Congratulations to contest winner Liz Jasper.
Has anyone on her death bed ever said: “I wish I’d replied to that last email?”
When my teen idol–Davy Jones–died of a heart attack last week, I reflected on the fact that only thirty-six hours earlier, I was lying on an examining table waiting to have my own ticker checked.
I would attach a photo as proof, but the world has barely recovered from JLo’s nipplegate incident at the Oscars! We don’t need a baby boomer version.
My original appointment was for my annual physical with my gynecologist. Since I’m the queen of multi-tasking, I took advantage of this medical opportunity and mentioned the chest pains I’d been experiencing for the past month. He looked at me appalled then stated: “But I’m only interested in what’s below your waist.”
It’s been a long time since someone’s uttered that phrase to me.
Fortunately he hopped on the phone and shortly thereafter I was on my way to see another doctor who would minister to my “above the waist” issues. Minutes later I was stretched out on an examining table, grateful that the satellite reception was strong enough so I could continue returning emails while the nurse strapped electrodes to my bare chest.
As my thumbs worked furiously in unison in an effort to squeeze out that last “oh so important” reply before they ran the EKG, it occurred to me that perhaps the reason behind my chest pains was the mobile instrument that had become an additional appendage to my body.
As an author, it’s important to utilize social media to push our books and our personal brand. We Facebook, Tweet, Google+, and Tumble because we’re told that’s what we must do to sell books. If you add the stress of co-chairing a huge mystery convention in Sacramento like Left Coast Crime (heaven forbid I miss an opportunity to plug this conference) the stress levels can become so high I’m forced to medicate…
With chocolate!
Evidently I’m not the only patient who’s been experiencing Social Media Stress Syndrome. It’s a highly contagious disease. Fortunately it’s curable by a minimally invasive process. With luck, my phone won’t have to be surgically detached from my tapping fingers.
Of course, the physical therapy that follows can be tricky. No social media for at least 24 hours? If I can’t tweet, how can my tiny twibe of tweeps survive? Can my Facebook friends and fans face a day without my smiling face and clever posts? Will my gaggle of Google plus connections glower over my absence? (Probably not, since I currently have a gaggle of one.)
What a surprise! The world can go on. And since I definitely plan on hanging around for a few more decades, a little less self-inflicted stress will be the best prescription for a heart healthy life.
Besides, even God rested on the 7th day!
I’d love to learn how you maintain your sanity in the new age of social media.
Leave a comment by March 13th, and you’ll be entered in a drawing to win a $15 iTunes gift card guaranteed to provide the soothing backdrop to a stress less day.
Tags: authors, facebook, social media, stress, twitter
Yes…… chocolate is definitely the answer to many issues. Jeff
Thank you Professor Bergstrand. Chocolate seems to be the medication of choice!
As a fellow scribe, I can understand your attachment to social media, especiallyh Facebook. If you can’t get your friends and family to read what you write and then shrare it with others, you’ve robbed yourself of some serious marketing exposure. But how much is enough? I get my email and update FB on my iPhone, my Ipad AND my iMac at home, in the car, at a doctor’s office and even on vacation! To stop for even a day forces serious withdrawals upon my person, since I use social media and answer emails as a way to take a break from the solitary, isolating task of writing. I appreciate your perspective and will learn from your experience, Cindy. Thanks for taking the time.
Hi Dena. Wow. You own three devices that all start with I! My social media skills pale in comparison to your networking.
As you can see by the date of my reply, I am managing my social media time strictly—once per week. Truth be told if I had read your hilarious blog on the 6th , I certainly would have replied sooner.
I can’t help but feel that the enduring principals of effective communication will outlast any short term, new age medium. As more users flock to the latest mode, lesser messages will be lost in the noise. Talented, creative writers like you will always stand out and be heard, whether they tweet, whistle in the Silbo Gomero, or press their messages into clay tablets.
In other words, give it rest. Abe Lincoln’s advice remains timely, “If I had eight hours to chop down a tree, I’d spend six hours sharpening my ax.”
Thank you, Tom. Your wise perspective was definitely needed and I’m going to sl..o..w down my response time. See, it took a whole 9 minutes for me to reply to this comment!
