hollywood housewife

we got tanked

It started with a tweet.

Well, to be fair, it started with my husband's obsession with fish, which led to his marathon viewing of the Animal Planet show Tanked which in turn meant he wore me down for months about getting a fish tank. 

don't tell me how to use facebook

Either my facebook friends have become pretty respectful, or I’ve successfully deleted all the people who post offensive stuff.

I have zero problem un-liking or un-friending someone who posts things to facebook that are offensive to me or even that I simply don’t like.  I rarely use the “hide” button.  I am a deleter.  Because of this, I’ve been called “small-minded” and “sad,” and one person even insinuated that I’m not “fair” about it, that I keep people in my feed who are rant-y, as long as they’re on my side of the fence. 

Well, so?

My facebook page is not a democracy.  It does not need to be fair and balanced.  Some people in my feed might post things that you wouldn’t like.  But they’re not offensive to me. 

I am the gatekeeper to my facebook page.  And you are to yours.  There is no great facebook score in the sky.  Facebook is not a barometer of your moral high ground.  Facebook is a social media page that you are welcome to use however you want. 

For me, I choose to use facebook as a way to keep up with friends and family who I don’t get to see very often.  I like reconnecting with people from my past.  Personally, I find it fun to see that the girl who sat next to me in seventh grade algebra now has seven children.  See that keyword there?  Fun.  Facebook for me is fun.

Now, if you’re the type who uses facebook as your platform to voice what you believe, have at it.  I don’t want to tell you how to use facebook, either.  Yell to the highest hills your every thought on abortion, Israel, the Tea Party, the Lakers.  But don’t huff if you lose likes or friends. 

My personal rule is that I don’t state on facebook (or twitter, or this blog) anything that I wouldn’t say to a table full of people of whom I don’t know their belief system.  My facebook friends, just like my friends in real life, are very diverse.  I have no desire to alienate them because we don't agree on something.  Of course, I have many people who respectfully state their opinions, openly profess their political leanings or religious convictions.  See that keyword there?  Respectfully.  Facebook is a place to show respect. 

I am a very opinionated person, on everything from Real Housewives to the healthcare system.  But for me, certain things are better discussed in person, where language has nuance and less room for interpretation.

I am not embarrassed to delete someone from facebook who has ruined my five minutes of scrolling through baby pictures and inane status updates with their nastiness.  It doesn’t mean I’ve deleted them out of my life forever.  It just means I’ve found a way to help us get along.