in a major way, but I’m in a rotten mood. What’s bothering me? Well, many things.
First and foremost, my neighbors are so bloody extreme in their hatred of all living things they insist I trim my lovely lemon tree so that it won’t hang over the property line. Thus my gorgeous lemon tree stands fifteen feet high and is flat on one side.
Second, I’m sick unto death of social media, specifically Facebook. Yes, I’m supposed to have a Facebook account as part of my author platform and author outreach. But I have only so much free time in my day and I’d like to do other things besides check and delete a shitload of messages from Facebook. Plus I don’t have the time to work on their new format and restructure my page and preferences. You know, I suppose I can make the time but that means I’ll spend less time on my WIP, or baking cookies, or getting some much needed exercise - as time is in short supply lately. Time is a valuable commodity. When it’s gone, honey, it’s way gone.
Here’s how I judge the worth of a thing…I picture myself on my deathbed and I ask - “When I’m on my deathbed - if I’m conscious - what will I regret?”
This is how I decided, good little Jew that I am, to have a Christmas tree. I’d always resisted because Jews don’t have Christmas trees (or Volkswagons) and then one day I asked myself, “When I’m on my death bed, will I be congratulating myself for not having a Christmas tree?” The answer came to me in a flash. “Hell no.” I’ll say to myself, “I shoulda had a Christmas tree.”
Since that Christmas, we’ve had a Christmas tree and I’ve never looked back. Why should Jews sit in dark homes during the darkest, bleakest time of year? Besides, it’s not Yeshua’s (aka Jesus) birthday. Co-opting December 24-25 from the pagans was a brilliant means of spreading Christianity and burying the old gods the same way Christian churches and cathedrals were built over preexisting, and very ancient, holy sites. To be fair, I also have a lovely menorah collection.
So, today, while watering the lavender garden and dodging a thousand honeybees, wondering if they’d sting me thereby forcing me to use my Epi-pen because of my deathly bee sting allergy, I realized that if I left Facebook, nobody would miss me. Facebook would be just fine with one less face. And my life would be simpler.
Here’s what I need to let go of - ye olde, “But what if I miss something important?” Well, guess if I do, somebody will let me know via email or even Twitter, probably my sister as she has 2.5 million friends on Facebook and if a fisherman living in the marshes of Bangladesh stubs his toe, she knows about it and spreads the word posthaste.
Let go, Julia…let go….
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Ah, poor Julia. There there. Yes, let go of facebook and feel not a twinge of guilt. Life’s too short for pain in the ass stuff.
Or friend me and we can talk.
Jaye - you would torture me, wouldn’t you?!?
Facebook is definitely not worth that much stress…I’ve never been on it and from the sounds of it I’m not missing much. Spend your time doing what you love.
I know someone who has a Twitter account but no Facebook. Why don’t you just have a Facebook author page and post your blog links? I know tons of authors who do that…they just use it as an announcement board? But seriously, if you hate it, bag it.
And I agree…all Jews should have a Christmas tree! Hee hee!
Oh, I hate the changes on Facebook, but not enough to walk. The benefit is that it’s so hard for me to find the people I enjoy (because I haven’t had time to make lists), that it’s easy for me to walk away after I post a status update.
Twitter is my nemesis. Not because I don’t know how to use it, but because I love to chat TOO MUCH! I’m using tweetdeck, but I’m not finding it a time saver. I spent hours on it the other day chatting with all kinds of people. I posted a couple blog updates and a couple book promos. The kicker? I sold 4 books to anonymous people that day. *sigh* The upshot is that it just proved more time could equal more sales. But really … is that in the end where my time is best spent?
And now I’ve been told that I “should” have a newsletter. Oh, come on! Now I have another thing to try to get readers to do? Do I really have so much to say that I can fill in a newsletter (which, BTW I don’t subscribe to because I don’t like them).
Ahhhhhhhhhh … that’s me screaming and pulling my hair out because this whole marketing thing is driving me nuts. Is it really so much to ask to have one of my books go viral? Then I won’t have to worry about whether I’m hanging out where the readers can find me. They’ll be banging down my virtual door, clamoring for their own copy. LOL! I dream in color too!
