Only You Can Prevent Vaguebooking

Thanks to social media, I have a new pet peeve. It's called 'vaguebooking'. What, you ask, is vaguebooking?

Vaguebooking: An intentionally vague or ambiguous Facebook status update which prompts friends to ask what's going, possibly prompting friends to "Hide" future updates by the perpetrator.

I'm sure you know people who do this on a regular basis, hopefully you're not one of them. There's always someone who dangles just enough to keep their friends digging for more information.

Friend1: I'm so ________ [fill in the blank with angry/sad/frustrated/etc]...
Friend2: What's up?
Friend1: I don't want to talk about it right now.

Friend1: That was SO embarrassing!
Friend2: What did you do?
Friend1: I can't even talk about it yet, I'm still red

If you can't/won't talk about it, then why are you posting it?!? Either put in enough details so people know what's going on, or skip the status update altogether. Does it make you feel validated or important when friends comment on your cryptic status? Does stringing everyone along with breadcrumbs fulfill your need to be the center of attention?

I have a solution which will make everyone happy: Get a puppy. Seriously, they'll never judge you, they're always happy to see you, they never think your stories are boring, and they think you're the greatest person ever.

So to anyone reading this (both of you), you can help stop this online epidemic. If you are or have been guilty of vaguebooking, stop now! If you have friends who vaguebook, for the love of baby seals everywhere DON'T REPLY! Resist the urge, replying only makes it worse. The next time they post "wonders if it was worth it", "big surprise, can't tell anyone yet", or "that was a bad idea" leave them hanging. Seriously, even though it takes every ounce of self-control you have, don't even post a sarcastic comment. You can't extinguish unwanted behavior at the same time you are rewarding it.

I'm off to ... oops, I've said too much already.

Me? A Hoarder??

Dawn went down to Great Falls on Saturday for her monthly/bi-monthly grocery excursion. While she was gone, I had a moment of self-discovery. She will often send me text messages as she goes through the various stores to see if I want anything (usually cool Oreo flavors we don't get up here). As I was going through my inventory on-hand, I came to a startling realization:

I hoard food.

Not just any food, but junk food and treats. I have six different packs of Oreos stashed away (as well as Bugles, various Reese chocolate...). I have to have two packs of the same flavor before I'll let myself open one, especially if it's one I haven't tried before. I found a second bag of chocolate-covered peanut butter Oreos and was excited because that meant I could open it. I have had unopened packs go soggy because they have been in storage for so long. I have a bag of orange creamsicle Oreos I won't let myself open because if they're really good (as I suspect they are), then I can't get any more until someone goes down to the States again. And what if they're just a limited time offer and not even available down there anymore? The harder it is to get, the more likely I am to stash it.

At work, someone brought back a jar of really good hard candy from England and it sat on my desk for months. Not because they weren't delicious, but because I couldn't get more. Eventually, other people in the office helped me, or rather themselves.

This could also explain why I need to have ice cream on-hand at all times. Granted, it's not really hard to come by... unless you're trying to get some in Raymond at 11:00 at night.

I should've stayed in Psychology...