More Secluded Now

This week we were asked how our social media use has changed over the years. When I first started using social media I was there to make new friends. I wanted to travel, I liked talking to people from all over the world. Somewhere between 2002 and 2008 I played in online euchre tournaments. I had favorite partners to play with, people whom I had never met in person but we played well together online and often won. Eventually, I did meet a few of those people in person. But over the years as I grew as a person we fell away from each other.

In that same time frame I met some great people on MySpace. We used to chat and talk about common interests. One friend that I made was from Wales, a place where I had always wanted to go. She traveled a lot and had planned to come to Iowa so we could do a cross country road trip. She said she wanted to do a Thelma and Louise type thing but without the crime and driving off a cliff. We used to call and chat on the phone. She even sent my daughter a Manchester United uniform since that was our favorite team. All of my kids wore that uniform. When she ended up finding her partner and moved to Norway, we lost touch.

When I switched to Facebook somewhere around 2007-2008 I went in with the idea that it was a great way to connect with people. A way to find old friends I had lost touch with or to meet new people. And I did, in fact that is how I met everyone here on this blog. I started attending book parties. It was there that I met the wonderful people who helped me to get published for the first time. We’ve become friends over the years. In fact, Wyatt has grown up calling Kelly his aunt, even though we have never met in person. Book release parties were very popular. It was a nice way to meet new people, discover new books, and to just relax after a long day of work. Over the years that has changed.

No longer do I find myself at a book release party or some other book event on the weekend. Just sharing stories and laughter, meeting new people. I don’t use TikTok, though Wyatt wants me to. I don’t use Twitter, mostly because I forget about it. I only use Instagram IF I remember to click on the button that allows me to post to Instagram and Facebook at the same time. I don’t even post to my author page often.

I mostly use social media now to keep track of my family that has moved away. We share photos and stories of our kids and our lives. It isn’t nearly as good as being able to be together but it is nice to stay connected.

I do use Pinterest a lot but that is mostly to find new patterns for plastic canvas. I have found some great patterns on Etsy through Pinterest. I also use Pinterest to find inspiration for family dinners, game nights, and gatherings.

What social media do you use the most?

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