So it begins: Lent. Today is Ash Wednesday and the beginning of a season of sacrifice and prayer (and general holiness, I suppose).
People's attitudes about Lent are always interesting to me. While we have standards across the board for how to proceed through Lent, everyone seems to do so slightly differently. It was only recently that I realized my parents actually took it easy on us when helping us fulfill our Lenten obligations. We did not eat meat on Fridays, but fasting only meant not eating between meals. We didn't cut back on what we ate during those meals; we just didn't snack in between. (That was a big deal for me when I was young. Now, not so much, since I don't really snack much.) I suppose that was sufficient when we were younger. That required sacrifice and awareness of the day and season. In the past few years, I've realized I can do more, especially with fasting, so I'm working on that a little more each year.
Another element of Lent on which people differ involves the sharing of sacrifices. In my family, we've always been upfront about what we're giving up. We tell each other, friends, post online, etc. I don't think we brag or require acknowledgement of the sacrifice, but we don't see much reason to pretend we're not giving anything up either. Others, however, feel exactly the opposite. In fact, when I ask some people what they can't have (due to my own curiosity and nothing more), they almost seem offended that I asked. To some, the sacrifice is an extremely private matter. While I've never felt that way, I've come to understand that idea. The point of the Lenten sacrifice is not to have everyone know about it but to grow and improve yourself through that sacrifice. I just think the extremes of these approaches are interesting.
When I was young, all I could understand about Lent was the sacrifice; now, I understand that it's much more than that. I don't think I understand it all, but I'm working on it. As well as giving up certain foods and such, I always attend Mass more often during the week; that's an attempt to grow in the "prayer" element of Lent. Almsgiving (the third element of Lent) continues to be my struggle. I know it doesn't have to be about giving away all my money, but I can't quite get a handle on what I should be doing instead. I also don't know if that is the true trouble there or if I just don't want to understand better because it would require even more of me. I'm probably too selfish with my free time. Something else to work on in the future, I guess.
Happy (Blessed? Miserable? appropriate adjective...) Lent, everyone!
Showing posts with label Ponderings. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ponderings. Show all posts
Wednesday, March 5, 2014
Thursday, February 6, 2014
Groundhog Predictions
I've been meaning to add a few new rants here, but I tend to forget to write them. Don't worry, this post is not about snow days or the hours of work I lost again yesterday (I accepted that the roads were actually too bad for travel; I'm dealing with the loss). Instead, I'd like to write a little something about Groundhog Day.
I don't mean the Bill Murray film either (though I did watch that this weekend!).
I'm not sure I completely understand the value of this tradition. I know the idea is that, originally, the groundhog would leave its home, see its shadow, and run back inside, meaning that there would be six more weeks of winter. I guess groundhogs don't like the cold much. If, on the other hand, the little guy stayed outside because he had no shadow, then we would have an "early" spring.
When I was a kid, I decided that, logically, that meant that a sunny February 2nd would mean a long winter, while a cloudy one meant an early spring. As I grew and continued to attempt to work out the logic of this long-held tradition, I realized that the weather would be different in different places, so an "early spring" here might be a long winter across the country. How does that work?
My confusion is further heightened by the recent incarnation of this "holiday." This year, as I believe has occurred often in years past, the various famous groundhogs didn't agree on the results of their predictions. Punxutawney Phil saw his shadow, while Buckeye Chuck didn't. Now, I know Phil is probably considered the more reliable source, as Punxutawney, PA, seems to be the epicenter of this Groundhog Day phenomenon, but it seems that the people behind the rodents, so to speak, should be able to agree on what this year will bring. As the poor groundhogs are no longer allowed to leave their natural homes of their own accord to predict the weather and are, instead, shoved into fake lodgings only to be ripped from them again for the show of February 2nd, I can't imagine the origins of this tradition remain in tact.
I wonder who decides what the "groundhog's" prediction is. Is it someone in the weather service? Someone in control of the groundhog? Someone in some significant government conspiracy trying to raise or lower our hopes for the year based on expectations of the weather? (I could keep going with this and have a lot of fun creating crazy conspiracies, but I'll stop.)
