I am a professed tongue-and-cheek, high-expectation reader, elitist user of Facebook. I don't post often (twice today was ground-breaking!). I am a habitual 'liker.' I admit it - I curse at posters that say, 'just got a Starbuck's' or 'just got back from a run.' WHAT ELSE? I am naturally curious so I want to know more. People: I friended you for a reason. Entertain me, here. What happened at the coffee shop today? Did the person in front of you have the most high-maintenance, ridiculous coffee order ever and then trip and spill it down the front of their suit? On your practice 5k tonight, did you snap a photo of the most beautiful sunset ever, meet a very friendly tomcat who tried to keep up with your jogging pace? I know, I am a needy FB user. Plus, when I noticed comments like, 'wow, that was a thoughtful synopsis, Jen'... I realized that a blog would be a better way to for me: always verbose.
The allure was too much to pass up, and the prospect of reconnecting with all of my old high school pals was exciting. But once we all caught up, exchanged information, shared kid and pet photos, the shininess wore off a bit for me. I got bored. There are a few go-to posters for me. Mostly, the like-minded smart asses. They say what I am thinking and instead of posting it to FB, I usually write about it here. I've recently connected with a few colleagues and there are some goodies. Especially the litigators. Now, if you mix a litigator with mommy hood and ureka, you've got star-quality, to-the-point storytelling in organized little bites. Just beautiful, I tell you!
Last week I was able to see the beautiful caring hearts of tons of people I knew and didn't know from Adam through (of all the places): Facebook. I should not be surprised, I am in marketing after all. I know the power of social media, it's just never worked so quickly and powerfully... so personally. I'm always flabbergasted to tears how Momastery's fundraising phenoms work - where there is a fantastic cause and followers are asked to donate no more than $25. The response is 'stop-in-your-tracks, omg, that-is-the-coolest-thing-I've-ever-experienced.'
Our old girl, Sophia Quicksilver (family name) Shankleton decided that 5:45 a.m. last Thursday morning was a nice time for a run. To our dismay, she wasn't just out smelling around for the other neighborhood dogs, cats, rabbits and squirrels, she was in the mood for a nice 4 or 5 mile run.
You see good old Soph is 13. She's in her golden years - Sophie with her crystal blue eyes and still shiny silver-gray coat. Even though she's up their in age, her attitude has gotten snappier. Isn't that what they say about us humans? Some of us get a little anxious for adventure, sharpen up our sarcasm skills and feel the right to be a little well, cantankerous? Sophie took full advantage of this concept. She must have been reading AARP. Don't laugh, I assure you there is a pet section in that publication.
Lately, she's been testing us. Like she's a puppy all over again. Looking us straight in the eye while we're calling her and slapping our legs and whistling and making smooching sounds and getting louder and louder, while she whips her sassy ears and head around and trots in the other direction. She practiced this scenario last Thursday morning with Jason (and she has only ran from him one other time) and decided to take her sweet time coming back. Between the moment she decided to sprint (crossed two major intersections, visited an assisted living center, spent the day on a friendly stranger's couch) and when we picked her up 20 minutes from our house, the details are sketchy (she's been very tight-lipped about it all), but it went a little something like this:
5:45 a.m.
Jason: Sophie ran. I'm going to look for her.
Me: Drabbit! I'll hurry and get downstairs to watch for her.
Jason: Cannot find her; gotta get to work. I'll be back after my meeting to look again.
Me: Nothing on the way to daycare, from daycare to school and school to home.
8 year-old: 'Mom, you know when Sophie curls up into a really tight ball when she sleeps and she looks like a rock? Well, I just saw a rock in that person's yard, and it really could be Sophie!'
Neighbor: I'll also look after I drop the kids at school.
10:00 a.m.
Jason: Still nothing.
Neighbor: Still nothing.
Me: CRAP.
Jason: DOUBLE CRAP.
Me: Calling the vet, pound, etc... making a pretty flyer for our Sophie.
Jason: Calling the warden, city, etc...
Me: Posting on Stark County Humane Society Facebook Page.
FB Community: SHARE... SHARE... SHARE...SHARE...SHARE... SHARE... SHARE... SHARE...
7:30 p.m.
Friend of Stark County Humane Society FB Page: 'I private messaged you, I think someone found your dog!'
Me: OMG.
Terrifically Kind Dog-Loving Person: I have your dog!
Us: Unbelievable!!! So thankul. Thank you!!!
9:15 p.m.
Sophie is back on her favorite blanket, in front of the chair, watching us, watching prime time TV.
That would have been a lot to recap on FB in its entirety. A little wordy, right? Through the amazingly helpful hearts of pet-lovers on FB, we were able to be reunited with Sophie. Collar permanently on, even though she drives us nuts with incessant the shaking of the ears and the chewing of the tags... she's back. In the words of our almost three year-old: 'I am so gwad dat Sophie is bat. When she wuns away, she dohs many pwaces.' And we are so lucky to have our Soph-the-most back in the place she belongs - home.
Ok, so let's go back to my snarky comments at the beginning of this story. Post whatever you want about whatever you're doing, I'm over being picky about posts ridiculous need for scintillating FB ponderings. I'm just jealous that you are getting a custom-made java in the middle of the day and I am not. Lazy latte drinkers...
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