welcome to elaney!

Those of us who were Facebook early adopters (ahem, haters at unnamed schools similar to say, Ole Miss (Reader jennbug) and UGA (Reader shawtygetlow)) remember the days when Facebook was “thefacebook.com.”  We remember the days when silly groups were still funny, when there was no Newsfeed, heck we remember when there was no wall!!  Even with our intimate knowledge of thefacebook.com’s rise to power, we were skeptical about The Social Network, as movies that capture recent events always seem to tank (think W).  But so far, reviews are holding strong at 100% on Rotten Tomatoes!  What do you think – are you going to see it?

We’ve talked about this before, but it’s pretty clear that every 6 months, the world needs an elaney reminder how the do’s and don’ts of Facebook (we are trying to make Emily Post proud in her unnavigated territory of New Media. Thefrisky.com posted a list of the 10 Commandments of Facebook.  We’ve included our favs with commentary here (and one we don’t agree with).  As always, comments welcomed.

1.  Thou shall not post photo or video updates of thy children’s potty training. Please parents…please just try to be considerate of others with your children.  We looove your kids.  You are a greeeeaat mother.  Your kid is sooooo cute.  But, to be honest, we just don’t need to know as much about him / her as you think we do.  Try to estimate how much you think we want to know, subtract 20, and go with that.

2.  Thou shall not use Facebook to converse with thine own significant other. This really makes us uncomfortable.  It is not normal to bring the world into your intimate pillow talk.  Also, please do NOT use lovey abbreviations like MUAH!  or 143!  We’re happy he landed the new account too and that you have something special planned, but just let him know via text.  Kapish?

3.  Thou shall not endlessly self-promote. You get one time in your life to ask us to vote for you to win some silly contest.  One time.  Choose wisely.

4.  Thou shall not IM anyone you haven’t spoken to in over a decade. Just keep it simple –  don’t use facebook chat at all.

5.  Thou shall not use Facebook as a diet and workout diary. This is DEFINITELY the biggest offender.  We do not care if you rocked it out at boot camp, we do not want to know about your 3 mile run, we do not care that you only ate 1 protein bar in the past 48 hours.  You are so, so scary when you are on Facebook workout kicks!  Pls avoid.

6.  Thou shall not “spoil” TV shows in one’s status update. elaney goes to bed at 9.  Don’t even think about mentioning the Bachelor results.  We will cut you.

One We Don’t Agree With:

7.  No Stalking! Um, excuse me?  Then what’s the point?

It sounded like such a simple request.  We all agreed to it, and we’re all nice girls.  There was no reason to doubt that one of us was planning a facebook COUP.  We said goodbye at ATL Hartsfield with fresh tans and Costa Rican friendship bracelets and all retired to our own homes to read emails and watch our respective DVRs.

Monday night 6pm.  Innocently chopping vegetables for salad and cooking turkey chili for dinner.

The Blackberry starts blowing up.  1-2-3 new…21-22-23 new….35-36-37….45-46 new emails.   Melissa Booher has tagged you in a photo.  Melissa Booher has tagged you in a photo.  Melissa Booher has tagged you in a photo.  Did some quick math.  Most of the picts we were either 1) with a cocktail in hand 2) not wearing makeup 3) in bikinis.   Noooooooooooo!!!

So what’s the appropriate etiquette for when your friends want you to take pictures DOWN?!  Do you have to honor the request?  Or is the detag the only de-tool they have?

In the meantime, this is us saying “Melissa Booher, we’re gonna get you back.”

People experience social media in varying degrees of engagement, and we try to be respectful of that (knowing that 75% of the world probably thinks this blog a complete loser makes).  However, today, we hit a wall with the multiple exclamation marks on facebook.  It really makes us feel insecure that you feel that degree of elation multiple times a week.  ”It’s a beautiful day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”  ”Going to spin classsss!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”  ”I love my friends!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”  It’s scary.  Makes us feel like we need to duck.  Like you are going to be really intense.  Like there is something wrong with trying to keep the emotion level pretty steady.  Why doesn’t the beautiful day make us feel like swinging from vines and beating our chests?  Should going to Lenox make us feel the same way that winning the lottery would make us feel?  It’s Tuesday.  It’s 10 am.  Experiencing a very normal 70% happy / contentment.  Is that so bad?

What’s your biggest fbook pet peeve?

There is a lot out there about how annoying people can be on facebook, how ridiculous the  self expression is, how people might lose their jobs if they talk about how much the hate work anymore, etc.  However, this article is pretty funny…check out GQ’s 18 People You’re Scared of on Facebook.  If you have to pick one you are the most like…who is it?

As editors of what ultimately amounts to a highly expressive blog (although we make a valiant, yet failing effort to minimize the personal), this blog entry might make us a hypocrite.  However, it must be said, the viral oversharing is out of control.  Specifically, the facebook status update.  Now, our qualm is not with the unprofessional nature (“ugh headed to a boring meeting”), nor is it with the disgusting nature of the constant references to what you are eating (“just ate a huge burrito.  yum yum!”),  nor is it with the complete risk of security breach (“on vaca with my hubby for the next 6 days!!  wahoo!”).  No, all of these things are mildly irritating, but our biggest beef (and not of the burrito sort), is people that can’t…stop…self…expressing.  And we ALL know people that update whatever boring thing they are doing every three hours (at least we used to know them before we hid their updates), but here’s what we want to know…how are these people not embarrassed?!?! 

There are days when we reflect on certain blog entries and CRINGE.  How can people not be ashamed to be on facebook every 3 hours, to list the details of their life, and to get on everyone’s nerves?!?!  Do people not understand that everyone sees what you post??  Do they not think it’s weird when others do it?? 

What do you think readers?  What makes some one addicted to oversharing??  How do they have no shame?  And how do you help them stop?

“elaney is: if you can’t facebook status anything interesting, don’t facebook status at all.”