Why FaceTweet?

It has become almost fashionable recently to put down social media, mostly along the lines of "it's sad that you would want to relate to people online - that you wouldn't stop to talk to in the street"

or that you are somehow how unable to make personal contact and relate to people in person, hard copy face to hard copy face, because you are in someway socially inept.

And these people are often to be seen dipping in and out of said Social media - before pronouncing it all pointless - and in some way inferior. And by association that we who use it happily, are somehow inferior to these social elite.

And to that I say - who cares?

The point is that social media like Blogging, Facebook and Twitter have not replaced traditional communication and socialising, they have enhanced it.

And while I would have been previously limited to only meeting and engaging with people from a narrow common interest circle during the very small window of free time that my life allows me;

Social Media has not only expanded my social circles, it has expanded my world.

I have people I count as confidantes in Toronto, Los Angeles, London, Melbourne , Sydney and The Azores,

And I talk about everything from Fashion to politics to popular culture, racism, sexism, feminism, thrift shopping, parenting, world news, marketing, fund-raising and charity, clinical provision, grief, depression, disabilities, debilitating illness, technology, photography, art, make up, hair, shoes, national disasters, 30 Rock, Recovery and um, that youtube clip of the old dude barking.

Because let's face it, having your social antenna pointed towards one channel all the time gets REALLY boring!

In real life, as a relative newcomer to this country, I got to meet a lot of autism parents from one half of one comparatively provincial town; Dublin.

And while it is good to spend time with people who get the sleep/toileting/dressing/feeding/educational and clinical service provision battles; you can't always expect to get along with everyone from this group.
I was lucky, I met a great group of women very soon after my kids started in their old school and we still keep in touch. But I knew that they all had another circle of friends who did not come from "A World". School friends, old work mates and the parents of their other kids. Whereas I lived in Autism House, Autism Street, Autismland 24/7.
I made the most of it. But boy it was hard to escape.


At that time I did not work, and I didn't have the time to commit to a course or social club that might get me out and about.
And then along came facebook.

Tricked into signing up when my little sister sent me some photos to look at- I was very tentative at first having read all about Mark Zuckerberg and his plot to take over our minds and sell our souls to the devil, in return for playing Bejewelled-Farmville Cafe-land.

I still don't play fair; using a psuedonym on both my pages - I lie about my religion, location, some of my interests; and I limit the number of photos I upload and tag.

You will not be seeing my Kurt Geiger Clogs on any Chicworld image sharing site anytime soon.

Nor will I entertain long troll discussions or arguments about things. Sure, I feel comfortable stating my own point of view, but I am just as comfortable with listening to what others have to say and perhaps being influenced to change. I am not interested in digging in for a face off with anyone. If you feel that strongly about something that you want to hector and harangue people - well why don't you put the same effort into changing whatever it is. And leave me alone. Seriously.

But I like being able to give and receive support and entertainment at anytime of the day, from any corner of the world. And yes I did mean to write entertainment. Some of the people I friend and follow are hilarious! Some are really clever and witty and gifted at researching whatever it is they do.

And some find me just as witty and entertaining.

Which is nice. Particularly when everyone else in your house sees you as she who makes the sandwich or magics the dirty underwear clean or makes them get off their computer and go for a bath/walk/sleep.

And I love meeting them in person.

Yep, it is hard. Today I read the phrase "I couldn't get a 2 day pass" when one Tweeter explained to another why they were not at the latest Tweet-up event. Because their life, their kids, their partner and their work meant they could only get out to one event that week.

I can tell you, in the first few years I lived in this country - I was lucky to get out to one event a YEAR!

Nowadays, while I am still fairly limited by school nights and partner being home to babysit restrictions,  I can go to a couple of things a month. And really enjoy them because sure I know everyone who is going to be there already, as I'm always chatting to them (online.)

I even get to go out and meet up with "The Normals" these days. Where the topic is politics or media or marketing or technology or blogging for 90% of the time. And special needs or disabilities just sneaks in a bit.

And the other thing I love about Social Media? The people I Face-tweet and blog to, all give a damn.

There was a time, in the early years of being a Stay At Home Special Needs Mum; when my partner travelled.
And there were days when I wondered if anyone would notice if I fell down and hit my head while trying to do something really stupid with a wardrobe or other inanimate object that someone my size shouldn't mess with.

The kids might come and poke me a few times, then help themselves to whatever it is they needed, so it might have been a while before someone noticed the smell and called for help.


These days, if I went offline for more than half a day - there would be someone figuratively knock knock knocking on my wall and then texting me to see what I was up to.

If I was okay. Did I need anything.

I see it everyday in the community we have built. When there is a blogger down, everyone rallies around to help out - talkin' bout you WendyB and Sis'.

When there is a job loss, health issue or just a fuck-awful autismo day in Faceworld - there are 35 messages of empathy and support, rescue missions to take people out to the flicks and bunches of flowers to say - hey, we been there!

And I have often felt the delightful thump of a parcel coming through the letter box with chocolates, a scarf, jewellery, CDs, Chopsticks, PRADA Sandals! (too big but they cheered another blogger up in a swap) and my dear dear Mrs Doyle who always personally delivers her Wine and Dinner vouchers after she reads of my latest mis-adventure.

Now, tell me, Is any of that sad?

xx