I grew up in a time when stalking and obsession were selling points for romantic plots. “Oh, look! He wore her down until she said yes. They were surely meant to be together.”
I now live in a time where even writing that sentence made my fingers cringe.
We have learned (hopefully) that stalking is not romantic. Overly obsessing on anything is not healthy. What were romance storylines are now creepy thriller plot lines.
So, to reiterate today’s stance: stalking is bad.
Continue readingTen years ago, actor Jesse Eisenberg was interviewed by Romina Puga. This has become a legendary interview of sorts and clips are still circulating demonizing the actor and victimizing the interviewer. Neither side is represented well. She claims he was mocking and demeaning. He claims he thought it was all a joke. Should be easy enough to determine who is telling the truth since it is on video but even with that it is not that simple.
Continue readingI enjoy public speaking. But I don’t get to do it enough so I have set about creating ways to practice. My hope is to one day find a way to make a living using the skill. Until then, I keep thinking of ways to develop the skill. One way I have started this summer is by doing live video chats and other video spots on social media. I don’t expect anyone to notice the videos but when they do I’m not sure how to follow-up.
Continue readingDear Mark Zuckerberg and Facebook (and all other social media platforms),
We have a problem here. Some people were born without a common sense gene. As much as we want everyone to rise to the occasion and be wise about using your platform it will never happen. It is impossible for some people to think before they post so we need to adapt to the capacity of the weak to protect everyone else. While there are many issues the viral Gladys Kravitzes use poor judgment on there is one specific one I’d like to discuss. That is when someone posts the death of someone else before the family members have time to be properly (not online) informed. This is not good, it does not reflect well on you, and it is unlikely to get better on its own because not everyone has an ounce of sympathy in their status posting hearts. Continue reading
There are games being played on Facebook right now. Usually, they are played by the teenagers. The older crowd doesn’t want or no longer cares about the types of games being played. But teenagers, well, teens are usually still willing to let another person’s opinion control them. They are searching for self-esteem that they are looking for validation through another person’s outlook. The games? There are several but I’m referring to TI (truth is) and TBH (to be honest).
Have you ever been enjoying an apple while out and about and decided, Hey, I should check Facebook? And have you ever logged onto Facebook using your smartphone and tried scrolling? But thanks to some apple juice on your finger it doesn’t slide but kind of sticks and before you know it you send a friend request to somebody you haven’t met yet?
And there you are, away from your computer and no way to recall the request. You have to let it go and so you hope that person rejects you.
And has that person ever accepted your friend request?
And is that person a friend of a friend that a couple of days later you find yourself at the same party?
And while at the party have you ever overheard that person say your name to another friend and both look in your direction?
Have you then looked at the person sitting next to you and quickly pretend to be deep in the most engaging conversation since Eve brought the fruit to Adam?
And for the rest of the night, have you ever avoided your newest fbf because you were too tired to cope with the embarrassment gracefully?
Yeah, me neither.
Remember a few weeks ago when I complained about having the ugly number 9 as my stat? And how I begged for viewers just to get one more and make my stat end with a lovely 0? And remember I achieved that goal? (okay, I had to cheat be creative to do it but it was worth it and I still don’t regret it). And remember how I said I was happy then? Well, something has come up. I have another situation that is bugging me. Don’t worry, the stats are fine. True, 6 is no 0 but it’s no 9 either. I’m fine with my highest all-time view stat ending in 6. The trouble is with my Facebook page.
I started a ck’s days Facebook page just out of curiosity. I thought it would be fun. However, I’m horrible at networking. After all, I only have (gasp) one hundred friends on my regular page. I know, I know. I feel like the modern equivalent of a leper. But I like the small numbers. The purpose of Facebook for me is to actually keep up with old friends. And new friends. I don’t see how I could do that with 400+ friends that I don’t even remember. Or know. Or could care less what they are doing. It would lose all its viral faux-intimacy. For me anyway.
Anyway, I started a ck’s days Facebook page. Since I only had one hundred friends to begin with on my regular page I have a total of 12 likes for my page. Don’t laugh. I’m serious. And I’m okay with that. I really am.
Except for the fact there’s this notice on the page that tells me if I have 30 likes then I can gain access to insights regarding my page. Gain access? And what kind of insights are we talking about here? Are they cool insights? Will it tell me how many people view my page and if it’s worth it to keep? Or are the insights more personal, kind of like a Magic 8 Ball that will tell me how I can make $1,000,000 in the near future? I am so curious that I now want 30 likes just to see what it will unlock.
I have been posting all my updates as ck’s days and nothing. Not one extra like. I’m being a trooper and telling myself it doesn’t matter. But c’mon, in this day and age validation is in the like. I’m not begging though. Well, maybe I am a little bit. See, once I get my 30 likes then I will be happy. Then I will be satisfied. Then I won’t have to beg. For a while anyway. Because as Patricia tells Joe, “It’s always going to be something with you, isn’t it?” (Joe Versus the Volcano, 1990). Um, yep, pretty much.
Dear Facebook,
While Eve looks like a delightful person, I have no idea who 
she is. I can’t even find the hints you usually drop on how I should know her. We seemingly have no common friends. So why are you so insistent and persistent that we become friends?
On a side note, when one is un-friended by someone is it really necessary to have the said (un-friender) person continue to populate on the (un-friended) friend suggestion lists? Not cool, Facebook, not cool.
Thanks for your time. I know you’re very busy. Probably checking status updates.
ck
ck's days 