Getting Too Much Facetime

I got on Facebook again this morning, something that I seem to do almost every morning, often for reasons that I don't entirely understand.  I was able to get a much needed update on some friends and family that don't see nearly often enough or haven't seen in a while (which is why I signed up for Facebook in the first place).  In some cases, I was also able to see into some parts of their lives far deeper than anyone should get to or have to, but those are choices that each of us have to make in the use of social networking.  There were even, as there always are, some bits of wisdom and clever witticisms to be gleaned from the literary efforts placed in the status of many of those on my friends list; something that being a scribbler, I always appreciate and enjoy.

There were also the usual (inevitable) requests to repost something as my status in order to prove I was a true friend or to show the world that I cared.  (Just to be clear, in most cases I do care, but usually not that much.)  Unfortunately, I have placed reposting requests in the same pile as the emails that I'm supposed to forward to 5, 10, or 21 different friends in order to have my wish granted or good luck come my way.  (Of course, the fact that I have such a pile may in some way explain why none of my wishes have been granted and why good luck has not come my way; but I am content with my choices.)   

Listen, putting up a link to a news story (especially on something not widely known and from a credible source) and you're providing a service to your friends.  Put up a couple of links together on interesting tidbits, and you maintain your status (pun intended) of still mildly interesting and informative.  Put up three, regardless of content in the same hour, and you're starting to push my 'annoying' button.  Put up more than four in that same hour and I will probably push the 'ignore' button and stop really noticing what you've put up.  

As for those of you on my friends list who puts up half of the video music library that you've just discovered in the hopes that I will enjoy an evening of listening to obscure artists, musicians who've been dead for 20 years, or genres of music only popular in places I've never been to; let me tell you that I subscribe to Pandora in order to listen to what I want to and that the non-stop links have caused me to stop caring whether you've put anything up or not.

Please don't get this wrong or get offended by my comments. (No, that's wrong.  Go ahead and get offended if you want to, that's your Facebook right. But while you're feeling a little put out, put up a little less.)  It's not that I don't like you or some of the stuff that you put up, but everything has limits.  (Well, everything except the collective stupidity and aggressive ignorance of the American electorate; but that's an entirely different subject.)  While I'm willing to take a drink from a hose, especially when thirsty, I'm not even vaguely interested in attempting to do so from a fire hose.

Learn to pace yourself and your postings and you will not only maintain a receptive audience, but probably one that looks forward to your next effort.  Learn to keep your audience begging for more and they will appreciate you more.  Learn not to tell us everything you know at once, and we will be astounded by the depth of you knowledge.  Learn to limit your efforts, and you won't have cranky old bastards like me complaining about it in public.

OK, that's enough ranting this morning.  If you will excuse me, I would like to get back on Facebook to post a link to this effort (ironic, isn't it), and for what I'm really interested in ... cute little pictures of cats (which, since I"m allergic to them is the only way they remain cute) and grown men crying over the performance of their favorite college or professional football team.  

(If this posting causes you to 'unfriend' me, let me say before you get back to Facebook to do so that it was nice knowing you.)


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