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What has your experience with social media been like?

Guest Blogger: Jay, 36, Associate Creative Director

Social media is a relatively new experience for me, but one that I’ve embraced quite quickly. It was something that “all the other kids were doing”, so I thought I’d better join in or get left behind.

Currently, I’m on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter. I’m also an active blog reader, especially the one my wife maintains about our children and their daily adventures.

I’m most active on Facebook and use it as a way to keep in touch with family and friends. It has become a daily activity, like checking email. Most recently, I’ve had a fantastic time reconnecting with old classmates from high school. Like so many of us experience, time and distance tend to wear away at old friendships. Facebook removed those barriers and has brought many good friends back together. I’ve even managed to get talked into helping plan our 20th class reunion, which might not have happened without those connections I’ve made online.

Seeing how much has changed in 20 years never ceases to amaze me, and I look forward to reconnecting with my old classmates in person.

LinkedIn has been a great resource to connect with other creative professionals in my field. I’ve found that professional organizations that I belong to (the NH Creative Club most readily comes to mind) have also set up LinkedIn groups, which adds another dimension to the relationships that I’ve developed. It’s been a good balance by keeping the monthly meetings loose and social (and less “networky”), while having the professional information handy should you need it.

It was a work colleague who led me to Twitter. I follow a few friends from work, some creative professionals, and updates from Walt Disney World. (Yep, even Mickey Mouse tweets about goings on at the parks).
I’m a pretty infrequent Twitterer however. I guess that stems from my lack of a multi-functional mobile device. I’m one of those people who still uses a cell phone for making calls, and that’s about it.

For me, the best thing about online social media is that it gives me the opportunity to grow those relationships that I have when I’m away from the computer. Getting the chance to reconnect with an old high school friend over dinner, making plans with the guys to see a baseball game, or setting up an outing with families in our kids’ playgroup–social media sites afford me a greater line of communication with those I want to connect with in a face-to-face manner. I’m a big believer that we need to keep the “social” in social media.

Jay likes this–”Thumbs up”.

What has your experience with social media been like?

Guest Blogger: Barbara, Baby Boomer, Media/Admin Assistant

My experience with Social Media – to begin, I am a baby boomer and am admittedly a technology foot dragger. For  example - I’m just getting excited and comfortable with my new camera cell phone. My personal timeline goes something like this - our first television (black & white) arrived when I was about 5 yrs old. The old black rotary dial, party line phone was a new convenience and each party (usually 3-4 households on a party line) had its own ring – one long, two shorts, etc. This was a very primitive version of  social media in a rather interesting way –  there were those in the party line that were definitely into ‘communications’ – they loved to listen in on everyone else’s conversations and pass tidbits on to whoever would listen, sometimes with a little twist of the truth added for flavor. That I would call negative social media.  Well, I now work in the Media environment and lo and behold  I am a ‘Facebooker’. My daughters , while trying to control their laughter, not so kindly told me that Facebook was for kids.

Personally, I don’t agree with them. Though I am not an avid Facebook user previous co-workers and friends have found me and it has been a pleasure to reconnect – for FREE. I believe that there is something for everyone in Facebook. You can be as involved as you wish to be, or not, with as much privacy as you allow. Unlike the old ‘party line’ you can only ‘listen in’ if you are allowed ‘in’.

As with any type of communications there are responsibilities that go with it. Be smart about what you say, make it desirable for others to read and a learning/information sharing experience at the same time.

So, to my daughters and all of you younger ‘Facebookers’ – Trix may be just for kids but Facebook isn’t!!

And to all ages of Facebooker’s  – Be Positive, Be Smart and ENJOY!

What has your experience with social media been like?

Guest Blogger: Christine, 30-something, Office Manager

I have been actively involved in social media for four years now; back then it was just called “Message Boards” though.  Now I have gotten involved in my own blog- Christine’s Creations, Facebook, LinkedIn and even my own stream on Flickr - it’s not just for photos!

I use Facebook and LinkedIn to catch up with old friends and colleagues, but why does a boring Office Manager, mother of two, need her own blog you ask?  Well about 12 years ago I learned to quilt - something I had always wanted to know how to do - and now it is my passion.  Having my own blog allows me to share my projects, goals and ideas with other quilters from around the country and the world.  Not only do we exchange ideas and motivation we physically exchange quilts.  Most recently I sent one of my quilts to The Netherlands - without social media that would have never been possible.

Last fall I was looking for something new to do and I stumbled onto tatting.  I’d be willing to bet that almost everybody who is reading this doesn’t even know what that is, or maybe it was something your grandmother did.  It’s an old form a needlework that has been given new life through social media.  I’d say right now there are hundreds of blogs dedicated to tatting - not bad for something most people have never heard of.  This piece was done by me from a pattern designed by a woman who lives in Malaysia and done in a thread, hand dyed by a woman in Wisconsin.  Both women I “met” through their blogs.

So how did I learn how to tat?  Did I sit at my grandmother’s knee and watch her for hours - nope.  Did I head to my local library and check out every book I could find on tatting - nope (there aren’t very many anyway).  Did I sign up for a class at my local tatting store - they don’t even exist.  I sat in front of my laptop and watched videos on YouTube!! That is social media at work.  I was able to learn a completely new skill in the comfort of my own home in my PJ’s and bunny slippers. That is the same way I pay all my bills, balance my checkbook, buy concert tickets and even adopt a puppy (or two!).

And it’s not only other people with my same interests that I’m connecting to, it’s companies too.  There are many quilt related business, designers and Mom and Pop shops that have blogs that I follow.  They announce new lines and patterns, sales, giveaways, everything that will drive business to their website and I have to admit it works for me.  I’ll see something new on a blog and click right to the website and buy it, again, from the comfort of my own home.

Social media for me is not only about expressing my creativity, it’s about connecting to people and companies both right in my own back yard to around the world.  Seeing how far everything has come since I was a kid, it makes me wonder how far we’ll be when my kids are my age.