It seems to me that Groundhog Day is pointless. Also, the Punxutawney Groundhog Club's website seems to go too far in creating mystique behind the event. Just for the heck of it, I went to the "official" Groundhog Day website; under their FAQ's about Groundhog Day (http://www.groundhog.org/more-to-know/faq/), they have this list of answers:
1. Yes, Punxsutawney Phil is the only true weather forecasting groundhog. The others are just imposters.
2. There has been only one Punxsutawney Phil. Punxsutawney Phil gets his longevity from drinking "groundhog punch" (a secret recipe). One sip, which is administered every summer at the Groundhog Picnic, gives him seven more years of life.
3. On February 2nd, Phil comes out of his burrow on Gobbler's Knob, in front of thousands of faithful followers from all over the world, to predict the weather for the rest of the winter.
4. According to legend, if Punxsutawney Phil sees his shadow, there will be six more weeks of winter weather. If he does not see his shadow, there will be an early spring.
5. No, Punxsutawney Phil's forecasts are not made in advance by the Inner Circle. After Phil emerges from his burrow on February 2nd, he speaks to the Groundhog Club President in Groundhogese. His proclamation is then translated for the world.
6. The celebration of Groundhog Day began with the Germans, Pennsylvania's earliest settlers. They brought with them the legend of Candlemas Day, which states "For as the sun shines on Candlemas day, so far will the snow swirl in May...". The settlers found that groundhogs were plentiful and were the most intelligent and sensible animal to carry on the legend of Candlemas Day.
7. Punxsutawney held its first Groundhog Day in the 1800's. The first official trek to Gobbler's Knob made on February 2nd, 1887. In 2008 it will be the 122nd prediction.
8. So the story goes, Punxsutawney Phil was named after King Phillip. Prior to being called Phil, he was called Br'er Groundhog.
As far as I'm concerned, 2 and 5 are utter falsehoods, while some of the others seem a little suspicious. I realize that they're just trying to have fun, create an amusing event for those who are interested, and make some money for their town in what is probably the only draw for tourists that they have, but the whole "speaking" to the club president in "Grounhogese" element is simply ridiculous and leads me even further to wonder who actually writes the prediction. The pres reads the prediction from a scroll, which completely destroys the fantasy of poor Phil "talking" to anyone at that moment. *sigh* I just can't handle the ridiculousity. (Yep, I made up that word. If the groundhog people can do it, so can I!)
I think we should leave those suffering (probably spoiled except for on Feb 2) groundhogs alone and return to the original idea of Candlemas Day, as the GDC FAQ's explain it. Everyone would still have a different expectation for the weather of the remaining winter season, but that tradition seems much nicer than the one we've accepted.
I don't mean the Bill Murray film either (though I did watch that this weekend!).
I'm not sure I completely understand the value of this tradition. I know the idea is that, originally, the groundhog would leave its home, see its shadow, and run back inside, meaning that there would be six more weeks of winter. I guess groundhogs don't like the cold much. If, on the other hand, the little guy stayed outside because he had no shadow, then we would have an "early" spring.
When I was a kid, I decided that, logically, that meant that a sunny February 2nd would mean a long winter, while a cloudy one meant an early spring. As I grew and continued to attempt to work out the logic of this long-held tradition, I realized that the weather would be different in different places, so an "early spring" here might be a long winter across the country. How does that work?
My confusion is further heightened by the recent incarnation of this "holiday." This year, as I believe has occurred often in years past, the various famous groundhogs didn't agree on the results of their predictions. Punxutawney Phil saw his shadow, while Buckeye Chuck didn't. Now, I know Phil is probably considered the more reliable source, as Punxutawney, PA, seems to be the epicenter of this Groundhog Day phenomenon, but it seems that the people behind the rodents, so to speak, should be able to agree on what this year will bring. As the poor groundhogs are no longer allowed to leave their natural homes of their own accord to predict the weather and are, instead, shoved into fake lodgings only to be ripped from them again for the show of February 2nd, I can't imagine the origins of this tradition remain in tact.
