JerseySmarts.com

What Constitutes a “Friend” on Facebook These Days Anyway?

Joe — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 15:43:10 +0000

Over the last few years, I’ve written several posts about the dwindling functionality and, ultimately, usefulness of certain social media platforms. For example, some three years ago I noted that I closed down my MySpace and LinkedIn accounts. And here we are – three years later – and I have no intention of opening up either of those accounts again. Sure, a lot of people tell me to reopen my LinkedIn account so I can shore up certain professional contacts in a worst case scenario (i.e. if I need to find employment quickly), but I have no interest in maintaining a presence on that platform at this time.

Which brings me to one of the two social media platforms where I do maintain accounts: Facebook.

Facebook seems to have become "Happy Birthday-book"

I’m sure that most of the folks reading this entry have a Facebook account – it seems like most people on the planet have a Facebook account these days. And, if you’re like me, then you’ve noticed something weird about Facebook in the last few years. No, it’s not the fact that Facebook seems to constantly change their layout without the consent (or considered happiness) of their users. And no, it’s not the fact that spam-loving companies have found a way to breach even Facebook’s strong security measures. Instead, if you’re like me you’ve noticed that Facebook has been reduced to a single phrase for most people…

“Happy Birthday, buddy!”

I can’t tell you how many of my Facebook friends only interact with me on my birthday. And, admittedly, there are scores of my Facebook friends who I only interact with on their birthdays. Over the last year, I’ve made a conscious effort to not send happy birthday greetings to people who I wouldn’t go out of my way to call or text with the same message. Sometimes, I find that there are social strictures that require me to send someone a happy birthday note. Other times, there are folks who I would go out of my way to say happy birthday to if I saw them during the day, but I refrain from doing so online because it seems somewhat weird.

But more than any other observation about the oodles of birthday messages that are flung around Facebook, the most pressing observation is just how weird the whole exercise is for everyone. I mean let’s be honest – how many different ways can you say, “Happy Birthday, [INSERT NAME HERE]! Enjoy!” or something similar each year to the same person before it gets redundant, repetitive, and just bizarre? With some of my Facebook friends I’ll go in and check what I wrote on their wall the prior year and most of the time the message that I’m crafting for the new happy birthday message is eerily similar.

The whole thing is just bizarre to me. However, the weirdness factor aside I have no plans to get rid of my Facebook page. The truth is that Facebook is too ingrained in our society today and we are all too reliant on that particular social media platform. So, while I may be a little exasperated with the happy birthday messages that I see on there every single day, I think it’s just part of the platform that we’re going to have to accept.

By the way, my birthday is next Tuesday, January 31st… and I’ve grown to expect many birthday greetings on my Facebook wall!

Happy 30th Birthday to… Me

Joe — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 14:30:44 +0000

I suppose today is a day of celebration since it’s my 30th birthday. Thanks to my Mom and Dad for deciding that one son wasn’t enough and conceiving me all of those years ago. It’s been an interesting and mostly fun ride thus far. I can honestly say that I have no idea what the next 30 years will bring. Have a good day, everyone.

Happy Birthday to My Younger Brother and Merry Christmas to My Readers!

Joe — Sat, 25 Dec 2010 14:30:54 +0000

Just like I do on every December 25th, I’d like to wish my younger brother Christopher a happy birthday! It’s hard to believe that my younger brother was born 23 years ago. I remember the day that my Mom and Dad brought him home from the hospital in his Christmas stocking (he was born on Christmas – of course he was coming home in a Christmas stocking!).

And for the rest of my readers here at JerseySmarts.com, I wish you all a Merry Christmas! I hope that the Santa in your life brought you what you were looking for and that you have a happy, healthy, and safe time with family and friends.

Enjoy!

A Wish for a Very Happy Birthday Goes Out to My Mom Today!

