As much as I dislike the insipid chatter that goes on in social networks like Facebook, to my dismay I find that I still have to go there.
Why? Because more and more organizations, rather than update their own sites are posting little banners that say “Follow us on bla bla bla. In order to find out what they are up to I must go to bla bla bla to stay up to date. I go there because many of the friends I used to email are now in this eternal (or should I say infernal) chatroom and no longer answer from their old email addresses.
Let me tell you that I have always hated chat rooms. I hate them as much as standing around at parties trying to think of something to say. I have hated them since the BBS (bulletin board service) and newsgroup days.
Whenever I log on to FB I am bombarded with announcements that Sally has found a lost virtual kitten and wants me to adopt it. Charlene is in love with the last winner of America’s Got Talent. Jane wants the world to give her ideas of what to have for breakfast, and Tom is sitting around doing nothing and wants the world to know it.
Has the world gone crazy, or is it just crushingly bored? Or is it super egotistical? Whatever is happening, I have no time for such nonsense.
For me, any professional organization that says, “Follow us on…” may as well be wearing a hat that looks like a wedge of cheese. Yet, when I see that little banner I know I have to, or be left out in the cold.
I do not consider myself a Luddite. My first computer ran on DOS, had a grayscale monitor and didn’t have a mouse. It ran on real floppy disks. I was installing components long before the “plug and play” era. I have been online since the dial up AOL days. I am, in fact, an online junkie. But FB is where I draw the line.
I suppose there are a few good things about FB. It’s like one stop shopping. I can go there and check all the updates of the organizations I am interested in rather than bouncing from site to site. Another advantage is…. . um…. I can’t think of anything else.
I have briefly thought about putting a “follow me” banner to draw people to my websites, The Golden Child, The Real Goldie Locks, Zebracorn Graphics and Art Wanted. But that would be one more site I would have to manage. No thank you.
Give me SocialGo or ning any day.
My Newest Favorite 2D Guy
I have a third one. He is also sexy and is intent on getting what he wants. Unlike the afore mentioned, he is a villain which makes him even more interesting. His name is Dr. Facilier. (Pronounced fas-ill-ee-aye)
This Cajun is long and lean. He’s not too old and not too young. He keeps his thick head of hair quaffed but still keeps his natural curl. He’s a snappy dresser who takes care of himself and from the way he moves through the landscape I imagine he likes to cut a mean rug with the ladies on Saturday night. I’m not even going to talk about the voice they chose for him. Keith David, who also was the cat in Coraline, was perfect.
For some reason he reminds me of one of my late uncles: although there is no similarity between them except for the gap and the big grin. Maybe it’s the attitude. Hmmm.
At first sight he seemed to share a lot of characteristics with Jafar from Walt Disney’s Aladdin. But I feel Facilier is smoother, and more cultured. He is more at ease with himself. I can’t picture Jafar wooing the ladies or heading out to the club.
From looking around the internet I find that Dr. Facilier has lots of other fans also. He is one smooth guy.
As an afterthought I am going to give an honorable mention to another Disney villain I like. That would be Shan Yu the Hun from Mulan. I have always liked the villains. I had a crush on Silus Barnaby from the Laurel and Hardy movie Babes in Toyland (March of the Wooden Solders). Perhaps I should make a top 10 list.