5 Steps to Happy Networking

So, there is an issue plaguing cyberspace that I believe needs to be tended to immediately. It's a little thing I like to call "Online Networking Etiquette". (Note: I am not griping or complaining, merely trying to make cyberspace a happier place for the masses.) The following are a list of things that, as a member of an online networking site, you should be made aware of:

1. Putting quotation marks/apostrophes around your maiden name. Ex: Leigh "MaidenName" Gibson, or Leigh 'MaidenName' Gibson. First of all, is your maiden name a direct quotation? (if so, please cite it in your "About me" section. MLA format will work.) Is your maiden name a nickname that people often call you? If you answered "No" to these questions, then join me in saying "NO" to the quotation marks around your maiden name. Believe me, simply placing your maiden name between your first and married names, with no punctuation, is sufficient. We get it. Regarding the maiden name enclosed in apostrophes... I don't even know why you would do that.

2. Leaving the "is" in your status when it clearly does not belong there. Ex: "Leigh is what are you thinking BCS!?" I could SOMEWHAT understand using an "is" where it does not belong when Facebook forced "is" into all status posts (although you could have placed words after the "is" such as "thinking", "saying", "wondering", etc), but now Mark Zuckerberg has made it possible to simply backspace through the "is" leaving us with a world of opportunity in expressing what we are doing, how we are feeling, or some passive aggressive statement directed toward someone we do not like. My recommendation for you unneeded-"is"-users is this, say the sentence in your head before typing it. If you would not use an "is" in speaking the sentence, do not use it in typing.

3. Fake relationships. It's just confusing and forces me to search through your pictures trying to figure out if you are, in fact, in a relationship that I was unaware of, suddenly gay/lesbian, or if you are joking. It calls for a lot of unnecessary Facebook stalking time which could be best spent checking out our mutual friends, or people I know on your friend list but do not want to friend request.

4. Posting pictures with the caption(s) "I'm so fat!", "Wow, this is a terrible picture of me!", "I take the ugliest pictures!", etc. The solution is simple: Don't post the picture if you think it's "terrible". You are obviously fishing for compliments, and that is annoying.

5. Incorrect usage of "I" and "me" in picture captions. Determining the correct pronoun for your caption is very simple. Allow me to explain: Say the phrase to yourself before typing the caption. For example, "I went to the store". When you decide to throw another name in the mix, "Chelsea and I went to the store." See? On the other hand, "Come to the store with me" would become "Chelsea came to the store with me". Simple as that. In captioning a picture of just you and another person smiling for the camera, it's "Chelsea and me." Always. "I" is never used in that situation. Erase it from your caption box now.

Ok, enough etiquette. I was going to post a copy of my final project for Digital Imaging (A CD cover for Bright Eyes' rap album) on here, but I think the file size might be too large, because it was taking forever to load. If anyone (Aaron Alford?) knows how to reduce the size so that I can easily place it in, please let me know!

This is all I have for now. Keep checking, though, because I finish school next week and will have much more time to update!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, CATRINA!!!!!!!!

kthxbye.

P.S.-Is it just me, or are lolcats the funniest thing ever?