Facebook
is and will likely always be an enigma to me; however, I willingly admit that
this is a weakness of my own and not a criticism of the extraordinary social
media program or the keen people who use it. I just struggle with it.
by Charlie Leck
by Charlie Leck
I was a bachelor
the other night, thinking about what to do for dinner. Since I was alone, I
wasn’t keen on cooking from scratch. I went looking in the freezer and found a
small sized Hormel turkey dinner (a
turkey breast and gravy). I put some rice in our rice-cooker and poured myself
a glass of white wine.
When the rice
was nearly ready and the Twins game moving into the third inning, I popped the
Hormel turkey packet into the microwave just as the package told me to and I reread
the instructions to make sure I was doing it right. At the end of the instructions
was a message from the Hormel Company: “ENJOY YOUR MEAL AND LIKE US ON FACEBOOK!”
OMG!
Really? I don’t think so! It was an acceptable frozen dinner. I added some chicken boillion to make it a bit tastier and moister – and I put some jellied cranberry sauce on the plate as a side. The rice was terrific (a real Basmati brown rice from India that I purchased at the Taste of India story out on Central Avenue in Minneapolis). I was not, however, about to go on Facebook to tell a bunch of my “friends” that “I like Hormel’s frozen turkey dinner!” They already think I’m weird enough. I should, however, tell them how much I like Taste of India.
Really? I don’t think so! It was an acceptable frozen dinner. I added some chicken boillion to make it a bit tastier and moister – and I put some jellied cranberry sauce on the plate as a side. The rice was terrific (a real Basmati brown rice from India that I purchased at the Taste of India story out on Central Avenue in Minneapolis). I was not, however, about to go on Facebook to tell a bunch of my “friends” that “I like Hormel’s frozen turkey dinner!” They already think I’m weird enough. I should, however, tell them how much I like Taste of India.
Listen!
If I’m going to like something on Facebook it’s going to be something really worthwhile. For instance, I’m rereading right now the wonderful classic by Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice. My! What remarkable writing! What perfectly wonderful dialogue. I’m still not going to announce it on Facebook, but I would if I were a regular on the social-interplay site.
If I’m going to like something on Facebook it’s going to be something really worthwhile. For instance, I’m rereading right now the wonderful classic by Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice. My! What remarkable writing! What perfectly wonderful dialogue. I’m still not going to announce it on Facebook, but I would if I were a regular on the social-interplay site.
Indeed, I’m irregular!
I check into Facebook about one a week and scroll down the long list of postings left there by my friends. I try to skim quickly, looking for something or someone stimulating – something that will make me sit back, smiling, in my chair and perhaps whisper “no shit” softly enough that the dog doesn’t actually hear me. Some people post that kind of stuff regularly and almost all of my friends do so occasionally. My criticism is that if you are really going to tag something that you like, make sure it is really something good and impressive. Don’t do it just as a favor to some manufacturer or seller.
I check into Facebook about one a week and scroll down the long list of postings left there by my friends. I try to skim quickly, looking for something or someone stimulating – something that will make me sit back, smiling, in my chair and perhaps whisper “no shit” softly enough that the dog doesn’t actually hear me. Some people post that kind of stuff regularly and almost all of my friends do so occasionally. My criticism is that if you are really going to tag something that you like, make sure it is really something good and impressive. Don’t do it just as a favor to some manufacturer or seller.
I rarely find
something that a Facebook friend has
liked that appeals to me. That is not a criticism of them but, rather, a note
about my own narrow and simple interests (I guess).
For instance, if
I was going to tell my Facebook friends
about something I really liked it would be a rave or two a of public television
show I watched the other night – a thing called Extreme Minnesota. What a remarkable account of the weather and storm
extremes we know in this state – from floods and blizzards and wild fires and
tornadoes. A number of weather gurus put the documentary together and I was absolutely
blown away by the remarkable stories of the blizzards of 1888 and 1940 – and of
a number of staggering floods (like the 1897 and 1997 Red River floods) – and of
the great Hinkley fire and several terrible tornadoes (including the one in ’65
that I managed to get through out there in Fridley, Minnesota).
Hot dang! I really
enjoyed that Extreme Minnesota documentary
and I am going to get a copy of it on DVD (or whatever we now call those discs
from which we play movies on our TVs, you know, cause I keep wanting to call
them VHS). I’ve got a Blue Ray player now but I’m not too sure how to use it. I
just keep pushing lots of buttons on the controller until it somehow starts up.
Hi Berman, the
incredible and astonishingly brilliant Minnesota historian, from the University
of Minnesota, was on the show to make commentary during some of the
intermissions. What remarkable color he added. Weather guys, Mark Seeley and
Paul Douglas, were also on hand to comment about the variety of weather and
weather danger Minnesota can display.
If you get an
opportunity, this video documentary (Extreme
Minnesota) is really worth watching. I’ve ordered it (in return for a
contribution to Twin Cities Public
Television) and I’d be happy to lend it out to anyone who wants to watch
it.
I won’t mention
it on Facebook, however. I get embarrassed
when I do something like that.
________________
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If you read my blog regularly, why not become a follower? All you have to do is click in the upper right hand corner and establish a simple means of communication. Then you'll be informed every time a new blog is posted here. If all that's confusing, here's Google's explanation of how to do it! If you don’t want to post comments on the blog, but would like to communicate with me about it, send me an email if you’d like.
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