.......and just like all social media-y things I originally tried to avoid, I'm addicted. Addicted to the point where every night I run down my iPhone battery to next to nothing just searching through others' Pins, re-Pinning, reviewing Pins. My dad in heaven is shaking his head at the waste of time I'm sure, but what started as a mere interest (I'll just look around), is now obsession (I must Pin several times a day).
I'm sure there's a cure for this disease, but not sure I am ready to go cold turkey by any means. My other social media forays started in a similar fashion.
Facebook - I held off for as long as I could and then thought it would be a great way to reconnect with old friends and keep in contact with everyone. At the time I joined, I was traveling for work nearly 300 days a year. It was my way to keep in touch when I couldn't touch in person. Initially it was great to see what others were doing, share information about what was happening in my life, etc. Then came the pets, the garden, the games. Holy time consumption, Batman!
While I have since dropped the garden, all pets but one and only play Words with Friends, I still look to Facebook to keep me updated on what my extended family, friends and newly acquired FB friends are up to. Yes, I have FB friends I've never met face to face, but they've come to be an important part of my world. I love the idea of having friends all over the globe...I learn from them, I celebrate their successes and commiserate with their bad days. We all have bad days. It is comforting to know that I can share my gripes and my FB pals respond with sympathy, empathy, well wishes and uplifting words. I am equally there for them. I give good Facebook.
Twitter - I created my account because of an interview I saw showing the Twitter founders. Once I had my account, I realized there were several of my friends who had been tweeting for some time. Of course I had to follow my friends. Then I added all of my favorite Food Network stars and celebrity chefs. Pretty cool that I could keep up with Bobby, Rachael and the rest in nearly real time. Next I followed all my favorite shows and TV/Movie celebrities....followed by favorite music groups, magazines, snack products (@TWIZZLERS....who knew?).
In less than a week, I reached my 2000 limit. Wow. A bit excessive I agree, but the minute I tried to follow above the limit and was rejected, I was a bit hurt at first. Then I realized that my following selections should be cyclical and updated periodically. Do I need to follow a TV show that has been cancelled? Probably not. Stop Following. Add someone new. This has become part of my normal routine. When I get to the limit, stop following those that aren't as "currently" important. Each time I hit the limit, I use it as an opportunity to clean house. For a few months after, I'll be below the limit by 40-50 and then over time creep back up to the 2k. The list of those I follow is quite eclectic and is probably deserving of further details and explanations in a future blog post.
Others - Instagram? Nope. Tumblr? Nope. Haven't found a need for these yet but stay tuned.
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