Certifiable Spreader-of-Uncaring-Care-for-People

When I first brought the idea of blogging and writing for Centreville Patch with Mary Stachyra, the editor laughingly looked at me and, probably because she is genuinely nice, kind and polite, asked what topic of interest I would be delving into. I was ready for that question.

“I would like to actually bring together all these local organizations’ Facebook Page that I am an administrator and find a way to aggregate the updating and posting process I go through each day about local events in Northern Virginia—all of which involves getting people to appreciate and use social network’s influence on people’s daily activities.”

Then I realized that was not an answer. That was my way of actually saying, “Boy, am I tired of these!” Believe it or not, Mary somehow readily agreed when I gave her a second excuse: “Anything to do with Technology, Social Networks, and everything in-between. Is that good enough?”

After I got back home from the Rotary Club meeting where Mary and I talked about the project, it began to dawn on me what a bone-headed idea that was. I was not streamlining a responsibility, I was adding one more! Good job, Ace! Not only have you managed to sabotage your own already chaotic lifestyle, you might actually, literally sabotage other people’s lives too!

That was more than a week ago.

So, here I am and it is 4:39 in the morning of May 10, 2012. It has been almost two weeks to the day I was accepted to write a blog with the Patch. Believe me, there were other circumstances beyond my control as well; like my account could not be verified by Mary, or after she emailed the Patch’ IT people—believe me this is true, the Patch’ HQ is in New York!—my password, or rather the password that was given to me would not work. Then, there is my own constant struggle with “everything is important. And since everything is important, I must o everything.” At the end of the day (for me that is around 4:00AM, like now), I am left wondering what really was important, and, what did I decide which was most important.

During that seven-day span, I managed to update the Rotary Club of Centreville’s Facebook page into the new Timeline Cover, updated the Business Network International (BNI) Fan Page into the new Facebook Timeline Cover, and finally the Asian American Chamber of Commerce for which I got an immediate request from its President Cindy Shao, to change it back because she said it was “HUGE”.  (I was tempted to answer back, “It is supposed to be HUGE – it is the Timeline Cover!”) Finally, I settled down last Friday night to start my first blog, when I saw something really nice on someone’s Facebook.

Yes, I am that weak when it comes to awesome graphics and illustration. The image was from my favorite people at Holstee. In fact, it was one of Ira Glass’ works. But what piqued my interest was how it was posted—on some sort of pin-it to a wall style; you know, when you found something on some magazines and you cut it out and pin it on your wall.  Apparently, there is this new thing going on in the internet where you can PIN whatever you see ( and I mean whatever!) onto your own some-sort of board, for you to come back around later on or for you to share with the rest of the world! Aha! Something better to do than write some blog! So, off I go to another tangent. I was quite eager and excited to start pinning stuff I have accumulated all my life (seriously?). Then, BAM!

“We are sorry, but you have to be invited first before you can become a part of Pinterest.” What is this, an old men’s club? Is this another of Darth Google’s handiwork? I smell something Cheney, here! Are you kidding me? Then it went on to explain that they have put me on a waiting list.

In my frustration and, truthfully, hurt for feeling unwanted and unneeded, and all the other “eds” out there that I can think of, I posted a very public plea on my Facebook friends of about 700+ to “PLEASE INVITE ME INTO PINTEREST!” Then, I waited. Didn’t do any other thing for the next 45 minutes, just tapping on my desk . . . waiting for the nice person to invite me to this new in-thing. This can’t be. One of them has to have been doing this pinning thing already. In fact, that is a fact otherwise I would never have seen it on my Facebook wall! Wait a minute, are you all—all of you 700+ so-called friends of my Facebook—this can’t be…..

They don’t want me to be a part of cool Pinterest!