Social Networking and Thoughts on Breaking Ice

Funnily enough, today’s topic for our Toastmaster meeting was “Social Networking.” Table Topics revolved around the speaker’s feelings on social networking in general, security aspects of social networking, different social networks utilized, social media marketing possibilities for companies, etc… I was one of two people not called on – which amuses me to no end, since I had already started the debate on whether or not to use these Toastmaster meetings as blog fodder.

Today I heard two separate women mention Un-friending and Re-friending their husbands on social networking sites. The etiquette surrounding these Friending shenanigans is rather vague: telling of bad jokes whether done online or in the kitchen, disagreements about bills, hormones, etc. I’m fairly sure that the neglect of cupcake procurement is grounds for Unfriending, which fills me with a wicked delight… only I’m fairly certain my husband wouldn’t really notice. Would he get an email? Would my ‘relationship status’ change? Because otherwise I’m fairly certain this petty, funny little ‘insult’ would completely pass by Irish’s radar. Or maybe not? Sometimes he surprises me with the status updates he catches… /shrug

I have started thinking about my first speech. I’m still waiting on my New Member packet, so I’m not entirely sure how everything works, but I know that at least the first few speeches have a specified purpose or objective, such as speech outline or ‘getting to the point.’ The first speech, Project 1, is your IceBreaker. The handbook (yes, I’m a nerd who found it online so I could start early) says:

The best way to begin your speaking experience is to talk about a familiar subject – yourself.

This is supposed to be four to six minute speech. I’ve been talking about myself, in written format, for YEARS in social media. In blogs, status updates and comments and tweets... I could wait until the topic of the week I give the speech, and then center the speech around said topic, as it applies to me… but, to be honest, I don’t know that I can put a speech together in a week right now, even one about myself.

I have debated endlessly with myself about what to speak on… I do not want to alienate or pigeonhole myself with this first speech, even though my first thought was to talk on being ChildFree, since I was a little tweaked during last meeting when someone made the comment about everyone wanting children… I do NOT want to talk about being a newlywed. I do NOT want to talk about my work aspirations and I do not want to talk about Why I’m Joining Toastmasters. I do not know that I want to talk about blogging. I don’t know that I can’t NOT be a tad snarky or controversial/confrontational or defensive while talking about myself…

It’s brought back, full force, the whole identity crisis I had successfully shoved in a closet somewhere in the corner of my brain. I don’t go to karaoke anymore. I feel like I have no identity, in a lot of ways. I don’t blog regularly enough to consider myself a blogger anymore. I cannot call myself any sort of health or fitness nut. I do not have one single all encompassing hobby to wax poetically about for four to six minutes. I read some, none of which is safe speech fodder. I social network, but not as competently or prolifically as others I know. I play some video games, but not often or well. I cook, but only when the mood strikes me. I am old, married, and boring – completely with station wagon now. I don’t know what I’m passionate about, and am not nearly as sad about it as it sounds when written out like that lol.

I like my life. I like who I am… I just don’t rightly know how to describe that person. Music maybe? Basketball? Vodka? Being Anal Rententive with a touch of OCD?

Or maybe I’ll just talk about how much I like cupcakes and why they’re, really, the perfect food?

Or about the thousand little ways that I order things throughout my day, without even realizing I'm doing it...

Or why I think dinosaurs are awesome...

Or about how I never finish projects I start...

What would you talk about?