Time flies...

...when you're not on Facebook!

I can't believe I've been Facebook-free for one month. I really thought I would miss it more than I did. Actually, I'm kind of appalled at how much I DIDN'T miss it. When I clicked that "deactivate" button on July 6th, my quickening pulse and sweaty palms were clear indicators that I had made the right decision. I was really quite disgusted with myself. Afterwards, I lost track of how many times my thumb instinctively flew to that blue "F" icon on on my phone. At least I removed the button from the favorites toolbar on my browser, otherwise I'm sure my mouse cursor would have floated up to click that too. In fact, it probably did. Gross.

It's also highly intriguing to me that three separate friends (that I know of... there may be more) also parted ways with Facebook in the last four weeks, all for various reasons, but all of which stemmed from bad experiences... account hacking, Facebook-sponsored spam-bots, drama-inducing posts. It was kind of nice knowing I wasn't the only fed-up Facebooker.

I must say, I really enjoyed using other forms of communication over the last month, which included Twitter, LinkedIn, email, text, and talking. I also found that I took more time to read -- that is, read things other than people's status updates or political rants or Words With Friends scores. Although I did get some of that from Twitter. But the beauty of Twitter is that in a matter of seconds, comments roll off the screen, never to be thought of again. Quite unlike FB's "Top Stories" that would stare back at me. All. Day. Long.

It was a nice experiment, and a much needed rehab from Crackbook. Yet, in spite of my new-found freedom, I will likely reactivate my account anyway.

I know, I know.

I certainly have no intention to revert to the addict I once was, and I plan to keep that bookmark removed from my favorites. Maybe I'll become one of those people who has an active  Facebook account but "is never on."

We're about to find out.

A slap in the Facebook

Facebook. That wonderful, awful, social networking site that has permanently changed the way the world communicates. Tonight, I deactivated my account for the first time since I opened it in 2007 or whenever it was. Yup, I'm now one of "those" people. I don't know how long I'll be gone. I just want to remind myself of what life was like before Facebook.

Facebook can be a great tool for keeping in touch. I've been able to reconnect with dozens of people who I may never have heard from again had it not been for the 'Book. I got to see photos of family and friends near and far, and stay apprised of birthdays, anniversaries, and general goings on in the lives of my 920 "friends."

But I recently found myself embroiled in the dark side of The FB. The side where one slip of etiquette, one typo, one misplaced comment, ETC., can quickly spiral into miscommunication, confusion, hurt feelings, and a slew of other negative emotions. Not the first time it's happened, and probably not the last, so I've chosen to say toodle-loo for awhile.

Overall, I think the pros of Facebook outweigh the cons. But for me, at least at the moment, I'm very happy at the prospect of not having to keep track of another set of Ps & Qs, or deal with the consequences of botching them. Certainly, I will miss Facebook. But for now, I will give good ol' fashioned e-mail and telephone a try.

Will let you know how it goes.

Sick, slick, stick

Sick. I'm sitting here with "a little pneumonia" in my right lung, feeling guilty for not going to work today, even though I spent most of the day working from home and got more done here than I probably would have at the office. I had pneumonia once when I was in college. It was severe. In fact, the doctor called my parents and told them to come get me and bring me home where I could recover. 

I had no idea my current condition was so serious -- I just had a minor cough and fits of wheezing that made it difficult to get a good night's sleep, which was annoying more than anything. A low blood oxygen reading and two chest x-rays later, I'm popping antibiotics and steroids like candy. Not to mention the puffs of albuterol.

But, I will definitely be going to work tomorrow.

Slick. Meanwhile, last week and over the weekend I spent some time updating (or as BC corrected, "overhauling") my website. I switched over to a flash site that I think is pretty darn slick. The other site was ok and served its purpose, but I can't deny that I am overjoyed with the new one. Take a look, www.emilyjcole.com.

Stick.  Updating the website gave me pause. I couldn't help but think of all the other artists and arts employees in Virginia whose livelihoods are in the hands of the General Assembly. The budget for the next biennium is scheduled to come out of conference committee this week. On the chopping block is the Virginia Commission for the Arts, which helps fund hundreds of arts organizations -- large and small -- which employ over 20,000 workers.

Arts advocates across the Commonwealth have been pulling out all the stops, calling, writing and visiting with legislators, using logic and sound economic arguments to pursuade lawmakers that eliminating the VCA is a lose-lose situation for everyone. All in all, I think advocates have demonstrated that artists are not just a bunch of communist pot smoking attic-living bums. We have clearly articulated our cause in a reasonable and diplomatic way...walking softly. But don't forget about that big stick we're carrying.

If the VCA is eliminated, that stick is going to strike a heavy blow on the Virginia economy in ways that will make lawmakers' heads spin and number crunchers' calculators spontaneously combust. I hope with all my heart that our elected officials will receive an epiphany in the next couple days, helping them to recognize the integral role the arts play in our state's economy and leading them to make a rational decision regarding funding the arts.

Otherwise.... we'll all be up [another s-word] creek.

Super Sunday

Ever wake up on the wrong side of the bed? I did today. It all started with a situation very similar to the one above.

I'm trying to laugh about it.

Five other things that are annoying me today:

1. GoDaddy.com's crappy site-builder. Consternation!

2. Superbowl hype. Dang American football.

3. My neighbor's droning popular-music vocal stylings vibrating through the wall into my apartment and making my ears hurt. It's also hurting my feelings.

4. Weather forecasters. And "snowmageddon."

5. Dirty dishes.

The silver lining is, Robbie did the dishes and is currently working on a delicious brunch. The sky is sunny. I have an iPod to plug into my ears to drown out the droning. I have a TV to turn off. And, I know that somewhere out there is a web designer (Fievel?) who can create me a kickin' flash website to promote my art. Someday.

A super Sunday it WILL be!

p.s. The cats are fed. :)