It’s been a while since I did a video blog and believe it or not, at least one person not related to me asked why I stopped doing them.
It’s not that I don’t like to do them, it’s just that it’s quicker for me to sit down and bang out some words on my bootlegged word processing software than to write, edit and publish the video piece.
So to appease the one person who likes them, here’s your fix for the day.
When it comes to social media, I think we’re finally getting to the point where we’re just overloaded. Lets face it, how many of us spend more hours than we want to admit do, on Facebook? I’m on it several times during the work day, I find myself bringing it up on my phone while I’m driving and I’m always checking it while watching TV at night before bed.
Someone really needs to do a study as to how many “actual” hours are wasted on Facebook, I think we’d all be pretty surprised if not horrified.
The latest social media darling to hit the big time is Pinterest. While I still haven’t grasped the concept of this photo link sharing dynamo, I believe it’s got the same addiction potential that Facebook has. I know many people who are spending more and more time during the day pinning things on their virtual bulletin boards.
I have an account, I pinned a few things, followed a few friends, got confused and went back to Facebook. I should be scolded and maybe even spanked by those who feel I should be embracing this new social site, but I’m leery.
I’m leery that we’re becoming a society who is slowly building walls up around ourselves so that the only contact we have with the outside world is through Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and the others. I see many young adults who lack basic social skills that I was taught at a very early age. I blame technology for that.
While the social media sites are designed to connect us with others and actually become more social, we’re turning into isolationists who are living our lives in a virtual reality where recognition is achieved by likes and shares rather than handshakes and an old fashioned pat on the back.
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On another note, throughout the week I get a ton of email and messages sent to me from Facebook and adult dating sites. There are a select few that rise above all the rest and beginning today, I’ll share some of them with you at the end of my musings.
Via Email: If I wanted to work for your company, what do I do?
Just as if you were looking to work for the 7-11, you need to first see if there is a job opening that fits your skills. You can do this by visiting the company website and clicking on Employment Opportunities. If by chance you see something there that strikes your fancy, you’re going to need to put a resume together. A resume lists your education, work experience and skills. Take that resume and send it, along with a few paragraphs introducing yourself, to the email address listed in the job posting.
Via Email: I don’t know much about eCommerce, but I enjoy reading your blog about the other stuff you write about. Where do you get your ideas from and how can I meet you?
Thanks for being a reader and don’t worry – all that eCommerce stuff is over-rated anyway, so you’re not missing much. I get my ideas from people just like you. I sit back and watch what other people do, how they act, how they treat (or mis-treat) others and I get ideas from the things I encounter on a daily basis. If I get poor service from the customer service rep at Dial-A-Mattress, I’ll probably end up writing about it because it will serve as a reminder that good customer service is important. If I end up on a plane and the guy in front of me reclines too far in my space, I’ll blog about how I made sure he spilled orange juice on his Hagar suit.
As far as meeting me is concerned, I stopped making public appearances when I hung up the microphone after one too many remote broadcasts from church bazaars and fireman’s picnics. The potato pancakes got to me.
Via Email: What do you think about Facebook Timeline?
Honestly I don’t know what the big deal is and why people have gotten their knickers in such a bunch over this. It’s Facebook, it’s not the end of the world! When I visit Facebook I usually just look at the homepage and review all the items in the newsfeed. I hardly ever visit individual people’s pages, unless I’m stalking them, so Timeline doesn’t really mean much for me. Oh, and by the way, don’t waste time joining the “I hate Timeline” group, or posting those silly pictures about how much you want Timeline to go away, Facebook doesn’t care!
From Instant Messenger: When you think of April Fools Day, what image comes to mind?
None really. Did I pass the test, doctor?
From Facebook: You don’t know me personally, but thanks for accepting my friendship. You post a lot of food photos do you really eat out that often?
Why yes! Although I’m a great cook and know my way around a kitchen as well as a bird dog in the woods, I don’t like to cook for just myself so I eat out almost every night. I started photographing food that I think looks great a few months ago and try not to shoot the same dish twice. This is known as “food porn” and food photographers are known as “food pornographers.” I didn’t make those terms up, so don’t be offended, I just love to share great looking food with others, even if it’s just in pixels instead of bites.