Art Attack – The Ten Commandments
John Rankine
1/31/2013
I’m the first to admit I’m technically challenged when it comes to electronics, and usually go kicking and screaming when finally forced to succumb to the latest gadget or program. (iTunes is working perfectly fine and I don’t need or want to upgrade, thank you.)
Fortunately, I have my own personal geek who patiently takes me through the technical process step by step, easing my frustration, thus preventing me from tossing my Powerbook or Smart Phone to the other side of the room.
I was one of those people who was never going to have anything to do with social media, but finally gave in along with a billion other skeptics. I reluctantly joined Facebook after being strongly encouraged by a few good friends, all artists, who convinced me that it was a great way to network and promote one’s art.
That was two years ago and I have now fully embraced FB as part of my daily ritual. It has been a useful tool for self-promotion, garnering interest, even selling artwork directly from my home page.
As a photographer, it’s been fun posting pictures, creating albums and sharing them with friends and family, and “Friends” have turned me on to some great music, interesting blogs, cool websites and a ton of valuable and useless information. I’ve reconnected with old friends and family members, kept up with the local chatter and even tried out a recipe or two.
I probably spend too much time on FB (it’s hard when you are your own boss and have a computer at work) and while I consider myself a pretty open book, I do limit my personal info – however tempting it was to post pictures of my recent colonoscopy. (I’m fine, if anyone cares.)
These are my 10 basic rules I mostly adhere to – my FB Commandments that occasionally get broken.
- Never post angry or in the heat of the moment.
- Never post if you have paused twice before sending.
- And definitely never post anything after your second glass of wine.
- Tag only complimentary pictures of friends.
- Try not to let your personal thread turn into a name-calling, Geekfest-type rant.
- Never accept friend requests from people you don’t know unless they share 30 mutual friends.
- Use your “Hide Timeline” option often.
- Realize photos of nature, especially sunsets will receive more “Likes” than Pope bashing, gay rights or anything on the environment.
- Resist the urge to share every moment and intimate detail of your life with 600 of your closest friends.
- Limit your on-line time and never take it all too seriously, or personally.
These FB insights might be dated and resemble an old Andy Rooney segment, probably because I turn into a Rooney-style curmudgeon every time they completely overhaul Facebook to make it more “user friendly.”
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