I was driving down the road today feeling a little blah (the rain is back!) and that classic eighties song “Fame” came on the radio. I don’t know why but it made me so absolutely happy…Baby, 
look at me. Tell me what you see. Remember. Remember. Remember. Classic! You might not remember how cheesy and awesome that song is, so I beg you to download it on iTunes. It won’t change your life, but it will put a smile on your face.
I’m not so grateful for the different kind of fame that seems to be so ever-present today. Fame gathered through humiliating yourself or others, attention accumulated without talent or smarts or skill or effort. The fleeting fame that make *stars* out of people on the Bachelor or the Housewives of who knows where. But I’m grateful I have the choice to change the channel or vote with my pocketbook against making faux-celebrities out of people who aren’t contributing much to our world.
That leads me to the second thing I’m grateful for today: Facts. Real facts. Things that are true. As non-facts pile up around us, it is more and more important that we demand the truth — from ourselves, from the media, and from our leaders. I’m also grateful that I can accept some hard facts. There are no simple solutions to complex problems — not in the Middle East, not for health care, not about US jobs. But the only way to address those issues is to face facts so I’m grateful we live in a society where we can demand them.
Finally, I have visitors staying with me this week from France, an old Mississippi girlfriend and her teenage son. We were chatting at dinner about what apps French high schoolers enjoy — Snapchat? What’s App? Instagram? I asked about Facebook and the teenager honestly looked appalled and said: “Facebook is even more dead in France than it is here… I mean for people my age.” We burst into laughter. My friend and I are of a certain age and we love Facebook. Maybe it’s uncool to say, but I quite enjoy vicariously watching lives of friends and acquaintances unfold on Facebook — fun trips, birthdays, celebrations, milestones. I have a healthy disdain for its limitations and recognize it’s only the highlight reel. It’s not what life is really like. But for me, it’s fun, frothy and harmless. It helps me stay (loosely) in touch with people across town and across the globe. And lately, I’m grateful because most of my blog views found the link on Facebook.
Don’t worry Facebook, I’m not planning to start a brand crushing campaign like “Over Forties for Facebook.” I know you don’t want us, we aren’t worth anything to advertisers, we aren’t hip or cool or young. But we do (still) love you.
Boonedoggler 