What has your experience with social media been like?

Guest Blogger: Barbara, Baby Boomer, Media/Admin Assistant

My experience with Social Media – to begin, I am a baby boomer and am admittedly a technology foot dragger. For  example – I’m just getting excited and comfortable with my new camera cell phone. My personal timeline goes something like this – our first television (black & white) arrived when I was about 5 yrs old. The old black rotary dial, party line phone was a new convenience and each party (usually 3-4 households on a party line) had its own ring – one long, two shorts, etc. This was a very primitive version of  social media in a rather interesting way –  there were those in the party line that were definitely into ‘communications’ – they loved to listen in on everyone else’s conversations and pass tidbits on to whoever would listen, sometimes with a little twist of the truth added for flavor. That I would call negative social media.  Well, I now work in the Media environment and lo and behold  I am a ‘Facebooker’. My daughters , while trying to control their laughter, not so kindly told me that Facebook was for kids.

Personally, I don’t agree with them. Though I am not an avid Facebook user previous co-workers and friends have found me and it has been a pleasure to reconnect – for FREE. I believe that there is something for everyone in Facebook. You can be as involved as you wish to be, or not, with as much privacy as you allow. Unlike the old ‘party line’ you can only ‘listen in’ if you are allowed ‘in’.

As with any type of communications there are responsibilities that go with it. Be smart about what you say, make it desirable for others to read and a learning/information sharing experience at the same time.

So, to my daughters and all of you younger ‘Facebookers’ – Trix may be just for kids but Facebook isn’t!!

And to all ages of Facebooker’s  – Be Positive, Be Smart and ENJOY!