Heavier Social Media Posting in the Fall

A concerned friend recently reached out to me about my social media posts. Specifically, he noticed, over the past few years, that heavier posting was usually tied to something bad going on in my life. That caused me to stop to consider the notion.

First and foremost, how kind! That someone would take the time to reach out to check on another person is such an unusual thing these days. Anyone reading this knows me well enough to know I am a lover of human beings in all their various forms. This is the second time since joining Facebook almost a decade ago that someone has reached out this way.

So, what about my social media posts?

For a couple of years, my posts were more contemplative and plentiful. Looking through my social media history, I discovered a pattern that helped explain some of this. For example, most of my life’s important dates and milestones are scrunched up toward the Autumn and Winter months. My anniversary is in October. Both of my parents’ passing happened in late summer, and their anniversary is in November. Mom’s birthday is in September. My husband’s birthday is in December, and many of my siblings have Autumn birthdays. Three of my siblings’ birthdays are in November or December. The third quarter is packed!

Also, the Thanksgiving season is a cathartic one in which I annually share my countdown of gratefulness in many ways. In the days of Facebook notes, I kept a sort of running total. When Facebook did away with Notes, I created this blog as a means of holding on to those Notes, as well as to move forward without them. But as people know, I’m a pontificator. Yes, I could pontificate the air… As we move into the Christmas season, most of us enjoy (or dread) the sentimental journey of going through family memories and milestones we’ve experienced.

I have an absurd sense of humor.

Clay, Craig, Cary, & Chuck

My brother, Craig, and I are goofballs. Chucky and Cary are also, to some degree. But Craig and I find humor in the strangest places. We don’t take ourselves too seriously and are very different yet very much alike. And when we spend time together, things will often devolve into a myriad of one-upmanship. I love that he’s a Presbyterian minister but doesn’t let his vocation inhibit his sense of humor. He’s a human being – full stop. He’s the one who’ll say to you, “Pull my finger…” You know what follows.

Years ago, I began collecting memes. These silly pictures might be political, LGBTQ-oriented, philosophical (pontifical?), Far Side cartoons, “Karens,” and more. They all cause me to stop and think or perhaps tickle my funny bone. I am so interested in memes that I built an entire show around them. As a performer and singer who dislikes “park and bark” performances, these thoughts and ideas inform my musical performances. Behind every meme is a story, and every song I sing has a story, so marrying the two seems, at least to me, quite logical.

Facebook memories grow as time goes by.

It doesn’t take an actuary to know that as we grow older, our memories grow in number. In the case of social media, Facebook handily presents these to you daily. I relish revisiting them and often – very often – share memories on Facebook. As you look at my feed over the year, you will naturally see more happening in the back half of the year for the reasons mentioned above. Mind you, my family also shares many of the same milestone and anniversary dates, so when they post, tag, and share, I’m part of that as well. We often “steal” posts from each other; sometimes, whoever hits “post” first wins. It’s a kind of game we all play.

It’s all good.

I’m grateful for the ability to share things – triumphs, celebrations, and even sad memories. They are all part of the fabric of my life. I am equally grateful, as many people, that my mouse has a scroll wheel that lets me move on. I’ve often said, “If you don’t want to see what I share, scroll down the road.” But for those who look at my feed, I hope you find something funny, thought-provoking, or just plain goofy. I love it all. And I love that anyone would care enough to ask about it.

As I’m writing this, we are halfway through November, and I hope everyone shares some love, some absurdity, or some baco-bit of humor. The world we live in is a scary place, and I think we need to hold each other up when we can, call out the bullshit when we must, and hug the person next to us.