Tips to use Facebook as a peacemaker!

” Oh the Las Vegas trip was amazing” I chuckled.

” Yes, your pictures on facebook says it ”

I am really indebted to the collective effort of so many human brains that has made us so reachable to one another  inspite of the otherwise busy lives most of us lead. Facebook is a saviour. The satisfaction of “I know what they are upto these days”, the happiness of all the likes and comments, it is all so precious. Imagine if Mark Zuckerberg withdraws his creation! Ah, cannot even think about that.

Everyone has a right to be complimented for their successes and supported in times of trial. This is a thumbrule of any social networking site. Apart from this there are a few more dos and don’ts that, if taken care of, can make you a boon to the facebook world.

 

• Use Emoticons 🙂                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    Imagine someone congratulating or complimenting  you without an expression or laughing at your joke like just an emotionless “hahaha”. That would be so weird. Hence in virtual world too, there are Emoticons!  You might as well want to Use them next time you write something 🙂
•   Don’t be rude                                                                                                                                                                                                   Being unkind is never the kind of attitude you should bet on. It is never appreciated. So, next time if you find a post that is east to the west of your beliefs, discuss your thoughts if you have to but do not attack someone with rude words. Afterall, it’s their wall and their beliefs.

 

• Respect People’s Privacy                                                                                                                  

There are certain posts your friends share, tagging their friends and relatives. I am sure we like some of them so much that we hit the ‘share’ button without a second of thinking. It is not at all a good idea to do that as sharing posts directly means sharing their loved ones’ and their profiles too. Next time take their permission or just copy and paste the article with proper credits.

 

• Don’t be on a tagging spree                                                                                                            

Nothing is more irritating than visiting a friend’s profile to see what THEY are upto and crossing 20 posts each of either a ‘trying to be cool dude with goggles’ or something else before you find one post of the profile owner. It looks like a messed up table. Let’s not tag someone in a photo you clicked on YOUR amazing trip to Timbaktoo. Facebook has an option to regulate tags. We can use them to keep our profile protected from Tag trauma.

 

•  Judge less enjoy more                                                                                                                      

Sharing your achievements on facebook is a way of sharing your happiness with friends and family you can’t meet everyday. It is a human trait to talk about the good things in your life.  Avoid judging people as showoffs just because they shared a selfie with their new car or a picture holding their new Michael Kors bag. Or you are simply jealous of their happiness, are you?

 

• Send them compliments and chocolates but no GAME REQUESTS                                    

Asking for life ends up in a game request to friends who don’t even play. It is disheartening when she posts a beautiful selfie and notification shows a game request instead of a like on her picture. So do a favour, try and keep your facebook account away from games and send requests to virtual people in your game world than your friends who love you. Alternatively, you can go in settings and block such requests.

 

   These are a few tips you might find useful. May you and facebook live happily ever after 🙂

Disclaimer: Pictures used in the article are not the writer’s property but are taken from the internet.

Dying to Dance!

we have the 20 or more year old short film at the back of our minds. The time when everything  was upfront and nothing without a bang. Bought a new dress, run to show it to everyone, a new book in the bag, announce it in the class, Got a haircut from the barber at the corner of the lane, compare with your dad to see whose is better. And we did this without being judged.

The Ganpati days when we danced till dead and everybody danced and none we thought knows nothing about dance. We wore those fluorescents without an inch of what will people think! I still miss my flourescent green kurti with a churidar that was inspired by kajol:)

I remember styling my hair a certain way which I mastered over a period of time. We had our 12th Tuition classes at 6 in the morning and I never skipped tying my hair in style only to be faced by a rhetorical question by my Science tutor, “What time do you get up to do all this?” Now the young me with zero inhibitions and lots of confidence took it as a compliment. And continued my effort to look like Kajol of “Jab pyar kiya to darna kya”! But today I feel a little embarrassed to think about that question. There were so many students who heard it after all ;p

As a child, I had this huge gang of friends who were there always. We thought ourselves like the vanar sena of the colony. There was a marriage hall nearby and winters meant we are not eating at home. We used to get dressed and attend the weddings to directly head towards the dining section. On one such free food weddings occasion,  there was this friend who brought a bright yellow birthday card with an elephant holding a cake.His mom bought the card as she did not like the idea of her son going empty handed to his friend’s birthday. So, we all decided that the card should reach its recipient. After a nice meal, we walked up to the stage and handed that card to the groom and gave a nice “Say cheese” smile to the cameraman.

All this and more made up my childhood. But today, looking back I dread myself. Did I really do all this? Today I do not even go to someone’s house uninvited. And try to be dressed and styled in par with the occasion. what is wrong with me?

We have all lived our childhood in similar ways. Lots of mischiefs and hundreds of stories to share. What happens to everyone on turning 20, 30 or 40? Why are we scared of being judged, that too while judging others? As we grow up we become negligent in our happiness. We no longer want to walk in those weddings uninvited and we are least bothered about the new dress. Everyone carries a sophistication around but craves for one day sans makeup in PJs running around with a candy floss or our favourite parle G biscuit with a cup of ‘Chai'(read tea). And no one else can get those days for us but we. It is about time we live our childhoods at least some days and keep the souls alive 🙂

Dance if you are dying to dance!