I try to not be bullied by changing technological times. Right from the beginning of our marriage , my DH encouraged me to try new technology. We purchased a computer in the “ 80’s – a KAPRO.  It was portable – kind of like a laptop on a desktop. Wikipedia describes this computer this way:

 

 

Kaypro produced a line of rugged, “luggable” CP/M-based computers sold with an extensive software bundle which supplanted its competitors and quickly became one of the top selling personal computer lines of the early 1980s.

 

 

We were progressive – let me tell you!  I have no idea how I learned to use that thing – but I did!  Even then, my mind was not wired for technology -but I would not be beat.  All the floppy discs …. bahaha!  

 

We were both in graduate school at the time.

 

I was a hall director on a small college campus, which provided an apartment and meals plus a yearly salary of… wait for it … $3000.00!    Mark worked all kinds of odd jobs so that we could have spending money.  He did roofing, worked the switchboard, a bit of maintenance as well as taking on a small church as their Pastor.  With the addition of this magnificent new technology, I was able to take on typing papers and dissertations for fellow students.  This thing was amazing!!!  No white out needed!

 

Thus began our technology journey.  

 

As time went on, and our family grew, our kids were by default, of this technology generation. (I think I have to many comma’s in there… oh well!) In order to be able to be involved in their lives and be a good parent, I had to “learn” how to do this stuff and how this stuff worked.  Am I am expert…oh good heavens no… can I explain it to others… absolutely not, but do I have a preliminary knowledge of “this stuff”…. yes!  And I am excited when I learn another technology “thing”!  I have to have some of this knowledge or I would have no idea what my kids were doing or talking about and then I would have been out of the parenting loop.

 

I am social on several media platforms and try to understand the purpose of each.

 

 

 I utilize Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Linked In, Google+, Snapchat, Periscope, Instagram, Blab, and the list goes on.  As I write today, I am listening to a Periscope broadcast about Instagram marketing…lol!  I move slowly through these things  – not as fast as my kids – but movement is what is important.

 

 

 

 

Here is my gripe today…..

 

I love the concept of Facebook – the connecting with people near and far, re-connecting with people from other times and places in my life, the building of relationships.  I. Love. It.  Here is what I don’t love…. opinions…. on Facebook. I love your opinion and your right to your opinion and let’s be fair, you need to give me my right to my opinion too- I just don’t love it on Facebook.  I hate it on Facebook. I know, how closed minded of me.

 

Here is the other gripe about this platform… or what this platform has evolved into….

 

I know that here are tons of great “sayings” out there and so many hit me right where I need them to… but I don’t want to see them on Facebook.  I don’t want to see the funny pictures, the animal cruelty pictures, the crime pictures, the negative expressions, the encouraging pins… I don’t want to see any of that …. on Facebook. Sorry – not sorry.

 

What do I want to see on Facebook?

 

I want to see you!  I want to hear you!  I want you to actually write something about your life that day. Post a picture of your personal experience. Tell me about what you are thrilled about, what frightens you, what you are frustrated with as it relates to your human experience.  Yes, some of the “opinion” will bleed into this, but it will be opinions that you will actually be living with at the moment.  In short – I want Facebook to be all about the people that I have actually friended. Not their copy and paste life. I want all of us to “not hide” behind someone else’s words and pictures.  And a word about folks who are ONLY  Facebook creepers… (understand I am a huge creeper, but I balance that with also contributing) – KNOCK THAT OFF!  It is not fair that you get to read and see other people’s lives and NEVER share your own! Enough said.

 

Now – these other things we currently do on Facebook… I am sure that there is a place for those things.  In fact, some of those places already exist…Pinterest for instance is where you can pin all those recipes and expressions.  Your followers can see your stuff there.  I am sure there is some smart, young, entrepreneur  who can and probably should, create a political social media platform.  Or a religious social media platform. Or… you fill in the blank.  And I would probably open an account on those as well.

 

Since Facebook seems to have evolved into this other kind of posting, maybe someone needs to create a new platform that is about “touching base”, “keeping up” “sharing your personal stories”.  Until then, I will continue to use Facebook and scroll on past the “borrowed” expressions until I find the status updates that actually tell me what is happening in your life.  I love those and I love knowing how your life is going and changing over time.  So keep posting your life… I want to be involved!

 

In the meantime… I will keep my eyes and ears open for the creation of new platforms… and BTW – I take great pleasure in discovering and/or joining a platform prior to my kids or the “younger, more technically savvy” friends in my circle!

 

And I am out….