Online Images

I started thinking today. Not like, "I have never had a thought before, and today I began!" But rather, I started thinking about online images. Online perceptions. Online personas.

Facebook and Instagram. No one ever posts a selfie where they look like crap. I guess we save that for our friends to do? No one ever posts about the horrible, rotten, no good, very bad day they are having. Occasionally I catch a glimpse of realness. I can think of one person I am friends with on the ol' Facebook who keeps it real.

Do I keep it real? Do I only post those things and photos that make me seem awesome-ish?

I'm not sure. I know I do about 10 weird things a day, and since school is out, that will go up to 15 because the kids are around me more.

I know I can also be incredibly boring. Hello, laptop and typing stuff. How do you do? I know I am a mediocre cook. I really prefer Ryan to cook for me, but I never post pictures of the meals he creates for me. (Too busy enjoying them?)

It is interesting that sometimes people perceive others based on what they post online. Always smiling in your daily selfies? You must be super happy. (And confident with your face.) Only post pictures when you are out and about in fun places like the beach or Hawaii? You must have the time and money to travel, and enjoy it. (And your home life is so boring or your house is messier than you like so no photos there.) Post pictures of all the beers you drink? You must like beers...and maybe you are a lush.

See how that works? So, now that I'm thinking of this, it makes me want to go through my Instagram photos and see if there is a theme, and if it accurately depicts who I am. Or at least, who I think I want to be.

For example, while I shot a rattle snake and chopped off its head with a stupid blunt shovel, AND cut off its rattler with a hatchet, I STILL NEVER TOUCHED THE SNAKE. So some people think it was kind of "tough" of me to do that, and part of me what like, "Look what I did! Who would have thought I could do THAT?" another part of me was remembering my tough grandmas, and thinking women do this thing all the time in one of my circle of friends, and really...what am I trying to say by posting this picture?

I took a picture of my boys engrossed in observing this easy science experiment they did. I posted it, with the idea that 1) both my boys were it in, and I love teamwork, and 2) if anyone else I know was interested in doing it, I would share the recipe. (I get lots of ideas from social media, and I appreciate it.)

But then, I MAYBE over-analyzed it. I thought maybe my picture gave off an aura of "Look what a great mom I am, making my kids be smart and do homework over the summer." That 20 minutes might make some think I have it all together and that I am THAT MOM. When I am not.

I am that same mom who makes her kids wear dirty socks when they can't find clean ones. I feed them boxed mac n cheese sometimes, and call that a meal. (No veggies. No protein. Maybe soda as a drink!) I let my kids watch a movie or two every day during summer. I yell at them to clean their rooms. Sometimes I wish I had a cattle prod to give them that little "poke" when they ignore me.

Anyway, what I think I am trying to say, is that I hope my pictures and posts don't paint an image of me that isn't accurate. Since I don't post my running times and distance, I'm pretty sure my online image is spot on. Because I don't run, so...

But I do get excited about certain foods, laugh at some things my kids say and do, and I do have random semi-entertaining stuff happen almost every day!

Up next today: baseball game and a crock pot chicken dinner. Except for the fact Cousin Jimmy let me borrow his super fancy long lens (EEEKKK! I am SO EXCITED about that!), it's just another normal day.

I'll post any good pics later. (Q: But will people think I think I'm a photographer?!? A: I'm not sure I care!)