I’m still here.
Yes, I did take the month of July off to relax and gain a little weight, but I have been back all this month.
Oddly, some of you didn’t realize that I have been typing my stubby fingers to the bone and posting on a regular basis. Why? Facebook is messing with me.
First, they took my account down, which forced me to set myself up as a “Page,” making it almost impossible to follow our incomprehensible comment strings.(So far, I’m not a fan.)
Then, they started messing with their “algorithm.” Now, I don’t profess to know about algos, but I got rhythm. (Lame joke – noted.) I have had the concept explained to me several times. I just nod and pretend to be listening, and go back to trying to find something to read that doesn’t involve ice-buckets.
Basically, the Facebook algorithm is like ordering lunch in prison: You can walk up to the counter and say, “I would like a nice Reuben sandwich on pumpernickel, with fries” and the guy working the counter will smile, and put a ladle of slop on your plate. No matter what you order.
The cold, hard truth is that Facebook doesn’t care what we want to see. Facebook wants us to see what Facebook wants us to see. (In their defense, it is a free service, and they should be able to do whatever lame things they want with it.) But, it is getting worse. Facebook also wants rich and famous people like me to pay them lots of money to send you updates. Riiiiight! Like that’s gonna happen!
I figure this is only going to get worse before it gets even worse.
Now I am fully aware that I have some very clever, funny and painfully attractive readers out there, and I have noticed that many of you have not been hanging around or commenting as much as you used to. It pains me.
Yesterday I did a couple of experiments to see if you guys were getting my posts on Facebook, and it turned out that a lot of you said, “What posts? I thought you had given up – abandoned us – like so many others!”
I’m still here, and have actually written 13 posts this month. A couple of them were actually pretty good. So, you might want to go back and catch up.
The Solution?
As far as Facebook is concerned, I dunno. I will try and find ways to let you know of new blog stuff by messing around with pictures, links, and status updates, but there are no guarantees.
The best solution is for you to go to to the little sign up spot over there —->. If you subscribe via email, you will magically get a notice in your mailbox everytime I post something new. This is usually 3 or 4 times a week, so it’s not like I will be spamming you to death with offers to fund Nigerian royalty, or find a Russian bride.
Another other solution is to just bookmark my blog, put a daily reminder in your phone, with a really obnoxious alarm tone. Then when you are supposed to be working, the alarm will go off, and you will remember to check in and see if there is anything new. If there isn’t, you can always go back and read something from the Archives, allowing you to procrastinate effectively.
Finally, you can follow me on Twitter. Twitter doesn’t give me much love, but you would be informed. @MMormonMan.
This has been a really nice visit. Remember, if there is ever anything I can do for you, just give me a call.
I am looking forward to the time when you fix your feed so that it works for me 🙂 I use the feed reader in Windows Live Mail to read all the blogs I follow. I used to get all your posts, no problem. But when you changed over to WordPress, it stopped working for me. I re-subscribed to your new feed, and it says I am subscribed, but none of your posts ever come into my feed reader, for some reason. There was a brief period where it started working again, but then it stopped. Anyway, I agree that following on Facebook is not the best way to follow someone since Facebook likes to mess with our lives. But I am actually glad you changed over to a Facebook page instead of your personal account. I will be following you on Facebook now!
I thought that if your friends and followers wanted to see everything you post on Facebook, they could go to your homepage and click on the box marked “friends”! There will be other things that will pop up like, get notifications, close friends, acquaintances, etc… If people check “get notifications” they should get everything you post in their news feed! I have a few people checked, you being one of them, and I have not missed anything of yours! 🙂 I don’t know if this will solve all of your problems! But maybe a few! 🙂
You are still my hero!
There is always Google+ then you could fail at getting your message out and you REALLY wouldn’t have a clue what was going on !!
Thanks, John! Duly noted.
I use the bookmark system – you’re right, it has a great procrastination effect. At least 3 of my kids read your blog. I see them share it on FB or comment on it in an email, but I’ve never seen them comment here, so you do have at least 3 invisible fans.
And I also ditto Brittany.
