Taking a Facebook break...

So, in my last post, I mentioned that I took a bit of a break from the internet during my vacation.  I barely touched my computer and feel that I’m better off for having done it.  I’ve been taking another break lately though that has lasted the whole summer.  With maybe a couple of exceptions, I haven’t been on Facebook since early June.

Believe it or not, the world didn't end without Facebook!

Gasp!  I know; it’s incredible!  What do we do without the time-suck that is Facebook?  Many of us have a hard time answering that question.  Now, I have been posting my blog links to this blog’s Facebook page but my personal page has been utterly neglected all summer and I haven’t really missed it.  I do admit that I do kind of miss seeing friends’ pictures and some of the jokes but there is so much that I don’t miss. 

For some reason, I have some friends who think that it’s their mission in life to post dozens of pictures of missing dogs, abused dogs and dogs that are available for adoption.  I get it; you like dogs and want to see people “adopt, don’t shop” but overexposing the people you know to your message backfires when they stop looking at your posts.  Enough is enough people! 

The same thing goes for those who are trying to sell something.  I’m glad that you’ve started up a home business selling makeup/Tupperware/vitamins but I really don’t need my news feed to be full of it.  I have one person on my friends list who is selling makeup and, believe me; I’ve seen enough gunked up eye lashes to last me forever.  The stuff doesn’t even look nice……

Then there are the people who overshare their issues or (just as bad) put up cryptic status updates that hint at something wrong.  If your grandma died and you’re sad about it, by all means, please share so that the people who care about you can express their sympathy and perhaps help you feel better.  You had a fight about money/child care/etc. with your ex?  I’ll take a pass on that one thank you.  We all screw up sometimes and write something that we regret later but there are some people who skip the regret part and just keep doing it.

Will I go back to Facebook?  Of course I will.  We all get sucked back in eventually.  Like it or not, this is how so many of us get our news not only about what is happening with our family and friends but also in the world in general.  I’m feeling a little bit “out of the loop” here but not so much that I’m ready to cave in (yet!).  I still check in on Twitter on my phone so I’m not totally out of touch with the world.

Have you taken a Facebook break and, if so, how long did you last?

 

Kathy