Social Media Amok

 At work the other night, I witnessed something that really made me glad I don't do facebook. A guy I work with, who's a supervisor, checks facebook on his Smart-Phone often, because he won't get in trouble for it. At the beginning of his shift he looked at his phone, n then began freaking out when he learned via FB, that his favorite cousin who was in the military had just passed away. Then he had to read how upset everyone in his family was commenting, n continue his work-shift because there was no one to replace him.

In my opinion, someone should have contacted him in person or at least by phone to deliver such news. What a way to find out a family member is gone! Then he had to keep up a brave front to everyone.

Facebook is taking the place of regular social protocols- n I take issue with this.

In the past year I personally got miffed about my nephew announcing on FB with a pic of baby shoes that he n his wife were expecting their first baby. I don't do FB, n so no one even told me until months later, via some one who saw the FB pic. Then the birth was announced on FB. For several weeks I hadn't heard anything except there was a birth at some point. I still didn't know anything about the child, until I asked some one who could access FB, because no one told me. So I guess without FB, all others are excluded from consideration...

On the desk I have an aged, yellow, zip pak found from cleaning out my parents home many years ago. It's full of hand-written-on cards n notes sent to my parents reacting to the birth announcements sent out for me, the fourth child. Sometimes I read these, n can't believe how wonderful they must have made  my parent feel to get. It's an emotional trip for me, thinking of so many I'd known growing up who'd passed on, to have their writing in my hand these decades later, because the notes  mean so much.

I doubt if any of my decendents will ever have artifacts such as these about themselves to consider.

These days life is so hectic n electric. If you can't pay the bill for it, you will be out in the cold, alone. My Elec bill jumped up a hundred this month. Joy. (Sacastic joy). I knew the heat would make it worse with colder temps- but it's time to be happy at anything above freezing, n I really don't use much stuff, so this is nuts telling myself I must use less.

There are few dinosaurs left who steer clear of the FB privacy loss, just knowing it's "Not for me."  Most I know of who don't do FB are bloggers I met here, n some others are older folks. For those who swear off computers completely (as the Devil's playground some think), life is unbelievably inconvenient now. Even in just getting a tax form you need to jump thru hoops n pay for it too.

 

Also I am really uncomfortable with the idea of a cell phone being GPS tracked with your name attached everywhere you go. It's an infringement of personal freedom, n an over-step by corporations to be bartered, bought, sold, n stolen. So I have a pre-paid without my name on it.

But the loss of actual personal interaction in life milestones is terrible, I believe.

Having another heck of a tired beyond belief week here, missing many hours of sleep due to construction work being done on ceilings downstairs, n today up in the hall outside my door after only three hours of sleep.

They began the project just in time to make me have a work-week from hell without notice, so I could not prepare for it at all. No one seems to care about politeness or manners lately. That seems to be where culture is heading these days, n if only that could be only on-line so I could Opt-Out!

I need sleep big time... yikes-
Pic is from new cam- of some shiny stuff in a blue bottle, decs found at Micheals %60 off from a few weeks ago.