I wonder who decides what the "groundhog's" prediction is. Is it someone in the weather service? Someone in control of the groundhog? Someone in some significant government conspiracy trying to raise or lower our hopes for the year based on expectations of the weather? (I could keep going with this and have a lot of fun creating crazy conspiracies, but I'll stop.)
It seems to me that Groundhog Day is pointless. Also, the Punxutawney Groundhog Club's website seems to go too far in creating mystique behind the event. Just for the heck of it, I went to the "official" Groundhog Day website; under their FAQ's about Groundhog Day (http://www.groundhog.org/more-to-know/faq/), they have this list of answers:
1. Yes, Punxsutawney Phil is the only true weather forecasting groundhog. The others are just imposters.
2. There has been only one Punxsutawney Phil. Punxsutawney Phil gets his longevity from drinking "groundhog punch" (a secret recipe). One sip, which is administered every summer at the Groundhog Picnic, gives him seven more years of life.
3. On February 2nd, Phil comes out of his burrow on Gobbler's Knob, in front of thousands of faithful followers from all over the world, to predict the weather for the rest of the winter.
4. According to legend, if Punxsutawney Phil sees his shadow, there will be six more weeks of winter weather. If he does not see his shadow, there will be an early spring.
5. No, Punxsutawney Phil's forecasts are not made in advance by the Inner Circle. After Phil emerges from his burrow on February 2nd, he speaks to the Groundhog Club President in Groundhogese. His proclamation is then translated for the world.
6. The celebration of Groundhog Day began with the Germans, Pennsylvania's earliest settlers. They brought with them the legend of Candlemas Day, which states "For as the sun shines on Candlemas day, so far will the snow swirl in May...". The settlers found that groundhogs were plentiful and were the most intelligent and sensible animal to carry on the legend of Candlemas Day.
7. Punxsutawney held its first Groundhog Day in the 1800's. The first official trek to Gobbler's Knob made on February 2nd, 1887. In 2008 it will be the 122nd prediction.
8. So the story goes, Punxsutawney Phil was named after King Phillip. Prior to being called Phil, he was called Br'er Groundhog.
As far as I'm concerned, 2 and 5 are utter falsehoods, while some of the others seem a little suspicious. I realize that they're just trying to have fun, create an amusing event for those who are interested, and make some money for their town in what is probably the only draw for tourists that they have, but the whole "speaking" to the club president in "Grounhogese" element is simply ridiculous and leads me even further to wonder who actually writes the prediction. The pres reads the prediction from a scroll, which completely destroys the fantasy of poor Phil "talking" to anyone at that moment. *sigh* I just can't handle the ridiculousity. (Yep, I made up that word. If the groundhog people can do it, so can I!)
I think we should leave those suffering (probably spoiled except for on Feb 2) groundhogs alone and return to the original idea of Candlemas Day, as the GDC FAQ's explain it. Everyone would still have a different expectation for the weather of the remaining winter season, but that tradition seems much nicer than the one we've accepted.
Monday, August 12, 2013
Reunited...
And it feels so good! (I just had to do it.)
This past Saturday, I attended an extended family reunion. This was a reunion of my dad's immediate family in Ohio--my aunts, uncles, cousins, and cousins' children--that we have every summer, but expanded to include my dad's mother's side of the family as well--Dad's cousins and their families. We had beautiful weather, a perfect location at a park with features to keep the younger members busy, and a bunch of people, some of whom came from all over the country. I know we had people from Kentucky, Minnesota, and Texas, and those were only the people I talked to directly. I had a good time and met a number of family members I had only heard of before, and many I hadn't.
Here are all the attendees! That's quite a group!
Reunions for the younger generations are interesting events in that they are often not so interesting. When I was a child, we had reunions every year for the extended family on my dad's father's side. For me, those events were somewhat torturous. I didn't know anyone except my own aunts, uncles, and cousins, and I wasn't especially close to any of them. I would play with the other kids, but the venues chosen for this event were not exactly conducive to fun times for youngsters. I didn't want to talk to the "old" people I didn't know but who seemed to know me. As little as some of you may believe this now (apparently I've worked on this over time), I was not especially social as a child. I didn't know how to talk to new acquaintances, especially adults, and I'd rather spend time by myself or with my parents and sisters than with family members I rarely even saw. I dreaded these events.
