I mentioned in a twit before that I’m a lousy Facebook user, and it’s true. I only signed up last year because almost all of my online friends are on it and I thought it would be cool to have another way to connect with them. And it’s not only with Facebook, my Friendster, Multiply, Flickr, Moomai (including LinkedIn!), are rarely updated. And I think it’s safe to say that my WeeWorld account has been in a coma since last year. But at least my Twitter is alive and kickin’!
While we’re on the subject of social networking sites, why don’t you add me as a friend? (Yun naman eh, may kasamang pag-promote! Haha)
Anyway, going back to Facebook. Every time I sign in I usually just stare at the screen and think of how else I can update that page. “I should be updating because everyone else is!!” I know there’s a gazillion things to do there but I guess I’m just not that interested. Or it’s because I know that Facebook is so time-consuming that I refuse to get addicted to all these apps. As of this moment, I actually have 379 unprocessed requests in my dashboard! So if there’s an app that you really really want to share with me (that you think I’m gonna enjoy) send me a message instead! Else, the invite will just be ignored. Hehe.
Now if you go to my Facebook profile page, you’ll see how boring it is. Lol.
I did enjoy tweaking my Facebook months ago, though. I even added a few apps that some friends recommended. Among those I added is the Visual Bookshelf application. Visual Bookshelf helps me keep track of the books I’m reading and have read. I can also view the bookshelves of some of my friends in Facebook. It’s a terrific way to connect with fellow book lovers.
I added this app around the time I was reading The Virgin Suicides, which was 4 months ago. I intended to update my Visual Bookshelf regularly so when I was done with that book, I immediately added the new book I was reading then — Middlesex, Jeffrey Eugenides’ second book. This was 4 months ago, but until today my Visual Bookshelf remains untouched. It’s not because I neglected to update it, it’s because I’m still not done reading Middlesex. Great!
It’s really disappointing as I used to be able to finish a novel in just a week or two. Every time I read Aurus, Tina, and Nightdreamer’s posts about the books they’re reading since the start of the year, I feel bad for not being able to finish anything at all this year. Mind you, the novel Middlesex is interesting, I just don’t have the time to get it done. Sigh. I was definitely doing better at this reading thing last year.
Funny how the Facebook app Visual Bookshelf has sent me this e-mail FOUR times since February:
Visual Bookshelf application is all about organizing and showing off your reads.
We wanted to give you a reminder so that you can keep your profile fresh if things have changed.Is “Middlesex: A Novel (Oprah’s Book Club)” still a work in progress?
Yes, dear Visual Bookshelf, Middlesex is still a work in progress. :(
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Mkae, added you on Facebook. I’m too lazy to log in to my Moomai.
I used to have a subdomain for my online bookshelf. I used Media Shelf, pretty nifty, but I got tired of updating in.
Is Middlesex good? Oh why am I even asking, it’s Eugenides!
The only real books I “read” are the ones from the Harry Potter series. For everything else, there’s Audible. Hahah. This Jeff guy, what a nerd. I”m currently “reading”/listening to Jeff Hawkins’ “On Intelligence”. I did say I’m a nerd, right?
Helga: Thanks for adding me on Facebook!
Middlesex is a fiction about a hermaphrodite who traces the story of her (his?) “transformation” from a she to a he. Hehe. It’s kind of weird, but like you said, it’s Eugenides! :D
Jeff: LOL. Now there’s an idea! Yep, Jeff, you’re nerd. haha :P
Hey, don’t feel too bad. It took me 4 months to finish The Wind Up Bird Chronicle, and I think everyone knows I don’t like it.
And I think I’m going to echo Helga. Is Middlesex any good? Is it Pulitzer Prize worthy? Is it as fat as Malu Fernandez? (Well, Ulysses is).
Nightdreamer: I finished The Wind Up Bird Chronicle in just 2 weeks, I think. I loved that book! And yeah, I know you hated it. :)
There’s a “Winner of the Pulitzer Prize” logo on the cover page of Middlesex. I’m not sure if that refers to the book or the author. Hmm.
I honestly can’t tell yet if the book’s good or not, I’m only halfway through it. But — so far so good. :D
here’s another Facebook idjit user right here *points to self*
Lately, Facebook, Multiply and Twitter are the only accounts I have that I bother logging into on a constant basis. What Friendster? What MySpace? Lol.
