Friday, December 16, 2011

Interpreting Facebook:What Do Those Cryptic Updates Mean?

Facebook is such an individual thing. Everyone uses it differently, which is, when not annoying, pretty cool. For some, it's their political soapbox. For some, it's the place to show off cute cat YouTube videos. Others use it to brag about their kids or to crack inside jokes no one will get other than that one tagged friend.

And some are personal.

Sometimes, frankly, too personal. I'm all about expressing your individuality, but when you need to detail the progression of your diarhea, I'm hiding you for a few days. No offense, it's not that I don't like you... I just don't want to hear the amount of trips to the bathroom you're taking, and what your poop looks like.

And no, I'm not making that up.

But hey, if you feel the need to detail that, I'm not going to criticize you for it. It's your page. Write what you want.

Some people feel the need to post every move they make, every action they take.  "Went to the thrift store and dropped off my old computer monitor and then went to Target and bought a red ribbon for my mailbox, a box of diapers because my four year old won't sleep through the night without wetting the bed (still!), a pack of two 9-volt batteries for my smoke detectors, and nail files because my thumb nail is all ragged. Then I came home and took a two hour and ten minute nap."


I'm not making that up, either.


I'm less.... specific. It's not that I don't want you to know me. I just don't think you care about all of that. 


But if you do, here is the translation to a couple of my recent posts... just so you can know what I really meant when I wrote them.


Update: They should call Chex mix what it really is: puppy crack-cocaine.
Translation:  I am making Chex mix because my daughter promised her teacher I'd make it for their party, and the puppy decided it was really his, knocked the bowl over, and now I have Chex mix all over the floor and have to go out to the store to buy more cereal because I used the last of the Wheat Chex. Also, the puppy is deliriously happy about this development and is frantically running around licking at the floor, his tail knocking over the plant in the corner. Now I also have to vacuum. And repot a plant.
Update: The best part of having to go out in the cold-enough-to-snow night? Bun warmers. Have I mentioned how much I love bun warmers?
Translation:  I am running errands after dark. This sucks. I should be at home with my family, eating dinner, watching The Grinch That Stole Christmas, but instead I am freezing my tail off running my kids back and forth to music practice that is more indicative of a professional Nutcracker performance than a church sing-a-long. But I have bun-warmers in the car. So don't say I don't find the silver lining when I need to.
Update: Went outside to walk the pup and wondered why I could hear the sounds of the ocean. It's the creek in our backyard. It totally sounds like the beach. Which is both cool.... and scary.
Translation: It's been raining freakin' 48 hours straight. I get it. I need to build an ark. And up our flood insurance. I'm rethinking the fact that we bought a house with a meandering creek behind it. That creek is now a raging rapids. And also, I'm walking the dog in the freakin' rain. So I am cold and wet, and rethinking having a dog.
Update: We have coyotes in our yard.
Update: I caught three snakes in the house.
Update: We trapped five mice in the basement in two hours.
Update: A bear was sighted in our neighborhood!
Translation: I may live in the woods and work by myself from home, but don't think I don't have reinforcements if you show up on my door trying to rob me.
*Transition*

(Translation: I have no idea how to end this post, and I have one more thing to share that is semi-related but I can't find a way to make it sound like a natural follow up)
Here's a Christmas Facebook video I love. Maybe you've seen it, but I thought it was good enough to share. 
Have a great weekend!


9 comments:

  1. I missed you bun warmer update somehow! :)

    I'm guilty of the political stuff sometimes, but mostly I go for the laughs.

    I'm glad to be your friend on there though :)

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  2. I don't mind the political updates... or any of them, really. Other than the diarrhea. That I can do without. I believe in everyone's freedom to use Facebook how they wish to.

    I am always glad we are friends there. Much easier to keep up than blogs! :) And I feel like I know you better now.

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  3. Well, hopefully my updates aren't tiresome. Tho I know that hearing about how tired I am all the time and my Fibro flares plus raising a 5 year old little tornado must get tiresome sometimes. That's why I've been trying to NOT post everything I think.

    Loved the bun warmer update! I understood some of the "translation" without the translation.

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  4. That's funny. Now I get all of your meanings behind your posts. I'd kill for butt warmers with all the driving I do.

    And I'm not sure how you put up with all those wild creatures.

    And that's a crazy video.

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  5. Cat - I love reading your posts! I remember what having a five year old is like, and while it makes me exhausted reading it, it isn't tiresome. :)

    And I won't complain about your fibro if you won't complain about my writing updates. It's our lives, right? So isn't that what facebook is supposed to help us document? :)

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  6. Sometimes I can't believe what people post on fb.

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  7. Aw that video is so cute!

    I can't ever go back to Facebook ever again cuz I'm sure everybodys mad at me for not logging in for almost two years! I used to stare at the computer thinking, "I don't know if I wanna be your friend- I only had one class with you in five years of school!" so stressful. And I'm a coward. And too lazy to run that and a blog. Also lazy. Just.

    Hey bring some of that chex mix to the party. Bring the dog too in case there's too much mess for just one pug to clean up. Aren't dogs useful? (mice, NO!)

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  8. Great post! I tend to be a lurker more than a poster on FB. I'm not that witty. :( Loved your posts and your translations.

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  9. Funny video! I'm in awe on how you keep up with facebook! And do all else that you do. Even with a smart phone, I still tend to only be on facebook when I receive an email stating someone posted on my wall! Then I'll have a few days posting, then weeks of nothing! But you've got the wit for it! And, thank God, post about your dog but never her poop!

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