Facebook Follies

Back in 2008, I signed up for a Facebook account, mostly so I could keep up with friends and family. (I've probably said this before, and since I have swiss cheese for a memory these days, I might have actually blogged about this whole thing before.  Consider yourself warned.)  I don't do a whole lot of posting on FB, but I do check up on people regularly.  For the most part, I enjoy finding out what happens to the people on my friends list.  Afterall, they are ON the friends list.

However, there will always be the few people that, in retrospect, you wonder what you were thinking when you accepted their friend request.  (I know you know the type.)  I don't have much time today, and I really try not to complain too much, but I thought I would mention the top things people do on FB that drive me bonkers.

• People repeatedly brag about their children.  One time successes are cool.  I don't need to hear about every time your child was better than mine. (This does not include pictures.  I love every single picture that people post of their children.)
• People repeatedly whine about their lives.  That sounds unsympathetic, but believe me, I have experienced very low points in my life.  Whining about it never made the situation any better.  Get proactive and do something about it, or at the very least, try looking at your life with a new set of glasses.  See the positives and all the good things that ARE in your life.
• People repeatedly tell me what I should believe, or not believe.  I really don't like to get political, ever.  The same goes with religion.  But on FB, people find the need to tell me how I should vote, why the teachings of a particular church are the only thing to follow, or why my personal belief is wrong.  Are we not in a free country?  Do I ask you to believe what I believe?  Would I ever tell you that your decision to accept 9 children and counting into this world is different than mine?  Furthermore, would I tell you that you are nuts to do it?  Then don't do it to me.
• People repeatedly post glamorous (or not) pictures of themselves that scream, "Please compliment me!"  Some of us have aged well, and some not so well.  And to be honest, I don't care which camp you fall into.  Who am I to judge, right?  But please, for the love of all that is holy, do not put up photo after photo of you and then expect us to say how good you look!  If you have insecurities such that you need to have pats on the back all day regarding your looks, then perhaps, you also need a therapist.

And there you have it.  Most likely, if you are reading this blog, you don't fall into any one of those situations above.  (How can I be so sure?  Because I know who reads this, and I can tell you that you don't. So don't fret.)  And even if you have, at times, performed one of those egregious acts before, don't worry.  I tend to be very forgiving, especially of my FB friends.  Because really, I have other things to worry about.