Life as a Status Update

Since the advent of Facebook (or perhaps my discovery of it), it seems that my life’s moments are framed with the idea of a clever status update.   I don’t know why the search for a singular statement to best describe a morning filled with finding dog poop in the living room or a tasty latte keep my creative mind reeling, but it does.  Ironically, I never post these moments as often as I create these hypothetical captions; to assume any of my 218 friends might want to know about a treacherous morning of getting three kids off to school would be just downright narcissistic but that doesn’t stop me from thinking that this angst-filled moment, if shared, might bring a few comments or even a couple “likes.” 

Truth be told, the Status Update was created for people like me who thrive on ways to condense life into witty one-liners.  Facebook is fertile ground for those who seek creative validation or feel the yearning to be deep and poetic.  It is also great for those politicos who, prior to social networking, reserved their opinions for family gatherings or drunken rants.  Now, instead of unleashing on Aunt Alma and Uncle Fred, they get the fortune of hitting our walls and blasting our news feeds.  Luckily for me, I only have a few of these and they happen to share my liberal views making it far less annoying.  If I had to witness Glenn Beck quotes on a daily basis, that friend would be blocked faster than you can say “tea bagger.”   Nevertheless, the creation of the update and the tweet leave us with a deeper understanding of our “friends” and can feed our ADD, giving us ample fuel to endure a boring sales meeting or fifteen minutes of downtime in the school pick-up line. 

While I appreciate both the humorous and the thoughtful morning quotes, I am a sucker for the dramatic as well.  Come on, admit it, don’t you get a little rush when you wake up in the morning and check your Facebook to find a one-word update from a friend -Something like “Wow!” or “Really?”  This is almost a guarantee that a soap opera thread is coming your way no later than noon.  Public airing of dirty laundry never smelt sweeter!  Just remember people, if you are going to throw out the one-worders, be respectful to your FB family and deliver the goods because if you cry wolf, we won’t be tuning in next time!

I have a few friends who share vintage music videos via You Tube and those are fun as well.  A visual reminder of the ‘80s- big hair, big shoulder pads, big brows and big jewelry.  There is nothing better than traveling back to my youth to a carefree moment and remembering a time when a hypothetical status update would read nothing like it does today.  

Although I try to use discretion in what I post, there are certainly transgressions which most often come in combination with girlfriends and booze.  Go figure that your Facebook filter flies out the window with that combination!  Those one-liners seem to flow brilliantly with a few margaritas under your belt.  Shamefully, I realize that the majority of my mobile uploads include a picture of me and a cocktail.  I probably should clean up my act and if not my act, at least my Facebook page! 

I wonder how the status update will frame the lives of the younger generations.  Will it make them bolder?  More creative in their thoughts?  Deeper?  Wiser?  This tiny tool might prove to be mightier than the sword.  I guess we will have to keep posted…