Now, I'm much better. I didn't know many of the people at this reunion, but I managed to meet and have conversations with several. At such events, I tend to introduce myself by family relation rather than by name: "I'm so-and-so's daughter." Then I'll give my name; I find the process is easier that way. I've figured out, over time, how to make some small talk, which is really useful at reunions. Actually, talking small is even easier at these kinds of events because we could always bring the conversation back to family members, gossip, etc. I also noticed, at first, I clung (clinged? clang?) to those people I know, even if I rarely speak to them: aunts I don't spend time with, cousins I don't visit with regularly, uncles who can be ridiculous, and not always in good ways. It took me a little time to become more generally social. I also developed a habit of speaking to everyone as though I already knew them and they knew who I was, making comments and jokes to break the ice. I guess it worked.
I'm glad I attended this reunion, and I'm grateful my dad, grandpa, aunts, and uncles were able to see the people they knew when they were younger but haven't had the chance to see for many years. I also was able to appreciate the fact that I have learned how to deal with such social situations much better than I have in the past. I'm not quite the introverted, anti-social hermit I think of my younger self as! (And, yes, I do think I was sometimes exactly that bad.)
This past Saturday, I attended an extended family reunion. This was a reunion of my dad's immediate family in Ohio--my aunts, uncles, cousins, and cousins' children--that we have every summer, but expanded to include my dad's mother's side of the family as well--Dad's cousins and their families. We had beautiful weather, a perfect location at a park with features to keep the younger members busy, and a bunch of people, some of whom came from all over the country. I know we had people from Kentucky, Minnesota, and Texas, and those were only the people I talked to directly. I had a good time and met a number of family members I had only heard of before, and many I hadn't.
Reunions for the younger generations are interesting events in that they are often not so interesting. When I was a child, we had reunions every year for the extended family on my dad's father's side. For me, those events were somewhat torturous. I didn't know anyone except my own aunts, uncles, and cousins, and I wasn't especially close to any of them. I would play with the other kids, but the venues chosen for this event were not exactly conducive to fun times for youngsters. I didn't want to talk to the "old" people I didn't know but who seemed to know me. As little as some of you may believe this now (apparently I've worked on this over time), I was not especially social as a child. I didn't know how to talk to new acquaintances, especially adults, and I'd rather spend time by myself or with my parents and sisters than with family members I rarely even saw. I dreaded these events.
Now, I'm much better. I didn't know many of the people at this reunion, but I managed to meet and have conversations with several. At such events, I tend to introduce myself by family relation rather than by name: "I'm so-and-so's daughter." Then I'll give my name; I find the process is easier that way. I've figured out, over time, how to make some small talk, which is really useful at reunions. Actually, talking small is even easier at these kinds of events because we could always bring the conversation back to family members, gossip, etc. I also noticed, at first, I clung (clinged? clang?) to those people I know, even if I rarely speak to them: aunts I don't spend time with, cousins I don't visit with regularly, uncles who can be ridiculous, and not always in good ways. It took me a little time to become more generally social. I also developed a habit of speaking to everyone as though I already knew them and they knew who I was, making comments and jokes to break the ice. I guess it worked.
I'm glad I attended this reunion, and I'm grateful my dad, grandpa, aunts, and uncles were able to see the people they knew when they were younger but haven't had the chance to see for many years. I also was able to appreciate the fact that I have learned how to deal with such social situations much better than I have in the past. I'm not quite the introverted, anti-social hermit I think of my younger self as! (And, yes, I do think I was sometimes exactly that bad.)
Sunday, August 4, 2013
Work Flux
I'm now in the midst of my official summer break. The writing center closed with the end of summer term, so even my minimal work hours ended a week ago. This summer has led to many considerations when it comes to my work.
As a part-time college instructor (or adjunct, as we're titled), I don't have guaranteed or steady hours or income at either of the two colleges I work for. I take what they give me and hope it's enough. The uncertainty is scarcely enjoyable, though it does allow me down time to do what I want, when I'm not grading stacks of essays, that is. To supplement, I also work in the writing center.
