Friday, April 26, 2013

Drinking the Kool-Aid



Now I’ve gone and done it . . . Lilacs & Lace has a Facebook page!


But it almost feels like I have waited too long.  So long, in fact, that it is rather embarrassing to admit that as of yesterday I did not have a Facebook account or know how to use the darn thing (which I am still a little unclear on). 


I feel the same way about other things.  For instance, I do not know how to make a pot of coffee.  I do not drink the stuff, so I never learned, and those particular appliances in the office kitchen mock me daily.  I live in fear that someone is going to ask me to make them coffee.  Ridiculous?  Yes.  But what are you going to do?  At a certain point, there are things just too awkward to confess.

But I have really taken to Pinterest, so who knows, perhaps Facebook will become another wonderful distraction. 


Do you have any suggestions or things to avoid on this bit of social media?


And maybe I should finally learn how to make a pot of coffee . . . how hard could it really be?!


[Click on image for source]

15 comments:

  1. One thing I would suggest is to commit to checking your FB every day, if only to ensure that no-one is posting rude/mean/inappropriate comments on your posts. It doesn't happen that often, but it can. I feel like a stalker: I have your website on my RRS feed, I follow you on Pinterest (actually, I think we follow each other!) and now FB.
    Oh - and check your privacy settings and change them to what you want. Welcome!

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  2. You are not alone! I also have no idea how to make a pot of coffee, and dread being asked to do so. :-(

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  3. You're way ahead of me! I still don't have an FB account. I have a twitter account and follow some sewing bloggers, but I've never actually tweeted anything. I can make coffee :) but don't ask me to cook!

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  4. Laura Mae, if people "stalk" you on FB, you can block them. If it's your sister, you can change her status to "restricted," and she will see only what you post for public consumption (on my personal page, I only post for friends, on my 52 Quilts page, it is all public.) FB is actually a great way to make people think you really care what is going on in their lives, without actually having to call them or see them! Very useful for distant family members.

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  5. I have been a lurker on your blog for quite a while now, sorry it has taken facebook to get me to comment. (Should start by saying thank you for all the sewing tips you share) I too am a facebook hold out and probably will always remain so. I also have to proudly say that I made a really good pot of coffee the other day. I drink it, but only occasionally. We laughed at how well it turned out when I bothered to read the instructions for how much coffee to add....ahem. Am afraid to start pinterest, the computer is enough of a time suck already!

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  6. I can only make coffee by reading the instructions on the can/bag.

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    1. ditto. and even that doesn't turn out so well. lol

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  7. I second the check your privacy settings comment. Generally speaking, facebook seems to think you want the least amount of privacy possible. :) Also, I had to ask a friend how to do this so I figure it's worth passing along: if you are commenting on a post and want to put a line break in the comment, you should use shift+return. Just using return posts the comment.

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  8. I'll be interested to see if you can endure FB for long. I have an account, but I only activate it when I want a coupon from someone. When it starts aggravating me with constant emails and friend suggestions I just shut it down again.

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  9. Welcome from a relative (fellow) newbie. I just joined (and in turn made Chronically Vintage) a page there this past December (joking at the time that I was the last person on earth yet to do so - of course neither you or I are, but it can certainly feel that way for a bit at first, what with almost everyone else there having been on for years and knowing their way around the site inside and out).

    ♥ Jessica

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  10. I have a vague idea that I signed up for Facebook a while back, but I have no recollection of my password. Shortly after signing up I read something about privacy issues, and after a bit more research came to the conclusion that Facebook is a web service I really want absolutely nothing to do with. They appear to constantly tweak their privacy settings so that unless you are very vigilant an awful lot of your private information can be easily accessible by other Facebook users.

    I also seem to remember that a while back they tried to change their T&Cs so that they could use any photo posted on Facebook for any reason, including commercial applications, without permission or recompense to the copyright holder. In other words, they could sell your photo to an ad agency and then that agency could use your photo in an ad campaign without any permission from you (well, except for the permission you gave when you ticked the "I agree to the T&Cs" box). I have no idea how that eventually panned out because that's when I decided I would never use Facebook. There's an interesting two part post about it here http://blog.exposedplanet.com/why-sharing-photos-on-facebook-is-bad-for-you/

    I suppose I should find my old password and actually delete my account!

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  11. Actually I have quite a few friends who are 1) total non Facebook users or 2) have an account and only check it when there is a "Blue" moon, that is to say: practically never. Frankly, sometimes I wish I weren't on any social networks. Not just because it is such a time waster, but sometimes I read things I really wish I hadn't. I had to delete a couple of people because of posts I frankly didn't appreciate the insensitivity or their lack of respecting my right to free speech. A couple of people I have put on: can't see theirs because it will cause my blood pressure to explode.

    I feel a little guilty because I think I'm the one who contributed to your crack in the wall with the Laura Mae blouse, but take heart, it is good branding if you want to expand Laura Mae Designs into a product. I just read where a "LIKE" on a page is worth around $150 in advertising.

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  12. I'm a fairly active facebook user (for me, it's a fabulous way to keep in touch with friends who are literally all over the globe!)). Set everything in your privacy settings to "Friends Only". Don't click on any links that take you to a place that has a disclaimer about accessing everything you and your friends have ever posted (this seems like a no-brainer, but still.....). Don't "Like" any posts that seem ridiculous or silly....they may be fishing for more information than you want to give.

    All of the above privacy stuff aside, just use common sense, really. Facebook can be a fabulous place to gather up information, stay in touch with friends, expand your community of meaningful friends in your life (whether you've met them in 3D or not), and even have some fun. :) It's very easy to either "Unfriend" someone, or, if you don't want to do that, just hide their posts from your feed for awhile if you don't like what they're posting. Personally, I find it very uplifting, informative, and a really easy and delightful way to stay in touch with people I wouldn't see otherwise. :)

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  13. I know what you mean about Facebook... took me forever to jump on the bandwagon because I am just not that technologically advanced. To tell you the truth, I can't really make coffee either. Well, let me rephrase that... I can make coffee the old school way... perculator, on a wood fired stove, and campfire coffee... "coffee 2.0" not a clue, I buy it.

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