The post where I rant just a little bit about proper use of social media

I'm going to admit something right here and now - I love social media.

Love it.
Adore it.
Whispers sweet nothings in its ears kind of love.

I spend countless hours every single day on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, and my blog. It's one of those things that just makes me happy.

Am I an expert in social media?
Maybe. In my own little universe. 
But am I really an expert ... in the great big beautiful world of social media?
Nah.
Not an expert.

But do I know what I'm doing?
Do I understand that "right" and "wrong" way of using social media?
Damn straight.

I always think back to something Kathy Ireland said to us at the very first Disney Social Media Moms Celebration - your cyber footprint NEVER GOES AWAY.

Translation - think before you post, tweet, pin, or blog.
Use your brain when using social media.
If you wouldn't say something to that person in a face-to-face conversation ... then maybe you should think twice (or thrice, or 100 times) before posting, tweeting, blogging, or pinning.

The very wise Ms. Ireland also told us to remember that "social messaging" is REAL LIFE and to be sure you're sending out the kind of messages you want to receive.

Yes.
Think about that.
Are you posting, tweeting, or pinning messages that you'd like to receive?
Do YOU want to be on the receiving end of nasty, snarky, cruel, childish, immature, and just downright MEAN messages?
No?
Didn't think so.

Look. I'm not here to lecture anyone. I've been known to post snark on Facebook and Twitter. But it's generalized snark. I make fun of the people on reality TV - who completely deserve it because they're acting like fools anyway. I don't make fun of people I know. I don't use social media to snark at people who are (or who used to be) my friends.

Heck, if you don't want to be my friend - or if I've unfriended you because you're just downright rude - life goes on. I'm not sitting here intentionally looking up ridiculous things to pin about you.

I have better things to do with my life.
Like finding that perfect recipe on Pinterest because I have no idea what I'm feeding my family for dinner.

As it is, the point I'm trying to make is this: social media is a wonderful, fun, and very useful tool. If you use it properly. There really is a right way and a wrong way to use Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, blogs, and the like. And using it to hurl insults at people...yeah, that is the very wrong way to do it.

Now if you'll excuse me, I need to go pin more recipes I'll never try.