Social Media

Social media, man. It’s a whole thing. Kudos to everyone making and recording and posting content! It’s, well, wow, a LOT!

Here’s an embarrassing confession. I have, as of a few hours ago, finally figured out how to make and post a reel on Instagram. Everyone said it would be easy and actually it kind of is. At least the basic of the basics. I’ve always been the last one to catch on to things, so I know to be patient and keep trying, but it’s been years! I always wondered why when I tapped on Reel, my own squinting face popped up in a horror movie like surprising kind of a way. This was never the case with others it seemed, and truly it was part of my resistance with each time I decided to try. (You probably know it’s one small swish to change that).

When I first started with Insta, I was Facebook phobic, only because it seemed like no matter what I posted, a well meaning someone would give me very constructive, not so comfortable criticism. I get plenty of that outside friend circles in the art arena, plus I didnt love the embarrassment, or the added stress over family photos, so I pretty much left Facebook to the people who were good at it. The photogenic ones with really awesome relationships and award winning offspring. I had to just love my awkward life and Facebook didn’t help me personally with that at all.

So the day before we started out on my ‘book tour’ for Peaceful Hearts’, knowing I was supposed to have an ‘online presence’, I signed up with Instagram and went on to post. a lot, but only with the basic thing. A friend schooled me on hashtags, which I sort of understood, but not really. I never made it past 498 followers. Not once, and when people unfollowed me , I was like a third grader being unfriended on the playground, devastation with so many questions…

I learned things. I learned that a person such as myself, Canadian decent, can not quote Martin Luther King even on his holiday. I learned that only a very small handful of people care even slightly about me or my quest or even my inspired book(s). We can thank social media for taking over where my parents left off. I have remained humble and have not gotten big headed over any part of any of it.

Today, I made three reels! Yes. 3. I hope I can remember how I did it tomorrow. I think I may have linked Facebook and even my website. Likely not, but I am getting closer. If something happens and I somehow manage to acquire 500 followers, I can not promise anything about my swelling head, did I mention that I figured out how to make AND post a reel?! Yep, I did that.