This year, one of my employers has made the adjunct life even more difficult by changing the maximum number of hours any adjunct can work from 29 per week to 22, as well as the meaning of time. Now, one teaching hour counts as two "clock hours," but they're not adjusting our pay to reflect that; we're paid the same amount per hour we were before. Essentially, they have cut what we can do in half. I guess I'm more quarter-time, than part-time now, which is rather inconvenient, financially.
Anyway, this change has also caused problems for the writing center. They only employ teachers at the college, and now we can't tutor as much if we also want to teach (all the hours are added together). To alleviate that problem, they've created a new "staff" position for people to just work in the writing center. I've always said that, if I could work at the writing center without teaching, I would; I just like the one-on-one work of the writing center more than teaching a large group. Thus, I strongly considered taking one of these positions. I even applied. Unfortunately, they won't be making any decisions about those jobs until just before fall semester begins, and I cannot deal with that level of uncertainty for that long. Even my supervisor at the center, who was quite excited to hear that I would be applying for the staff job, recommended I go for the more "sure thing."
As a result of all this, I'm back where I began a few months ago: taking what I can and hoping for the best.
I've been given two classes at this place for the fall, which equals six teaching hours (12 clock hours), so I can still tutor for ten hours, if they haven't filled the writing center with staffers. I really will need that tutoring work on top of the two classes (and the two at the other place I teach) in order to make ends meet comfortably.
Methinks I'll be looking for different steadier work in the next few years. I just can't see myself dealing with all of this for the rest of my life. Now, I just have to figure out what I want to do when I grow up.
As a part-time college instructor (or adjunct, as we're titled), I don't have guaranteed or steady hours or income at either of the two colleges I work for. I take what they give me and hope it's enough. The uncertainty is scarcely enjoyable, though it does allow me down time to do what I want, when I'm not grading stacks of essays, that is. To supplement, I also work in the writing center.
This year, one of my employers has made the adjunct life even more difficult by changing the maximum number of hours any adjunct can work from 29 per week to 22, as well as the meaning of time. Now, one teaching hour counts as two "clock hours," but they're not adjusting our pay to reflect that; we're paid the same amount per hour we were before. Essentially, they have cut what we can do in half. I guess I'm more quarter-time, than part-time now, which is rather inconvenient, financially.
Anyway, this change has also caused problems for the writing center. They only employ teachers at the college, and now we can't tutor as much if we also want to teach (all the hours are added together). To alleviate that problem, they've created a new "staff" position for people to just work in the writing center. I've always said that, if I could work at the writing center without teaching, I would; I just like the one-on-one work of the writing center more than teaching a large group. Thus, I strongly considered taking one of these positions. I even applied. Unfortunately, they won't be making any decisions about those jobs until just before fall semester begins, and I cannot deal with that level of uncertainty for that long. Even my supervisor at the center, who was quite excited to hear that I would be applying for the staff job, recommended I go for the more "sure thing."
As a result of all this, I'm back where I began a few months ago: taking what I can and hoping for the best.
I've been given two classes at this place for the fall, which equals six teaching hours (12 clock hours), so I can still tutor for ten hours, if they haven't filled the writing center with staffers. I really will need that tutoring work on top of the two classes (and the two at the other place I teach) in order to make ends meet comfortably.
Methinks I'll be looking for different steadier work in the next few years. I just can't see myself dealing with all of this for the rest of my life. Now, I just have to figure out what I want to do when I grow up.
Friday, July 12, 2013
Productive Soreness, or Sorely Productive
Friday (for now) is one of my days off. As such, I most often spend it reading, watching Netflix (Star Trek: TNG at the moment), and playing my computer game (Star Wars: The Old Republic, if you're joining this blog in progress). I rarely do much else on my days off, especially during the week, unless I make plans with friends or family. Today, however, I was strangely productive, which I am now paying for in one way or another.
