Throughout my adult life, I have lagged behind when it comes to technology. I've never been interested in having the newest gadgets, and I only use technology on basic levels because I haven't taken the time to really learn more sophisticated methods. This class is my first step toward shedding my nickname: "Web 1.0"
CELL PHONE
This summer, I finally got a smart phone, an iPhone to be exact (3G, because I decided I really didn't need to pay extra for 4G, especially if it doesn't work yet). I did want to get a smart phone of some kind, but I only "settled" for the iPhone because my husband has one and we finally got ourselves on the same phone plan. After years of struggling with an old-school phone that could barely send text messages, I found the iPhone fairly easy to use, but I don't really love it. The iPhone is useful because I can finally send text messages easily, and it is really convenient to have access to email, Facebook, and the internet all the time. I feel much less attached to my computer now, which is nice.
Texting is useful to me, but I don't use "text-speak" and neither do most of my friends. I use fairly standard puncutation and avoid a lot of abbreviations. The iPhone makes it easy to type so it's not a hassle to spell out actual words. I have no major objections to "text-speak," it's just not my style, and most people I text feel the same way.
I see my phone as being somewhat a reflection of me. I have downloaded several apps that show my interests in cooking, reading, news, movies, etc. I have pics of people I know and places I've been. Even though I'm not really that attached to my phone, it does show some aspects of my identity.
FACEBOOK
Not surprisingly, I was a relative latecomer to Facebook. I got my account at the age of 26 or 27, well after most of my friends got it, because I realized that I was missing out on things due to not being on it. I finally decided to sign up for it, and I'm glad I did.
The first thing I did on Facebook is adjust the privacy settings so that I'm not searchable to the public and most of my content is restricted to "friends only." Privacy is a huge concern for me because of my teaching career. I don't want my students (or my boss) to see what I post on Facebook, and I want to try to maintain a life that is not always school-appropriate! I'm now toying with the idea of having a Facebook page for my "teacher-self," but I just have concerns about what could go wrong.
I have 81 friends on Facebook, which is a low number, relatively speaking. (I think my husband has over 250). Almost all of them are people I know personally and see at least occasionally. A few of my English department colleagues are my Facebook friends, which I really enjoy. They become a source of support when my status update reads like it did on Sunday: "Finally finished grading tests...having started at 8:30 a.m." (posted at about 7:00 at night). I can trust my colleagues, so friending them on Facebook was not a concern, but I would never friend my boss or go seeking out a bunch of colleagues as friends.
I use Facebook mainly as a way to stay informed about what's going on with people who are at least fairly close to me. My life is uneventful and I don't post a ton of stuff, but I do enjoy reading about my friends' lives. When my friends post pics of their vacations, I look at them. When they are in need of encouragement or sympathy, I comment on their statuses. I often use the "like" button because it allows me to express acknowledge someone without having to write something. I also use Facebook as a casual way to reconnect with people I haven't seen in awhile. I post a wall comment or send a private message and try to set up an in-person meeting. In sum, I use Facebook the way most people do: to keep in touch with people I already know.
Even so, I am pretty judicious about what I post on Facebook and whether it will be public or private. If the message is mundane and doesn't warrant others' input, I'll send a private message. Since everyone can see wall posts, I try to only post on people's walls if it's something actually interesting or that others might latch onto--for instance, if it's someone's birthday, I'll post a happy birthday message on the wall, but if I want to remind my husband to pick up a gallon of milk, I'll send a private message.
Sometimes I write and rewrite my status updates to try to find just the right wording to capture what I'm thinking/feeling. I think hard before I post, just as I think hard before I speak. If what I'm putting out there is a reflection of myself, I don't want to sound like a moron.
I do not use Facebook to rant about my political/religious ideas. Most of my friends avoid controversial topics as well, but one friend (one of my neighbors from college) posts about religion all the time and it drives our mutual friends nuts. Literally her every status update has to do with her religion, and several of us have discussed (in person) how we don't think Facebook is meant for espousing our beliefs. Clearly religion is a huge part of this friend's life, but many people are uncomfortable with that type of display. I avoid posting links/comments that could be controversial simply because I don't want to start a battle over issues that shouldn't be argued online.
Oddly, I don't swear on Facebook, even though at home I swear all the time. (I think it's a byproduct of having to censor my speech all day long). I use abbreviations or substitute calmer words if I feel the urge to swear in my status update. For some reason, I think of Facebook as a fairly civilized place and I am much more cautious on Facebook than I am in "real life." For the most part, the interactions I have on Facebook are positive, and I wouldn't want to ruin the vibe with a bunch of harsh words. I also wouldn't want to offend some of my more conservative friends and relatives. I guess I do censor myself, but that's what you need to do in a public forum where your tone/words may be taken out of context.
Facebook is a fairly important part of my life now. It's funny how much I rely on it, considering how late I was to the party. I find myself joking with friends about how life events like engagements, breakups, etc. are "only official when they're on Facebook." I enjoy having such a quick, easy way to keep updated on people who matter to me, and at the same time, I can withdraw myself as much as I choose to. Even just reading what's on there is satisfying to me.
TECHNOLOGIES I DON'T USE
-Twitter. I seriously don't understand how to read/follow the conversations. My friend was trying to explain it to me the other night, and he ended up laughing hysterically at my ignorance. All the @ symbols and the layout...I just don't get it. But I want to, because I would like to follow some people's Twitter feeds, but I haven't taken the time to understand it.
-Posting my own movies or videos. I've only operated a videocamera a few times, and I have no desire to put movies online or edit them. (My husband, on the other hand, is huge into movie editing. He hads taken extensive footage on all our ski trips and is now editing it into a full-length movie with music and narration). I have basically no experience with movie editing, but after trying iMovie in class, it didn't seem too hard. I actually enjoyed the process of trying to create meaning based on how I set up the shots. I hope to practice this more, especially since I'm teaching Art of Film for spring trimester.
-Blogging for personal use. I have this blog and one for the Creative Writing class I'm teaching. (I post assignments and journal topics on there, but that's about it). I just feel my life isn't interesting enough to blog about. Some of my friends have blogs that I follow--one friend started a blog about her adventures as a medical school student and mother of two, and another friend has an awesome and somewhat- nationally publicized Gopher Basketball blog. I like the idea of it, but I don't really have anything that unique to put out there. Perhaps one day I'll change my mind.
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