1. Cryptic status messages. Although I don’t need to know everyone’s secrets, it’s a bit off-putting to not get the meaning. And let’s face it: a cryptic status begs to be questioned.
2. The “like” statements. They’re getting to be a little over the top. So-and-so likes “Talking to myself in an accent.” Please.
3. Hanging posts. Mathew still hasn’t responded to the cool picture I posted on his profile. It’s OK. I know I’m just an old useless hag…I’ll be under my truck wheels if you need me. And speaking of #4…
4. Statuses that induce guilt. “If you care about colon cancer, you will put this as your status for an hour today. I bet only 20% of my friends will care.” You’re right. I care about colon cancer, but I don’t care to take your guilt bait. F’tannnggg!
5. Drive-by posters. They post a status or comment, after which their “friends” comment, but they (the original posters) are never heard from again. Looking down the guilty party’s profile page, all one sees is a bunch of statuses with comments — none of which are their own. And they rarely comment on other people’s statuses, either. Niggly behavior. It’s like being at a party and doing all the talking, talking, talking, but none of the listening.

Look. Social networking (I really hate that term) is, after all, networking. By its very definition, it assumes people are engaging in communication. Some have said, “What do I care what you’re doing tonight? Why would I want to know this, and why would I want others to know what I’m doing?” Well, if you don’t care for Facebook’s personal nature, then don’t sign up. I’ll still love you. Simple as that.

I, however, do care about what my faraway friends and family are up to. I like to see where they’re going, what movies they’ve seen, what their favorite restaurants are, what their opinions are about sundry topics, what they think is important in life, and pictures of people they love. Then I like to comment about it, and enjoy some back-and-forth repartee. Kind of like a high-five greeting while passing on the street. And it’s all asynchronous, which is a beautiful thing to me. Someone can shout out to me, and I can take all day to respond. Logging onto Facebook and seeing that you’ve got 10 responses waiting is like getting a letter in the mail from a friend. It’s cool to read and respond.

I can do all the above and get my work done, too. If you can’t, then fine. You’re just not hot-ziggity like me. Text or call me and we can talk that way.

All annoyances (and kidding) aside, I am a big fan of Facebook for the singular reason that it brought many wonderful people — people with whom I’d lost touch over the years — back into my life. Yay for that! Look at the list:

• BoomR!
• My cousins Amy O., Sue B., Glenn M., and my Aunt Case — all of whom I have not seen for decades
• High school friends I haven’t spoken with since 1977
• A slew of former students
• Missy and Jules, my dear childhood friends from Milwaukee
• Other friends and distant relatives from years past

So yeah. I’m keeping Facebook, even though I will slap it around a bit when I’m cheesed. Speaking of cheese…I’m hungry. It might be time for an omelet.

Happy Monkday.

My boots almost fit him…

Snow Day #6.

A couple of the other ones have been questionable, but not this. Pretty sneaky weather. I grabbed my camera (my Flip is upstairs and I was too lazy to go get it) and did a quick vid of the view out my back door at 6 a.m. The wind is strong; at :15, it about blew me down. Rousseau was not pleased about his bathroom being outside.

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Some propaganda that will make you smile, and possibly wonder at the fact that in 235 years of elected government in this country, women have had a say in it at the polls for only 91.

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Well, isn’t James Franco just bringing his Franconess to a class by Franco about Franco? Totally not magniloquent. If JD started a class, however…

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Last night, I finished watching the HBO miniseries John Adams. Among other fantastic facts, I never knew (or had forgotten) that Adams and Thomas Jefferson — fierce political rivals but devoted friends — died on the same day: 4 July, 1826. Bizarre. But hello, not ironic. I can’t tell you of how many accounts I read this morning that used that particular word to describe the event. The fact they died on the same day, and indeed, the fact that the day was the fourth of July, is fluky, strange, peculiar and queerly coincidental, to be sure; but not ironic. Now look what you did — got me off the subject again. Anyway, excellent series, if for no other reason than to refresh your memory of — and humble appreciation for — the history of the formation of our government, and what great peril these men place themselves in for the sake of freedom from Great Britain.

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Loving the Four Icon Challenge. My favorite is The Big Lebowski, described in four small pictures. (Scroll down the page to see them all.)

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Finally, the ha-ha photo of the day.

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Happy Finkday, all! Time for me to do work. It’s 7:25 a.m. — the day’s half gone.

Well now, I’m ticked, but relieved. WordPress borked this morning during an update — never a good thing. Note to self: back up the database this day.

My DNGH site of the day: PolitiFact.com

Don’t say I didn’t warn you. I was stuck there last night for an hour when I should have been writing rhythm section parts for my show. Finally, a true bird’s-eye view, with no hands in anyone’s pockets. This site is the work of some hardcore philomaths in St. Petersburg FL. They separate wheat from chaff, total crap from half-truth, real facts from “pants on fire” lies. Both political parties inherit a smackdown, as do political pundits and news-show talking heads, both lefty and righty. CNN, MSNBC and FOX all get slapped.

It brought to mind the ease with which we believe our favorite people in the media and in Congress, and mindlessly accept their “facts” as gospel. Well this site ranks right up there with Snopes in my book. And how convenient: Ohio is one of their recent focus states.

The fact that the site won a Pulitzer for reporting doesn’t hurt their credibility, either.

I would give examples and expound (because I always have an opinion, you know), but…refer to the 2nd sentence.

Happy Thurgsday. I will enjoy it, since I’m probably going to have a sixth snow day tomorrow. Will winter never end? I think so.

FO

Wouldn’t it have been great had this happened yesterday?

Happy Wemsday. My neck hurts. And I promise to return to trying to write about interesting things. Tomorrow.