“I’ll bet you think this blog is about you, don’t you?  Don’t you?”  ~  Carly Simon (well, almost)

I’ve often said that blogging is an extremely self-indulgent pastime, and I will stick with that remark.  When I started blogging, I did not realize that apparently, reading blogs is an extremely self indulgent pastime as well because people tend to see themselves in the blogs they read.  This is, I am sure, much more common when the reader has a personal relationship with the author, but truthfully, we all read things with which we can identify.

The same can be said for certain things on Facebook.  Sometimes, I share a quote for no other reason than that I like the quote.  I may have at one time identified with the quote in the past or perhaps now in the present, or I may feel that it applies to the situation a friend is experiencing.  However, I do not live my life on Facebook.  I try to keep my life in the three dimensional world whenever possible.  (Unless I am bragging about my animals, then I do that wherever I can find a willing audience.)  So, this provokes me to create yet another numbered list…

1. Just because you can identify with a post does not mean the post is about you.  If it pertains to you, I will tag you in it.
2. Do not presume to know anything about me or my personal relationships based on my Facebook “friends.”
3. No one ever changed their political opinions based on a Facebook post, so I am not going to post my political opinions nor am I going to comment on yours.  (This is for our mutual good. I might actually like you in real life and I want to keep it that way.)
4. I am not responsible for what other people post on my Facebook page, and quite often, I do not even see it, so don’t make assumptions about it and you probably shouldn’t ask me about it.  If you are so interested, ask the person who posted it.
5. Do not get your feelings hurt if I do not notice, like or comment on something you have posted on your Facebook page.  I visit Facebook in a very cursory fashion. I might notice five or six posts on my news feed and then I move on from there. I am self centered. I don’t have time to read everything in my news feed.  If I had the time, I lack the interest.
6. My tolerance for Facebook drama is extremely low.  I am not interested in reading it, and I am not going to get involved in commenting on it.  People who create drama on Facebook must have very uninteresting sex lives, and that’s about all I am going to say about that.
7. I do not do Facebook chain mail.  I might like your post, but I am not going to share it on my page, change my status or post it for others.
8. If you’re sick of seeing pictures of my dogs and horses, look away or un-friend me.  They are an endless source of delight and interest to me.
9. Do not cyber stalk me and try to “catch” me on line. I will answer whatever missive you have when I have the time and the inclination to do so.
10. DO NOT INVITE ME TO PLAY OR PARTICIPATE IN ANY GAMES!
11. Do not send me friend requests if we do not know each other unless we have dogs or horses in common.
12. Do not send me private messages requesting dates or naked photos of me.  Really.
13. Have a great day in cyber space and at least give some thought to stepping away from your electronic device and moving about in three dimensions.