Anxiety Over Authenticity?

In Kate Beals essay, “Faceless on Facebook”, she shares her apprehension about setting up her Facebook page and the associated “anxiety” about how she wants to portray her “online self”.  I found it interesting and funny, because I can relate.  I’m pretty sure you can hear crickets on my information page, partially due to laziness, but also, admittedly because I care about what other people think (still working on this!).  I didn’t get all freaked out and over think it as the author apparently did (over analysis causes paralysis).  I just decided that the people who really know me, know me, just as Ms. Beals mentions in her essay.

So the question is then, who are we trying to fool?  What is it about ourselves that we feel we must “look good” to other people, especially to those who we don’t even have ongoing relationships with!?  How exhausting is it to feel the need to be clever, charming, intelligent, funny, cute, sexy, spontaneous, brave and enlightened (or any cocktail of those adjectives) to everyone that looks at your page?  It has been shown to me that when we come to a place where we can accept ourselves fully and completely so will everyone else!  I say this not only to whomever reads this blog, but to myself as well, because I need to be reminded.  Just be, it’s enough.

Old Dogs and New Tricks....

Okay...so I'm blogging!  It's cool to begin something new...to not get stuck in the same old way of being.  That said, here I am at 44 years old and taking an English class with a class full of students where most of them are young enough to be my kids!  By the way...I'm pretty sure I am older than my Professor!  But that's what it's all about, right?  Learning and being willing to grow.  It takes humility sometimes to do it, but what a payoff, I get to blog!   

Now on to my assignment!  I chose the following advertisement because I felt represented fun, confidence, beauty and individuality.  Basically, this ad represents what many young adults (and most, if not all American's) really want and that is to be happy and have fun without feeling insecure. 

Another message, which is printed right on the packaging is that you use this product "because you're hot".  In this ad, the word "hot", in my opinion is used to describe not only body temperature, but beauty and sexyness.  Perhaps if you use this product, you too are hot.