Results tagged "Social network"

This past week was a strange one.

My phone has been ringing off the hook due to my ad placement for help–the cobwebs shaking off the receiver… Hundreds of calls–and I had the paper take the ad offline. It’s been interesting to talk to so many people about what I want and need… One woman actually said that she was answering the post because of the economy… not necessarily that she has childcare experience… I told her to come right over…. Just what I’m looking for–Desperation in the name of Watch my Child. Are you kidding me? But then the weather warmed up and melted everything… only to have Mother Nature open her blind eye and demand MORE SNOW. And you should see my me when I say MORE SNOW, because both of my eyes start blinking wildly and every hair on my head stands up perfectly straight for about a half second…  Because no one is talking about MORE SNOW… so I won’t either…

I had a client request this past week.. A complete and total 180°. “Abandon my Blog. And take me off of Twitter.” But why? And the reasoning made more sense to me than most topics these days… “Because,” said the Big Man on Campus… “Because I see what you and others do with your blogs and…” The explanation went on but it was a matter of upkeep and anonymity. And then it made even more sense. It is easier to be followed — easier to be sought after if you aren’t right there. It was only a few months ago that this same individual NEEDED to be connected.. But that was then and this is now… Now, where it’s cooler to be hard to get – difficult to track down… a pedestal height that can be considered an achievement… I can hear the words now — “He’s not EVEN on Facebook”–but he never really was. The experiment tried and tried… but in the end – SOCIAL MEDIA FAIL. 

So now what? Is this the new wave of been there done that? As we are faced with even more tools to push ourselves more out there? Follow, Connect, Do it, DO IT NOW, What are you doing now? Why? HOW? 

Tools like this one:    

Because we’ve all gotten ourselves into this ball of internet wax – and it isn’t going to melt anytime soon…. And although the bleacher seats are shiny and new — they are still outside and, if I’m not mistaken, I do believe the forecast for next week just might call for snow.

A few weeks ago I received an award from an awesome For the Birds regular… a woman that I share my life with @Twitter – and vice verse. I like this woman and I think she likes me… not like in the sense of like, like.. but I’ll say “like” nonetheless because I’m not going to be gay (not that there’s anything wrong with it). She sent me this award in the highest regard for any blogger – that flashing moment of an idea that she actually reads this blog, and I truly appreciate it… The problem however, is that the award acceptance rules state that I have to tell you–yes you, World Wide Web, 10 somethings about me. 10 HONEST SOMETHINGS.

I don’t think I’ve ever lied on this blog. I’d go back and check, but that means that I’d have to go back and read all the stuff that I’ve written about myself and I think I’d rather go clean the underbelly of the basement refrigerator…. BRB! 

So, like I said, this was a few weeks ago… and although my social media virtual friend (I swear she’s not imaginary) has probably forgotten all about it – because let’s face it — she decided to go on living her life instead of cursing my existence… Why haven’t I complied with the Honestscrap Award — WHY?!?! Well, to tell you the truth, I have over-thought the idea of telling you 10 more THINGS about me — especially honest things… because I’ve already told you almost EVERYTHING… therefore anything else would have to be a lie….And I would tell it all to you again, but in justifying my position, I’ve already fallen asleep on the keyboard. Again.

But I will give you something… I will give you 10 somethings that might be true about me… and I’ll leave the rest up to your imagination…

10 Things about me that might be true

1. I’m a terrific dancer.
2. I blame my fear of heights on an undiagnosed case of vertigo.
3. I panic a little bit every time I check the mail.
4. I am generally all over the place.
5. I can hold a grudge forever–typically due to an over-reaction of sorts.
6. I will only watch scary movies alone. On purpose.
7. I’m a terrible liar.
8. Google was my idea. Jerkstores.
9. I am a control freak.
10. I take this award thing seriously. 

So that’s it, really. Thanks again for acknowledging For The Birds – the blog truly appreciates it and would love to come over for tea sometime–Oh and I would come too, but the blog is currently glaring at me for over-analyzing the award acceptance…So I’m keeping my distance to avoid the scathing silent treatment.

In the interim, please take the time to check out the following blogs that also deserve an award for Honestly, Anything… Brilliant Spread , 5 Forks , Minor Details , Makko Ho , Imagination Soup , David the Designer (yep, I’m still stalking), and Oh Joy! And if this list isn’t all over the place, I don’t know what is.

Because apparently today is the day to call me – because you know… I HAVE THE ANSWERS.

Okay, okay… Last week, I figured out how to network this blog with Facebook. It might not seem like a big deal, but it really is for me because I still have this annoying issue that follows me around everywhere. I still don’t want you to know anything about me… but at the same time I want you to know everything. Why? Maybe so that it’s just all out there and no one will ever have to ask me anything… Or, maybe its because of 34 years of living like “the guy behind the guy”.
Out of what kind of crazy shell did this nut crack?