Ditto Brittany’s comment. But since I listened to Elder Bednar’s talk, i feel guilty about hating and abandoning FB many months ago
I like your blog and I read it when I can. My days aren’t different if I do or I don’t. But really…..aren’t we getting a little overly upset about losing a few readers? I have the same nine readers whether I’m alive or dead. They couldn’t care less. . . whichever it is. Just sit back and enjoy the ride. As for me, I’m about ready to quit the blogging business. No matter what those nine people have to say about it.
Umm. Thanks for the comment? Don’t quite see where anyone is upset – just want people who want to read my stuff to know it is there.
I would like to think that there are more than 9 people out there who care about what I right. There’s gotta be at least 14.
I have an idea. We can all use that facebook email address that they made us use to get your blog. Nah never mind. I was getting tired of facebook anyway.
You inspired me to take a month off FB and I still can’t believe how much I have accomplished and how happy I have been (I will go back on with some rules for myself at the end of the month). I love your blog and usually check daily to see if you have posted anything. I think my favorite thing about it is how you put into words my opinions that I am just not good at speaking out loud. =)
Lindsey: What surprised me was how easy it got after the first couple of days…
Me too. And how little I really miss it if I’m honest with myself. =)
I am sorry that you are having to jump over some pretty big hurdles to get your messages out there. I have been a quiet reader for about 2 years. Your humor, wit and serious gospel insights have made my day better, my marriage better, and even my testimony stronger. I am not one to be a “brown-noser” but I AM one to give credit where credit is due. You are making this world better. I appreciate your sincere diligence in making your blog available to all who will hear/read. I couldn’t help, though, thinking that we as readers have a responsibility to seek after those things that are of good report and praise worthy. I wanted to let you know that you and your blog are among those things. I’m sure a simple “thank you for being awesome” would have been just fine…but sometimes even the strongest ones need to know why they’re awesome! Keep it up, it’s worth it! 🙂
Brittany: Thank you so much. I wonder if your comment will fit in a 4×6 frame on my desk.
You want I should beat up Zuckerberg?
LOL! Thanks for the laughs.
My husband and I both subscribe to your blog posts via email and Facebook. We’re big fans and find your posts get us digging deeper into whatever topic you blog about.There hasn’t been a post we haven’t agreed with or felt it was spot on.
Oh, and we like the humor too 😉
Thank you for the kind words. It will make it much more comfortable when I show up at your house in Victoria, needing a place to crash.
It was a good fie. Also I’ve been getting the emails ever since you ditched me on blogger. You must have a lot of readers running Internet Explorer if they trusted Facebook for anything. Yeesh
I am subscribed to you via RSS, but the whole point of facebook, for me, was that MMM Community. The fun comments and silly stories. That’s what Facebook was good for.
I really have been enjoying your email posts and share them with my family. I am not a fan of Facebook. Too much stuff gets put out there that shouldn’t be.
I use Feedly so I don’t think I’ve missed any of your posts. I don’t comment often but I am a faithful reader!
Hey I need a ride to the airport, are you available? JK. Love you and your blog. Facebook is fun, but this is the substance.
I’m getting everything through email. I even have a thingy called, are you ready?? BLOGS. So I can save everything in case something weird happens and Facebook just evaporates. FYI….I miss the old way. Fie upon you Facebook!! If it ain’t broke, DON’T FIX IT!!! The End. Oh, and have a nice day.
Wow. Not often I witness someone getting fied upon.
And again, I can’t see the other’s comments right now. If I come back I will, but I also suubscribed via Bloglovin and check over there to make sure I haven’t missed anything.
signed,
one of your painfully attractive readers
Thank goodness for e-mail. I’m getting everything. Wouldn’t miss you for the world. Should we all get together and march on facebook. By the way, just where in the real world is facebook.
What she said 🙂
Picking up my phone as I finish reading. Oh, wait. You didn’t give me your phone number…Is this like the thing that those Home Teachers and Visiting Teachers do? ANYthing you need just call us. Right. Okay. Very funny. And Thirteen posts in one month is very impressive. You love us, you really do love us!!!