I was going to get a T-shirt printed with the words "No, I am (still) NOT on F#$%& Facebook!!"
One part of me wanted to have the honour of the title of being the last surviving human that has refused to enlist in this almost universal method of en-mass communicating.
Not so long ago, I thought that Tweet was something that only birds did and that you showed that you Liked someone or something by your spoken words, body language or hip pocket. But it appears that in today's digital age, to run a small business and "keep in the loop" it is considered mandatory to have a presence on Facebook and/or Twitter. Blogging 'aint enough, or so I'm told.
I think my reluctance to jump on the FB/Twitter bandwagon was driven by a combination of my fear of technology (I'm not a Gen Y or Z after all) and a view that these "weapons of mass distraction" will further disengage me from the real stuff of day to day life. I could see myself getting sucked into spending endless hours on a screen to keep on top of all the tweets and posts- yet another time-sapping task to add to my already time-poor day. Or conversely feeling guilty if days, weeks or months went by and I didn't tweet or post or read the tweets or posts of others. Guilt - mothers already carry enough of that.
But I think the turning point was when I learned that even my 75 year old father (who jumped on a computer for the first time when he was 60) has had a facebook presence for several years. The 3 year old next door has one, together with their dog Toto (and my kids probably would too if I let them play on the computer for any length of time)......which got me thinking- face my fear, stop thinking about it and JUST DO IT SOULLA and be done with it!!!! ..... So I did. Miracles do happen.
But truth be told, given my how much I have enjoyed blogging this past year and how much I love connecting with people in any which way, I'm tipping my trepidation with FB and Twitter will be very short lived.
If you want to be-friend, follow or like me (as the case may be) click here or here or here. My personal and business Facebook pages are very rudimentary so please bare with me as I flesh them out over the coming weeks and months.
Here's my summer 2012/13 update thus far with 1 month in:
Best Xmas present I got: blow torch
Craziest thing I have recently heard: Pizza Hut's new product- a pizza with the crust stuffed with a hot dog
Best beach experience: swimming with an octopus in the Bronte bogey hole
Most amusing conversation I overheard: my children debating the existence or otherwise of Santa Claus
Best culinary experience: eating fresh oysters and crayfish with a friend at the Gold Coast's Marina Mirage closely tied with the degustation menu at Jimmy Liks (Potts Point) (don't forget to ask to have everything cooked in butter!)
Menu for New Years eve dinner party: (to start) cucumber rounds topped with cream cheese dip and cavier, activated nuts and large green olives, (main) BBQed wild halibut, crab mango and avocado salad, roast beetroast and goat curd salad, green salad, sauerkraut, (to finish) fruit and cheese platter (keeping it really simple this year). To drink: coconut water vodka lime ice cocktails with pineapple wedges and cucumber slices, Champagne, sparkling water.
Stay tuned for summer recipes and delights.....
Here's to a Happy New Years 2013!!!!
November is not all about growing facial hair. For this month only, I'm giving away to Sydney residents 1 large 500g packet of activated nuts of your choice (valued at $26/$27 retail price) if you get a friend to Like my Facebook business page and to subscribe to this blog (if they haven't already done so).
Just let me know the name of your friend and their contact details (inbox me at soulla.chamberlain@me.com or text me on 0407 871884) and let me now which activated nuts you would like (subject to that nut variety being available).
If, like me, you are new(ish) to the world of social media, you might get a kick out of reading one of my earlier blogs about my thoughts (and trepidations) about it here.