What would Mary pin?
Once upon a time, a guy named Ben and his friend Paul had an idea. They thought it would be phenomenal if there was a place where people could create and share virtual catalogs or bulletin boards of things they like, with strangers. From that thought, came a little social networking website called Pinterest. It's like a birth story, only with a lot less goo.
Trouble is - not everyone "gets it". At least not at first - as evidenced by a Facebook conversation that I recently witnessed on my ticker.
Some of the chit chat has been altered and the names have been changed to characters from The Mary Tyler Moore Show - for the sake of privacy. Other than that, this is all is mostly true. Sort of.
Rhoda: Um, wtf is Pinterest?
Phyllis: I'll send you an invite. You will love it.
Mary: It's highly addictive. omg. Ha. Ha. Ha. No. Seriously.
Phyllis: Yeah. I totally forgot to mention that. Okay, invite sent.
Sue Ann: I can't stop doing it!
Rhoda: Ok, so you just look at stuff?
Phyllis: Yeah. Then you pin it to albums that you create.
Rhoda: For what reason? Just of stuff you like? Are you effing with me Phyllis?
Phyllis: You create categories for the things you like to look at. Then, you pin things in those categories.
Rhoda: Yeah. Okay. I still don't get it. Do you buy these things?
Phyllis: Nope.
Georgette: It is the best way to waste time. I love Pinterest.
Rhoda: I need a stiff drink.
Here's the thing. In the 1980s it was afternoon game shows. In the 90s - reality television. Today, it's social networking. We all need healthy addictions. I suppose. From Press Your Luck to Survivor to Facebook, I've dutifully slopped around with the masses.
I requested a Pinterest "invite" a few months ago and, like Rhoda, I was fully befuddled. I have since tried my best to get hooked - but truthfully, as soon as I got the hang of things, I developed a bit of a disorder. I've got a terrible feeling that my pins might not be worthy. Or worse - that my pins are just plain strange. Y'know, like me.
If someone did a psych analysis on my tastes, I might not be hired for another job for as long as I live. Human Resources departments would have a heyday.
HR Guy: Did you finish looking into this Andrea Mulder-Slater character? She's got an interview with us tomorrow.
HR Girl: Yep. Look at what that nutbar pinned yesterday: A fly on ice skates, a wall of toilet paper and a picture of deep fried butter balls.
HR Guy: Did you say deep fried butter balls?
HR Girl: Uh huh. She also pinned a photo of a toilet covered with saran wrap.
BZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz (That's the sound of my resume being shredded).
Thank God I don't apply for jobs. Or work.
In all seriousness, the more I think about it, the more I think Pinterest might be more damaging to a person's reputation than those compromising fall-down drunk photos on Facebook - except for the ones involving gnomes. Or lawn chairs. There's nothing worse than being drunk with a gnome, on a lawn chair.
Google it if you don't believe me. And be sure to pin it when you do.
No, really.
Trouble is - not everyone "gets it". At least not at first - as evidenced by a Facebook conversation that I recently witnessed on my ticker.
Some of the chit chat has been altered and the names have been changed to characters from The Mary Tyler Moore Show - for the sake of privacy. Other than that, this is all is mostly true. Sort of.
Rhoda: Um, wtf is Pinterest?
Phyllis: I'll send you an invite. You will love it.
Mary: It's highly addictive. omg. Ha. Ha. Ha. No. Seriously.
Phyllis: Yeah. I totally forgot to mention that. Okay, invite sent.
Sue Ann: I can't stop doing it!
Rhoda: Ok, so you just look at stuff?
Phyllis: Yeah. Then you pin it to albums that you create.
Rhoda: For what reason? Just of stuff you like? Are you effing with me Phyllis?
Phyllis: You create categories for the things you like to look at. Then, you pin things in those categories.
Rhoda: Yeah. Okay. I still don't get it. Do you buy these things?
Phyllis: Nope.
Georgette: It is the best way to waste time. I love Pinterest.
Rhoda: I need a stiff drink.
Here's the thing. In the 1980s it was afternoon game shows. In the 90s - reality television. Today, it's social networking. We all need healthy addictions. I suppose. From Press Your Luck to Survivor to Facebook, I've dutifully slopped around with the masses.
I requested a Pinterest "invite" a few months ago and, like Rhoda, I was fully befuddled. I have since tried my best to get hooked - but truthfully, as soon as I got the hang of things, I developed a bit of a disorder. I've got a terrible feeling that my pins might not be worthy. Or worse - that my pins are just plain strange. Y'know, like me.
If someone did a psych analysis on my tastes, I might not be hired for another job for as long as I live. Human Resources departments would have a heyday.
HR Guy: Did you finish looking into this Andrea Mulder-Slater character? She's got an interview with us tomorrow.
HR Girl: Yep. Look at what that nutbar pinned yesterday: A fly on ice skates, a wall of toilet paper and a picture of deep fried butter balls.
HR Guy: Did you say deep fried butter balls?
HR Girl: Uh huh. She also pinned a photo of a toilet covered with saran wrap.
BZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz (That's the sound of my resume being shredded).
Thank God I don't apply for jobs. Or work.
In all seriousness, the more I think about it, the more I think Pinterest might be more damaging to a person's reputation than those compromising fall-down drunk photos on Facebook - except for the ones involving gnomes. Or lawn chairs. There's nothing worse than being drunk with a gnome, on a lawn chair.
Google it if you don't believe me. And be sure to pin it when you do.
No, really.