It’s funny, I was just thinking about how I don’t read books as much anymore, or at least finish them in my normal 1-2 day range. Of course, it’s cause I’m lazy, but meh. I’m reading Stephen Colbert’s “I Am America (And So Can You!)”, which I started back in January and I’m probably not even halfway through. XD I only bother reading it when I’m waiting for class to start, that’s why, but it still makes me feel bad because I used to enjoy reading. Heck, I used to enjoy a lot of things, but now I’m just too lazy. Or something. :/
Since you mentioned it already, I’ll just look you up :D
I’m still quite bitter about Murakami, but I hear that his short stories are better.
Is this true? Which of his short stories book should I check out: after the quake or Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman?
You can do it Joni! Read read read! =p There was a period in my life when I didn’t read (for pleasure and not including textbooks) at all. So hopefully you’ll pass your “no read stage” soon too.
Hehe this is why I like keeping my online community accounts to a minimum. I can’t be bothered with updating online profiles all the time, and it bugs me if an account is not updated.
I hardly update Facebook anymore. Heh. :P
Maybe you need to do some easy reading? Haha then again not all people can read multiple books at the same time period. But anyway…I was like that practically half of 2007…which is why my vocabulary went kapoof when NaNoWriMo came around.
But you can do it Joni! Read! :D Haha remember that’s how we first “met”? Our first discussion was about books and Peretti. :P
Halu Joni.. grabe na hiatus akon.. hahaha :) I’m very tamad lately to update my blog, now lang ko naka update..
I’m so tamad nga to update my blog how much more joining another social network aside from friendster and multiply..
miss ko na magblog… will try to cope with the tinamad days or rather months! hehehe :)
Nightdreamer: I haven’t read After The Quake yet. Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman is good. But I like the novels better. :D
His latest book’s called “After Dark”. I haven’t gotten it yet, medyo mahal pa sa bookstores. hehe
Aurus: I didn’t mean for me to be stuck in this “no read” stage. I just happened to be really busy, even when I’m at home kaya I haven’t gone back to reading. Haaay. Sana nga malampasan ko na. Hehe!
Why not at least try Twitter? Twitter is fun! :D
Argh After Dark. Don’t get it. Everything in it is typical Murakami.
Tina: Yep! I remember how we first “met”. We talked about Peretti! Hehe.. Yeah, I was reading a lot last year. I miss it.
Uy lapit na birthday nya! ;)
Nightdreamer: That’s the point! I like typical Murakami. :D How about Norwegian Wood & Dance Dance Dance, di mo rin natype-an? :)
Jireh: Ok lang na, mainchindihan man coz ga-masters ka. I hope ok ka lang da! Will read your blog karon dugay2. :)
i am trying to leave a comment on your previous entry but i always get an error.
the sum of 2+1 is 3 right, how come?
Actually, the problem with After Dark is that it feels like every ideas presented there have been done by Murakami before, so if you’ve read Norwegian Wood and Wind Up Bird then there’s no point of reading After Dark.
Adam L here from Hungry Machine Inc, the developers behind the Visual Bookshelf. I’m happy to see a fellow reader (and app user!). The communal aspect of the application is something we are very proud of and we are working on even more ways to make the application an improved social discovery tool. I hope the emails didn’t get to you though. Some books take longer than others for whatever reason!
Adam L
Hungry Machine inc
I have neither a FaceBook nor a Twitter account. :-)
Awesome revelation: Me and Aurus are both Lacto Ovo Vegetarians! WAO! Guess that explains our, erm, “brilliance”. Haha
Adam L: Hey Adam! Thanks for dropping by! Thank you for Visual Bookshelf, it’s an awesome app! And no, I’m not bothered by the emails at all. It’s great to be reminded that I need to take a break and get back to reading. lol.
Thanks again!
Eugene: Aww.. You should at least give Twitter a try. It’s a great way to connect with other bloggers and know about the latest news (and ehem, gossip. lol). Sige naaa! :P
Nightdreamer: Good for you guys! I admire vegetarians (in your case, Lacto-ovo vegetarians! hehe). I wish I had the willpower to give up meat… =/