Facebook Highlights of the week

The person who is 37 years old, and took the "What's your Mental Age?" quiz, and proudly - happily - happily posted that she is mentally 25.

The person who bitched about the travel delays he endured, that he has repeatedly had (and oh, we've heard about) on his last three vacations. His last three vacations have been in the last five months.

The person who posted the fifteenth post in a week about sheeple - and how they hate corporations, hate the high fructose corn syrup in Mother's Brand Sandwich Bread, hate NSA surveillance, and hate people who spend too much time on Facebook, and are probably ignoring their children. This person has children.

And my personal favorite, the person who posted all week long about what a demanding office-job work week it was, and then posted at 5:33 from their favorite bar, on Friday, that they were glad to see the week finally be over! Honey, if you're posting at 5:33 PM from a bar, your week in a M-F office is just not that hellish.

A new year, a new you.

I initiate resolutions all year long - on my birthday, when the seasons change, on the first of any month, after a terrible hangover. But new year's resolutions are, without a doubt, the best ones. My favorites. And I let them roll on in the first couple weeks of the year; I'm not a stickler for exact start dates and nor am I all-or-nothing about perfect attendance. Once again, I am certain I will floss every day in 2013. So far, 3 days down!

But the other, current two resolutions are a bit different than in years past. First, I'm on a Facebook diet. A fast, actually. I deactivated my profile until January 31; then, I'll decide what I want to do with the site, and how. I'm enjoying the freedom from it so far but it has been (probably not that) shocking to see how often I open a tab to check it.

Second, at the advice of a new wonderful friend, I thought all last week about my word for 2013. This is the word that I'll keep reminding myself of when I'm faced with a decision - big or small - or experiencing that daily uptick in stress, the rising feeling of being overwhelmed by all the things I should do - next - now - quickly - perfectly - !

And the word is: grounding.

Webster's defines that as basic training or instruction in a subject. My subject is life - better living - and better living today, not on some far-off other day. For 2013, then, I ask: what would be the most grounding thing I can do in this moment? What decision will be most in line with the open, loving, connected and in-awe life I want to live, and want to look back on living when the end comes? That is the decision I'll make, each time - and I've already used it twenty times in less than five days! This is going to be a year of rewarding grounding. And you?

What's your word for this year?

Facebookin'

Thing on Facebook that is incredibly weird: a profile photo of you, in your wedding dress, standing next to your dad. Putting that on Facebook is fine. Having it as your profile is creepy. I am unsure if that's groom or parent.

Thing on Facebook that is terribly good: all you people who have not set up your privacy settings! I love to see a person from high school who tortured me and is now fat and living in Idaho! I am terribly mean, it's true, but it's also true that you should set up privacy settings if you do not want to be on the receiving end of such schadenfreude. Privacy settings are good even if you were nice in high school, and no matter how thin you may be or far from Idaho may you live now.

Thing on Facebook that is terribly bad: the people who I am friends with that prompt a reaction in me of utter negativity. Whether it is an ex or an acquaintance that I can't seem to de-friend or someone who uses it solely for self-promotion and never, ever, has a dialogue, I manage to seek them out when I am feeling blue and trolling their profile just immediately turns my azure into navy. Boo. When will I learn to stay away?

Oh, dear.

The time for stopping use of Facebook draws ever nearer, for when I am friends with a cousin whose status reads, "happy birthday [redacted]! you're finally 14!", I feel like I'm not really welcome at the party.