he’s on a funny streak.
Of course for the ego-ready male, not much more than a passing smile may do the trick, but for the shier, sweeter sorts, encouragement such as continual love-glazed smiles, may only lead them to believe “she’s a very cheerful girl.”
Looking on the actual website at the statistics, it’s evident that 8% of woman got the signs wrong vs. 12% of men; though this number is noteworthy, it’s not astonishingly significant. Besides, who am I to know, maybe it’s always been this way. Perhaps Cindy-Lou rode side-saddle on her horse 20 minutes out of her way just to pass Jerry everyday-- waiting for him to notice her. While Jerry just thought she had to take that particular route every day.
Aw, love. You can’t help but laugh at it just a little.
Here's the article: http://www.nowpublic.com/culture/men-are-daft-picking-body-language
Every morning on my way to work I play the “radio game.” Though others may not be familiar with it, I am highly familiar with its terms, and for me, it goes something like this: change the radio station to find the best song currently on (basic). But the part that constitutes as the game for me, is the later and later I happen to be for work, it starts becoming, “change the radio station every time you’re stressed about being late for work”; though I cannot control how late I am at that point in my morning, I can control the music. This brings me satisfaction.
This morning I was notably early and because of this I was listening to almost full songs. Actually I went so far as to keep it hanging on a particular radio station 1.2678 seconds after the song had ended to hear the announcer say something, that for reasons not all entirely known to me, cracked me up. The announcer proceeded to highlight a recent study from the University of Indiana where research discovered that guys are notoriously awful on picking up on signs if girls like them.
Eye-batting, hair twirling, coy smiles, this stuff may have worked in 1926 (think pre-depression prairie days). But in 2009, the effects are much weaker.
This was cracking me up because I was thinking about how funny girls can be showing “the signs” and how dense guys, at times, can be in picking up the signs (disclaimer: I’m not saying guys are dense). I was just envisioning that girl in Bio 101, 8:00 a.m. class who laughed in her not morning volume of a giggle (yes, my laugh is loud, too I realize) at some guy who’s joke was not funny to anyone else. All the other females catch onto her attraction like a hitchhiker-weed to socks, but the guy just really thinks he’s on a funny streak.
Of course for the ego-ready male, not much more than a passing smile may do the trick, but for the shier, sweeter sorts, encouragement such as continual love-glazed smiles, may only lead them to believe “she’s a very cheerful girl.”
Looking on the actual website at the statistics, it’s evident that 8% of woman got the signs wrong vs. 12% of men; though this number is noteworthy, it’s not astonishingly significant. Besides, who am I to know, maybe it’s always been this way. Perhaps Cindy-Lou rode side-saddle on her horse 20 minutes out of her way just to pass Jerry everyday-- waiting for him to notice her. While Jerry just thought she had to take that particular route every day.
Aw, love. You can’t help but laugh at it just a little.
Here's the article: http://www.nowpublic.com/culture/men-are-daft-picking-body-language
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