I’m going to start out by saying that my husband thinks that I’m a bit of a gossip. I don’t think I’m a gossip, per se, but I do love knowing what’s going on. I read the Sunday paper so that I can find out what’s happening in the city during the upcoming week, and I follow Instagram because I love to see what people are up to.
I was a little late to join the Instagram bandwagon, but only because I’m an Android girl, and for a while, Insta was only available in the app store! I check Instagram more than I check my email, because I love to see what’s happening. Instagram is how I found out that pumpkins are 2/$3 at Chicho Bros Fruit Market, it’s also what I used to tell the world that I ran into Princess Kate and Pippa when we were in London (true story, one of the happiest moments of last year!). I also love that I can follow complete strangers and see what they’re up to all around the world. Right now my favorite is tguzenko. She has over 50,000 followers, and as best I can tell, she’s some kind of Russian heiress. I follow along as she travels all through Europe buying clothes. I don’t understand most of what she says, but Instagram is its own language!
So, you’re probably wondering what the problem is. I have no issues following strangers or magazines, it’s the people I know that make it difficult for me. I don’t know about you, but sometimes I feel left out watching some of my friends out and about, knowing I wasn’t invited, or seeing family members getting together and wondering why no one called us! It’s a little like high school. I don’t want to offend people, so if I invite someone over I might not take pictures so that I don’t upset the people who weren’t invited. I’m sure that most people don’t fixate on this like I do, but I am a little paranoid about it!
My other big annoyance is the hashtags. I love a couple of good and witty hashtags just as much as the next person, but when you start posting 20 hashtags with each picture, it’s getting out of control! I once had to stop following someone I’ve known forever just because the hash tags were driving me crazy! I mean is “#iphoneonly” really just for iPhones, or could I hashtag my way into that one without anyone knowing?!
My husband has told me a few times that I should stay away from social media altogether, but it’s how I get a lot of my information! It’s also a great way for me to show far away friends and family pictures of babies, or video snippets of piano recitals.
How do you balance social media? Do you worry about what other people think about what you’re posting? Do you go hashtag crazy? Let me know your thoughts in the comments.
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Shawna, you’re totally feeding into my paranoia! Just so you know, that Project Life party was one of the most stressful Instagram moments for me, and it wasn’t even my party!
I couldn’t agree more! I love instagram and love seeing what is going on in other people’s lives – whether I know them or not! But yeah, when you see stuff like, oh I don’t know, a fun project Life party going on or something like that…. I just start thinking maybe I just suck. 😉 Lol. In all seriousness though, I do tend to feel the same way, left out on all the fun stuff going on.
As a grandmother, I loved reading your last entry. I’m only on Instragram to see all my friend’s children’s precious little ones…is that like being a voyeur?!?
Janet, I’m all for being a voyeur. I follow a stranger who’s from my hometown just so I can see beautiful pictures of where I grew up!
Some people get a little out of control with the hash tags. Some of them are pretty funny though. I really like Instagram too. I also consider people’s feeling when I post pictures, you’re not the only one. 🙂
I love the funny hashtags, the ones that onnoy me are things like #likeforlike or #tagsforlikes or something like #stylish when it’s a picture that you took of yourself!
Yeah, instagram makes me feel like I’m definitely out of my twenties. And I totally filter my facebook photos! I don’t want anyone to feel bad! It’s like digital age’s version of birthday invitations! When we were little, I remember you weren’t supposed to bring your invitations to school unless you’re inviting everyone! 😉
I think the birthday invite is the perfect analogy! I’m so old we didn’t have restrictions on birthday invites when I was in school. If you didn’t get invited to someone’s party you just had to suck it up! Maybe that’s why I’m so paranoid!
#cantotallyrelate #lovehateinsta #strugglingwithfeelingleftout #ireallydontknowhowtousehashtags #butiliketopretendlikeido #mykidstotallydominatemyinstagramfeed #imightmakeitinapictureeverytwomonths
I have a love/hate with the selfie as well, but that seemed like a whole other topic! My feed is pretty much all food or my kids! I can’t take a good selfie, and I hardly ever get anyone to take a picture of me. I do sometimes wonder about people who have nothing but pictures of themselves!
I hear ya about the dislikes! Sometimes I feel pressured to hashtag just so that I can feel cool. I don’t follow any celebrities unless you count Camille Roskelly? I sure do love keeping up with friends and family around the country though. #wannabecool
It’s a tricky balance between #wantingtobecool and #notwantingtocare!