Love this! And cannot wait to show it to my 17 and 18 year olds. Their generation is of the belief that “if it doesn’t get posted on Facebook, it never really happened.” I do understand the need for it – see it’s addiction – and struggle with the balance. I most recently dragged us all away from our screens and made them wonder through fields of wild flowers and climb in trees. Hard to believe? It must have really happened……..they posted the photos on Facebook.
MJ. That is hysterical!
What? You can check your email in the examining room? Thanks for the tip!
Excellent satellite coverage!
Hi, Cindy — I feel ya! I had two docs telling me to “REST!” Turns out, “medcially-diagnosed exhaustion” is a real thing. Who knew? When I’d hear some celebrity was out of the spotlight due to “exhaustion,” I’d think, “rehab.”
Being tied to my devices was definitely an issue (and checking them, waiting for something to come in). I’m shifting over to Facebook, etc. Mondays and Wednesdays (obviously, as this is Tuesday, I haven’t perfected this yet), and “phone off” times when the ringer is silent. The world can survive without me for an hour or a day here and there, but I can’t, and I need to reclaim my comfort with silence.
Having my heart checked out now, too, so we’re a club. Best luck!
Joey, do not email me from a gurney, okay? I’m also slowing things down. It took 54 minutes for me to comment to your post. Now get that heart checked out and then go play!
Sometimes we need to go on a media fast– cold turkey. The difficulty of this sacrifice is all the proof we need of how necessary it is every few weeks.
I also keep specific office hours for Facebook. I’ve let Twitter fly away as it’s hard to serve both.
Besides the occasional “see, I don’t die without it” social media absinence, I do this: I’ve refused to allow texting to insinuate itself into my life for any reason. I don’t send them, I don’t receive them. Texts can eat your life. People are text-zombies. It’s scary.
I’m a modern gal and I love my social media, but enough is enough!
Great piece, Cindy. All the best in achieving that elusive Zen state of balance!
As my wise mother would say, moderation in all things. Although she takes it too far and even applies that motto to chocolate! THanks for sharing and I totally agree on texting. Not necessary!
I never text, just don’t want to do it. I also don’t use my cell phone as a phone except to call out. Only a few members of member of my family even have my number. What I mainly use my phone for is email. With my Blackberry I can get rid of my email from my home computer and this is a real plus. I can also send Facebook messages if I’m so inclined.
See you at LCC!
Marilyn
Marilyn, you are so wired in. I know how active you are posting on Facebook. You’re amazing.
Sheesh, what to do? I feel like I can never catch up, I’m not a big fan of chocolate, and I know that’s un-American.
Not a fan of chocolate? You’re not alone, except in this household. My word production is frequently equivalent to my chocolate consumption:-)
As an author I personally don’t subscribe to the importance of using social media to push my books and personal brand whatever that is. Such a strategy floods the internet and readers can’t read all the social media “stuff” which has glutted it. It also lessens the time for actual writing. I have a website with a pseudonym and any information about me or my books is there. I don’t have comments on my website. The public can sign up for my newsletter. But I’m a writer, not a conference coordinator or attendee, not a media relations person and certainly not a pr person. PR is the last thing I’ve ever been interested in doing. My stress levels are far lower and I enjoy researching and writing much better. My publisher has to understand for me to have that publishing house publish my books.
Sounds like the perfect writer’s life. Thanks for sharing.
Cindy Sample hope you are feeling better! You are hilarious, so be hilarious and healthy! Not to put any more stress on you…your blog posts are so funny, you should turn them into a book! Seriously!
P.S. Cheers (and daggers) for Left Coast Crime! http://www.leftcoastcrime.org/2012/
Hilarity is healthy, right, Margie. Thanks for laughing along with me.
Cindy, your blog is always so fun, I just had to award you a Versatile Blogger Award! http://paulinebairdjones.blogspot.com/2012/05/got-versatile-blogger-award-and-paying.html
Pauline, I am honored to receive your Versatile Blogger Award. Since my posts bounce from one nutty topic to another, I’m thrilled that I’ve provided you with some laugh-filled moments!