First, Happy Rosh Hashananh, I hope your neighbors call immediately to atone for vandalizing your lemon tree.
Second, in my opinion Jesus was the world’s most loving and insightful Rabbi, so please do celebrate and enjoy his birthday.
Third, Christmas trees are totally Pagan in origin, possibly stretching back to neolithic times and therefore part of world culture-enjoy.
Fourth, Facebook is worth billions of dollars because its an excellent flytrap to bleed information, time and energy from people while actually giving little back. I closed my Facebook account two years ago and the social world didn’t end. All my family and friends still send lots of pictures and notes to my real email account. I immediately answer back and the beauty is it’s just us sharing, I didn’t “connect” to anyone I didn’t intend to.
The new social media is amazing, there is a place for it. Use it wisely but don’t let it use us.
XXOO Kat
Oh, Kat! Thank you so much! Yes, it is the New Year for us and that may be one reason I’m reassessing. I agree. I don’t think my world will come to an end if I drop FB - what’s the point of keeping an account open if I never look at it, and in fact, avoid looking? I truly don’t see the point. I doubt I’ve sold a single book due to FB. Or at least enough books to make it worth my while. You make me feel better about downsizing.
Thanks, Amber. I know you don’t Facebook!
Nina - I’ve come to love twitter because I can use it as a hit and run. I spend so little time chatting there. If I chat, it’s g-chat. I can do that while working and I’m not limited by the number of letters I can put it.
Julia, lately I’ve been worrying over the same thing. My problem isn’t so much the time suck of being on there to “chat”, it’s from feeling the obligation of replying. Also, it’s become the end all place to ask for favors. Grr… Walk away girl. I may be right behind you!
Yes Rachel, I agree. I do get tired of the requests to “like” my FB page and the vote for me stuff. I’m also getting requests to promo authors I’ve never heard of - like some big mass mailing campaign or something. Annoys me no end.
Here, here. I’m sick of it too. I was always trying to cut back on my FB time and the new format gave me just the incentive. I’m hardly on there and damn, it feels good. Twitter-I’m just about done with it. I really don’t even see the point. Social media is just too much. I want to write and not to worry about promo and connecting 24/7. It’s enought to drive a person insane.
Sorry about your lemon tree. Your neighbors are nutso and Christmas trees rock. We never had one at Christmas time while I was a child and it’s now in my adult years I’m experiencing the joy of having one each year.
Go Delilah! Yeah, I’m thinking of opening new doors. Think I’ll stay with twitter because I do find a lot of good articles, but FB is out the door. Yeah, love my Christmas tree. Germany will be beautiful this holiday season!
I find myself on FB less and less, and damnably on twitter more and more. Steph
The tree still looks great..in the pic anyway.
I don’t have a facebook account either. It would be online networking overload (which cuts into my writing time to begin with) and I’m not keen on it anyway.
Hope that makes you feel better…:-)
Yes, Facebook is a dod as far as I’m concerned. Twitter I like, once you get past the endless ‘Buy my Book (please)” promos [Health Warning: some of these are posted by me]. . I found Tweetdeck, which lets me suppress friends without actually unfriending them - so much less junk now.
Twitter has interesting links everyday and I find if I use it for chatting and browsing, it’s very good. I’m not so sure of its value as an advertising tool, but I can let genuine friends know when I do anything interesting.
Good for you with your Christmas tree. As you say, Christmas is not a solely Christian celebration. It goes back much further than Christ’s birth.
Come to google + its much easier to navigate.
Steph, I find Twitter easier to work with and despite the rapidity of comments it’s actually less ADD-ish.
Hey, Evie! I’m heading in that direction for sure.
Jacqueline - When did you post this comment? Totally didn’t show up in my queue! Yes, I get some great info from Twitter, but FB has sooooo much info I give up even looking.
Sandra, haven’t tried google + but I’ve heard good things!
I find I use Twitter all the time (and I have no clue how to use it yet) because I like all the information and links. I’ve been completely ignoring FB at the moment. I do have my wordpress account linked to FB so everytime I post, it goes right to the page. Otherwise, I would never remember to do it. I do keep up FB for the 7 Scribes blog because are counting on me. But that’s really the only reason.
Life’s too short to try and do it all. I’d rather read more of your great stories!