Wednesday, August 03, 2011

Fifi Colston Creative


So I’ve been a bit slack on the writing front and it’s all due to facebook. 

Currently I’m not writing, which is in part due to making Wearable Art and illustrating a mammoth book (I mean big, not about woolly elephants),  but mostly because I’ve been getting my kicks and rewards from social media.
However my status the other day read: 

I am beginning to think only in short status updates- I daren’t take up Twitter because I will only be able to have smaller and more pointless thoughts...

I look back at some of my blogs here on Fifi Verses the World and I got quite heated and opinionated about some things; all in the nicest possible way of course.
But also...the posts were longer than a finger width. In short, I wrote. This has its upsides; publishing at the touch of a button, instant feedback= instant gratification. But like all sweet things, they tend to go to your hips and in no time you are lazy both in mind and body. Blogging at first seemed like the ultimate distraction from my novel writing, but facebook...well  that’s a whole new procrastination game.

“I’m doing it to promote myself” I said. Its true- social media is a must do for the modern artist and writer. But really? really I’m there to gossip. I had an impressive 400 strong list of friends- but really, really I knew maybe 100 of them in some way though family, work or play. And with strangers I added liberally to my list came restraints:
  •  Edit the family and holiday photos to make sure no-one who watches me on TV might trawl through and single out my children to target for whatever purpose (though they’d bite off more than they could chew with MY grown offspring).
  • Say nothing about my political views in case the teachers/possible clients/secret police took offence and blacklisted me because I vote differently from them.
  •  Never ever swear in case someone who just loves my egg carton creatures swooned with shock at the language.
  • Keep all jokes light and seemly so that I might fit into any parish hall on any occasion.
  • Delete bawdy comments in case any of the above took offence at anything my friends might say.
Oh it went on and on until I was heavy with self censorship. I was banned book all by myself.
So...I did what I have resisted since joining facebook. No, not left it (didn’t you know, you can never REALLY leave?), I love it as a gossip and news feed unreservedly. No, I  have created a ‘page’ and invited everyone to join me there instead. On Fifi Colston Creative you can keep up on a daily basis with what I’m doing creatively and be offended by absolutely nothing. Your kids and your granny can look at it and be inspired not confused. You can find pictures of my work and instructions for my crafts and be the first to hear about any workshops I’m running.  Go and check it out.

So what about all my other friends; the ones I have actually met and had a conversation with- I went to school with, drank wine with, had babies in Plunket with? 

Oh they are still there in my personal page. They won’t get Fifi diluted. They all know who I vote for, what my views on parking wardens in Wellington are (well actually EVERYONE knows that!) and what tickles my sense of humour. They know my family, my friends and I know theirs. And there are a few who I have never met except through facebook but who I find inspirational, supportive and incredibly entertaining. 

And this blog? I’ll continue to post- sometimes it’ll be a poem, sometimes crafts and sometimes something with insight. And you can help create me- yes that’s right, create me. Social Media is a conversation; not passive voyeurism. Read me, talk to me on my page or let me know what you think in the comment box and I’ll give you the information and art you need and want. 

Looking forward to a whole new conversation!
Cheers Fifi


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