I just can’t figure it out… and I’m deathly afraid of becoming THAT person. That person that talks about her/himself ALL THE TIME. That person that sets out to let everyone know. That person that goes from obsessively introverted to INCREDIBLY ANNOYING in only a few short posts. I realized a while back that I had to put an end to the automatic notifications alerting everyone on my Facebook WALL (ew) that I had a new For the Birds post — Networking the blog seems to have stopped the chaos. But it hasn’t solved the issue of ME acting like someone that I don’t know. It hasn’t prevented me from sitting down to tell you this. AND it hasn’t cured this crazy head from thinking … what else can I not-tell and then tell them. And so… if you haven’t had enough. If you haven’t blacklisted me and then checked in to make sure that I haven’t stopped talking about myself.. You can rest – because I STILL AM. But hey – if it’s answers that you are looking for, give me a call. Because I’ve got the skinny on those cranky elders… that’s right, wisdom up to my eyeballs — And I’m not afraid to TALK ABOUT IT.

PS – the Networked Facebook page can be reached by effortlessly clicking HERE.  

Year one has passed!

I began publishing For the Birds on this date circa 2008–wow oh wow have things changed since. Initially, For the Birds was to be a marketing tool for Breakwater Design Studio, and although it does serve that purpose, FTB has also opened up whole new worlds for me… Writing and Internet Social Media. Once shunned–Facebook and Twitter are now common tools that promote, engage… Once feared, writing a very public diary of almost daily observations has given me a personal boost that I never could have imagined… Sharing accounts with readers who then become friends with common interests and concerns… And then my favorite — sharing our lives with existing friends and family scattered all over the world. In short, connections have become a way of life and For the Birds has allowed my family and I to have a mini piece of the pie–actively participating on an almost daily basis.

So, I guess that I need to thank me for jumping into a way of life that I never knew possible… but — as I take my place at the podium to accept the award for 2009 Ego of the Year–I really thank all the readers… to date a shocking 23,247–even those that hit the website and went “what the f is this” and x’d the browser out… I have kept my word and emailed everyone back that has commented–and I have kept most comments private… knowing that privacy is still a major player in the evolution of For the Birds.

On another note, I really want to acknowledge a few other blogs out there that have given me the courage to share in this open forum… In no particular order:

Dooce
Mighty Girl
Suburban Bliss
Gotham Gal
Designing Moms

I don’t think that any of these authors are aware of me or how much they have influenced… If they were aware–I’m sure that restraining orders would be issued. At any rate, I read their posts with the hope that someday FTB will boast it’s own URL (damn you–you evil birders at forthebirds.com) and claim a regular readership. Until that day–keep stopping by–I promise generous helpings of almost daily observations… blood, sweat, tears all mixed with a fine selection of mundane tribulations.

PS. If you want to hear me talk more (The floodgates! Typepad you’re killing me!)–visit me at Twitter.

Before going out to fight the Memorial Day weekend acutremont gatherers, a morning of calm….

• 2nd cup of tea
• Baby swan
• No messages
• http://www.lenneganandmarantz.com
• The new Citarella is now open in the old Red Market in Bridgehampton
• Open windows
• Monday is a holiday making today [Thursday] the new Saturday
• Pizza night
• The IRS is surprisingly understanding
• Will’s haircut
• Fun people coming to visit this weekend–arriving on an early Jitney
• Gardening, playing, updating
• Thai food this weekend
• I understand Flickr
• I’m beginning to understand Twitter
• Bluedog is all better

 

Suffolk to Change Signs on County Road 39… read more here: http://www.27east.com/story_detail.cfm?cat=shnews&id=184588

Yay Vandals! Success! Unfortunately if you are caught, there are about 50 town workers that cleaned the signs (in the cold) ready to pounce.

In other news… Breakwater Design Studio now has it’s very own Facebook page… we never thought we’d see the day. Take a look, become a fan… we’re super fun!

We have started many posts about Facebook and then deleted them… it’s actually a very touchy subject, but one that we feel deserves to be recognized. Firstly, social networking sites are good things–Most any kind of networking is positive and functional. But they do not come without abusers.

We have recently noticed that there seems to be some sort of surge with Facebook “Friending”–people signing up left and right… which not only proves that people are not working at thier desks, but also leads to the purpose of this post… A few observations of bizarre behaviors and uncomfortable situations…(in no particular order)

• There is a Facebook etiquitte that seems to require people to agree to “Friend” invites.. For example: One indivdual (that many hold at a distance)…  signed up recently and within a few hours contacted several hundred people that he 1) Once went to school with 2) Is related to 3) Once dated 4) Once dated a friend of 5) Once dated a relative of 6) Once met through a former friend 7) Once met through a current friend Once worked with. Some–not knowing who he was, and Most–knowing exactly who he is and not liking him… agreed to be his friend and opened up their Facebook lives to him. Now he knows.
• Ex’s contacting ex’s and their friends to become “Friends”. We just think this is odd.
• Asking to “Friend” someone you went to nursery school with, but haven’t talked to since–without a “Hey how are you?, We went to nursery school together”… 
• Asking to “Friend” someone you went to nursery school with, but haven’t talked to since–The brain morphs you know… they could be insane.
• Putting your phone number up there … Not knowing that the person you just “Friended” from Nursery School is psychotic.
• That girl you knew in college that acted like she didn’t know you when you ran into her on the street in New Orleans in 2000–she now wants to “Friend” you… 

We just want people to behave.