I am somewhat lazy by nature. It's not that I don't like participating in activities or completing tasks around the house, but if I can sit and do something I enjoy instead, that's what I will do. I'm almost always doing something, and I'm usually thinking about several things at once, but I don't "get up and go" too often. Squeaks (i.e. my roomie) doesn't understand how I can be so content just staying at home, doing "the same thing" pretty much all the time. I just am. I also digress.
Anyway, today was one of my random days of productivity. I realized a few weeks ago that I needed more bookshelves. What I have in my room (2 sets) have to hold all my books and all my DVDs. As of last week, I had exactly enough space for my books and movies...if I took out some of the DVD sets of shows. I cannot live in such conditions! Therefore, with the help of my search-happy mother, I set out to find some options to expand my storage potential. As always, we came down to Sauder. All of my shelves, as well as my dresser/wardrobe, are Sauder. It's relatively easy to assemble, it all looks like it goes together, and it fits the space I have in my room (advertisement for Sauder over).
I decided that yesterday was the perfect time to check out the Sauder store on the east side of town after work. The "media storage units" I was considering were there, so I thought I'd save on shipping and buy them in-store instead. I chose three sets of small shelves: they fit the spot I need them to fit in my room, and they can be place in different parts of a room if I ever need to rearrange the furniture or move to a new apartment.
I thought I'd spend the weekend slowly assembling these pieces: one each today, tomorrow, and Sunday. Well, once I knew what I was doing and got a rhythm going, I decided to just keep at it, so I spent about two hours this afternoon assembling these shelves. They look great, I had no trouble putting them together, and they look like they'll be exactly what I need. However, the process is killer to my constitution.
What with spending all that time on the floor, bending down to pull it all together and crawling from one side to the other, my back and legs are pretty sore. My thumbs and palms are tender from getting the plastic protective sleeves on the shelf props and using tools I'm unaccustomed to.
On top of all that, when I was changing the sheets on my bed (which I probably don't do as often as I should) I managed to stab my thumb with the thumbnail on the other hand. That's a little worse than a paper-cut. Then, when I was finished with the shelves, I decided to vacuum so Squeaks and I would avoid any splintery bits that may have escaped the production line, I had to clean some string and hair and such from the roller; I used my fingers because they were most handy (pun intended), adding to the damage done to them today. I did manage to finish vacuuming, regardless.
Is this level of productivity worth the injuries I cause myself? I guess so. Now, the shelves are built and in my room, and my storage issues have been resolved once again (for a while, anyway). I bruise myself on a daily basis, and rarely remember how I received those contusions, so I suppose some soreness and cuts in a good cause are a small sacrifice.
Ask me again in the morning...
I am somewhat lazy by nature. It's not that I don't like participating in activities or completing tasks around the house, but if I can sit and do something I enjoy instead, that's what I will do. I'm almost always doing something, and I'm usually thinking about several things at once, but I don't "get up and go" too often. Squeaks (i.e. my roomie) doesn't understand how I can be so content just staying at home, doing "the same thing" pretty much all the time. I just am. I also digress.
Anyway, today was one of my random days of productivity. I realized a few weeks ago that I needed more bookshelves. What I have in my room (2 sets) have to hold all my books and all my DVDs. As of last week, I had exactly enough space for my books and movies...if I took out some of the DVD sets of shows. I cannot live in such conditions! Therefore, with the help of my search-happy mother, I set out to find some options to expand my storage potential. As always, we came down to Sauder. All of my shelves, as well as my dresser/wardrobe, are Sauder. It's relatively easy to assemble, it all looks like it goes together, and it fits the space I have in my room (advertisement for Sauder over).
I decided that yesterday was the perfect time to check out the Sauder store on the east side of town after work. The "media storage units" I was considering were there, so I thought I'd save on shipping and buy them in-store instead. I chose three sets of small shelves: they fit the spot I need them to fit in my room, and they can be place in different parts of a room if I ever need to rearrange the furniture or move to a new apartment.
I thought I'd spend the weekend slowly assembling these pieces: one each today, tomorrow, and Sunday. Well, once I knew what I was doing and got a rhythm going, I decided to just keep at it, so I spent about two hours this afternoon assembling these shelves. They look great, I had no trouble putting them together, and they look like they'll be exactly what I need. However, the process is killer to my constitution.
