Status alert!!!!!

I know I'll get bored of facebook soon, but it's not happening not just yet. One of my pleasures is the way we all get the chance to put little sentences by our names to tell the world how we're feeling. It reminds me of the six word autobiographies there was a craze for some time ago.

Of course, some are better than others. Despite years and years of telling my kids that I am not their friend, I am their mother and that gives me the perfect right to tell them to do their homework or tidy their room, it seems on facebook, we are all friends together. Therefore, I get to see their status alerts. Which has caused some problems. For them. As they are reminded by their mother - not their friend - that prospective universities, employers etc etc, could very easily see their profiles. Therefore to write about not doing any work, getting drunk, or calling their boyfriend rude names, just isn't on.

Still, some of my 'friends' are geniuses at this brief description. George Szirtes, in particular, makes my day. Every day. Here is his at the moment:

George Szirtes is picking up little bits of his professional life and making a daisy chain of them. Pretty is as pretty does.

See there is another strange thing about these status alerts which is that you have to write in third person. And then it is placed by your name like one of those banners flying behind aeroplanes. Wherever you go, you can't get away from it. It's attached to your shoulders, and however much you might flap, that little sentence you thought fun at the time is telling the world that maybe you don't have such a good sense of humour, after all.

Which brings me to another of my daily joys - the way people - ok, including me, especially me - change their status alert again and again to make sure they've got it right. Perhaps they add a little jokey aside at the end, after it's been printed and they see it may look too pompous without one of those winking faces some people insist on using even though it always make me want to vomit. Or else they've been contacted by friends worried about their emotional status. But it's possible to keep track of the changes, so it's a real work in process. And we all get to be voyeurs on other people's insecurities which may not be nice, but sure is interesting.

In fact, it's so easy to get obsessed with the workings of facebook and what your 'friends' are writing about themselves, that I can forget to actually ring them up or see them in real life and talk to them. After all, I've spent most of the day reading exactly how they are, so what else is there to say? Well, you had coffee and hobnobs this morning, then you felt sick because you'd eaten too many, but I'm glad the writing went well after lunch, although annoying about the weather, still good you enjoyed the film you went to with your husband.

As one of the best 6-word autobiographies has it:

Must remember: people, gadgets. That order. -- Brian Lam


And how could I write about facebook without mentioning the most addictive thing of all:




Sarah is veritably the scramble goddess.

If you want to see just how quick I am, watch this video and then double it. Really. I promise.... Would I lie to you, even electronically? just challenge me to a game and see for yourself.

Sarah is always up for scramble...

Sarah didn't mean to be suggestive...

Sarah enjoys a game of scramble....

Sarah is ....