Joe — Fri, 29 Oct 2010 02:33:37 +0000

There are a bunch of people that read this blog everyday – friends, family, former coworkers, folks that find out about us through searches on Google and Bing, fans of JerseySmarts.com, etc. But among the few folks who always checks out whatever it is that I’m writing about on a frequent basis is my Mom. In fact, if you’ve been around JerseySmarts.com for a while, then you probably have seen my Mom leaving comments on posts here and there.

In any event, today is my Mom’s birthday and I hope that she has the happiest birthday ever! Happy Birthday, Mom! I’ll be home tomorrow night to celebrate with our family dinner.

Enjoy.

Quick Happy Birthday Wishes to My Older Brother

Joe — Tue, 28 Sep 2010 15:30:06 +0000

Not a long, extensive entry for you folks today. Instead, I’m just wishing my older brother Anthony a happy 31st birthday! Hard to believe that he’s that old, but then again it’s hard to believe that he turned 30 last year so – I guess this is just the next in the series! Happy birthday, Anthony. Enjoy!

Happy 29th Birthday To… ME!

Joe — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 16:30:59 +0000

Wahoo! Happy birthday to me… Happy birthday to me… Happy birthday dear… Meeeeeeeee… Happy birthday to me!

The Happy Birthday Pug

Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome back the birthday pug to my birthday celebration! He’s sort of a sorry looking guy – not really excited and likely very tired and ready to go to sleep. And chances are that he’s already slept most of the day and is now tired from sleeping, but I guess that’s the life of a pug, right? Hmph. Not much of a celebration guy…

If you haven’t surmised it by now, today is my birthday! Special thanks go out to my Mom for birthing me 29 years ago – good work, Mom. I plan on spending today doing as close to nothing as possible. After 29 years of being awesome, I think that some rest and relaxation is in order!

Happy Birthday, Mom!

Joe — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 15:30:37 +0000

The Happy Birthday Pug

Just wanted to send a shout out to the best Mother in the world on this, her birthday! Happy Birthday, Mom! As you can see, I’ve enlisted the help of the Happy Birthday Pug to celebrate. The Happy Birthday Pug is generally not enthusiastic about many things in its life other than sleeping and eating cookies; birthdays are no different.

However, I am pretty excited to be going home this weekend to have dinner with my Mom and my brothers. Of course, my older brother’s surprise 30th birthday party is going to be a hard act to follow, but they’re really two separate and distinct type of events.

Until then, though, here’s wishing a Happy Birthday to the best Mom in the world – enjoy the day, Mom!

Happy 30th Birthday To My Older Brother!

Joe — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 13:50:47 +0000

Hard to believe that my older brother is 30 years old today. Can 30 years really go by so fast? Absolutely amazing. I mean, I can remember when he and I were little kids walking with our Mom down the street in Manhattan on our way to nursery school. And then BAM! my brother is 30 years old and engaged to be married.

It really is amazing how fast life moves.

Heading Out To St. Louis For The Weekend

Joe — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 17:02:34 +0000

This afternoon I catch a flight to St. Louis to spend Friday, Saturday, and Sunday morning at Sigma Pi Fraternity, International’s Mid-Year Leadership Conference. In year’s past, I attended this conference as either a local alumni volunteer or a regional volunteer alumni director. This year will be my first trip to the workshop as a member of the national Board of Trustees for the fraternity’s foundation. I’m looking forward to the trip and to meeting with my fellow Board members to talk about some of the financial issues involved in the fraternity.

As for you all – no worries! I’ve scheduled a bunch of updates to automatically upload on to my blog while I’m away. Though I’ll have limited access to e-mail and the internet while I’m gone, you all should be taken care of with these updates.

I’ll be back on Sunday night ready for work bright and early on Monday morning! Oh, and since my cousin Matt frequently reads my blog – Happy Birthday, Matt!

Happy Birthday To…Me!

Joe — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 16:53:16 +0000

January 31st – it’s my birthday! I’m 28 today and I’m feeling good! Thanks to everyone who sent me birthday wishes via text message, Facebook, and e-mail. Your kind words are appreciated.

And for those of you who haven’t begun celebrating this joyous event yet, there is still some time left today for you to get out there and start partying!