What with spending all that time on the floor, bending down to pull it all together and crawling from one side to the other, my back and legs are pretty sore. My thumbs and palms are tender from getting the plastic protective sleeves on the shelf props and using tools I'm unaccustomed to.
On top of all that, when I was changing the sheets on my bed (which I probably don't do as often as I should) I managed to stab my thumb with the thumbnail on the other hand. That's a little worse than a paper-cut. Then, when I was finished with the shelves, I decided to vacuum so Squeaks and I would avoid any splintery bits that may have escaped the production line, I had to clean some string and hair and such from the roller; I used my fingers because they were most handy (pun intended), adding to the damage done to them today. I did manage to finish vacuuming, regardless.
Is this level of productivity worth the injuries I cause myself? I guess so. Now, the shelves are built and in my room, and my storage issues have been resolved once again (for a while, anyway). I bruise myself on a daily basis, and rarely remember how I received those contusions, so I suppose some soreness and cuts in a good cause are a small sacrifice.
Ask me again in the morning...
Tuesday, July 9, 2013
Friend-ing
My recent purge (or "summer cleaning") of my Facebook friends list made me think about the criteria for my "friends" on that site.
I believe that was the first time I had ever done a concentrated review of my friends list. I only removed about a dozen people, but it still caused me to reevaluate my Facebook situation. What makes me keep someone as a friend or remove him/her, perhaps never to hear from him/her again?
Keeping a Friend:
Removing a "Friend":
Also, while weeding my list, I came across a few people I was on the fence about: to keep or remove? I kept those for now, but I'm pretty sure I'll remove a few more of them in the near-distant future (as Squeaky would say); they're awfully close to those points on the second list up there.
This whole friend situation used to be much easier. If I didn't have regular contact with someone, we weren't friends. Now, Facebook has blurred that line of friendship, preventing gradual breaks from people I may not really need/want to have contact with. I don't know for sure if that is positive or negative, but it sure can be confusing!
I believe that was the first time I had ever done a concentrated review of my friends list. I only removed about a dozen people, but it still caused me to reevaluate my Facebook situation. What makes me keep someone as a friend or remove him/her, perhaps never to hear from him/her again?
Keeping a Friend:
- IRL friends ~ obviously, if I consider a person a friend off-line ("in real life," i.e. IRL), then I want to friends on Facebook
- Regular contact ~ we comment on one another's posts with some regularity, and the comments aren't too awkward for others to see
- Access ~ I don't mind that person seeing everything I post; if I unintentionally post a picture or comment to my Timeline, where everyone can see it, instead of just to a specific individual, does this person seeing it bother me?
- Interest ~ I actually want to see what he/she posts and care about the events of his/her life
- Other IRL relationship ~ if removing a friend could make IRL situations uncomfortable or difficult (i.e. at work), then I'll keep a person, though I may restrict access
Removing a "Friend":
- I have not seen, spoken to, or really thought about him/her on Facebook or IRL since adding as a "friend"
- I have banished his/her posts from my newsfeed due too excessively personal, political, and/or annoying posts
- I don't really want to know what is happening in his/her life (I want everyone to be healthy and content, but I don't necessarily need to know about it...in detail)
- I don't particularly want a person having access to the random posts and information I post; I try to keep everything I post online "safe" and assume anyone, even those not on my friends list, can see it, but I just don't want everyone to have direct access
- I didn't want to add a person as a friend in the first place, but felt bad/awkward not doing so, so I added him/her but have since regretted the decision for whatever reason
Also, while weeding my list, I came across a few people I was on the fence about: to keep or remove? I kept those for now, but I'm pretty sure I'll remove a few more of them in the near-distant future (as Squeaky would say); they're awfully close to those points on the second list up there.
This whole friend situation used to be much easier. If I didn't have regular contact with someone, we weren't friends. Now, Facebook has blurred that line of friendship, preventing gradual breaks from people I may not really need/want to have contact with. I don't know for sure if that is positive or negative, but it sure can be confusing!
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