Friday, March 25, 2011

Crushable

Crushable


Etiquette Guide: Why "Are You on Facebook?" Can Be the Most Uncomfortable Question

Posted: 25 Mar 2011 11:14 AM PDT

The main reason that I first signed up for Facebook in 2007 (aside from a cute boy who lived across the country) was that I had just been on a trip to Europe where I met people who lived in Spain, South Africa, and Egypt, and I had no better way of keeping in touch with them. And when I moved to New York for school and met a bevy of people in academic and professional settings, I quickly grew used to exchanging our Facebook profiles in place of a card or phone number.

But there’s a minimum amount of time — coupled with some social intelligence — for someone asking for my Facebook to be acceptable and not weird. I had two recent encounters in which I wondered what could be going on in these people’s heads when they asked that dreaded question.

The first happened at the Social Media Week party in February. I came to the venue knowing no one except a friend, and she helped to introduce me to a crowd. I hit it off with a few women and ended up chatting for a while, but then a guy sort of infiltrated our little circle. Realizing that I had done the same thing two hours prior, I tried to make small talk, but it was also getting late and I was headed out. I said something to the effect of, “Nice to meet you,” and he responded, “Are you on Facebook?”

I hate this question. It’s the social-network equivalent of when someone you don’t know or like asks, “Do you have plans this weekend?” You’re trapped into saying no, because you can’t make up a lie on the spot; then the person dives for that opening and invites you out. Suddenly you’re stuck in a situation you don’t want to be in.

Remember when a guy would ask for your phone number and you could jot down any seven digits, or even something cruel like the Rejection Hotline? You can’t do that with Facebook, because it’s not as if you have multiple profiles hanging around! (Although this is a good argument for Christopher Poole‘s stance on Internet pseudonyms.)

I’m not saying that I felt cornered by this guy to be mean; he and I had honestly not talked at all. I knew nothing about him, so I didn’t feel comfortable handing him the keys to my online life. Luckily, I was saved by the paranoid privacy settings I had put for myself years prior; when the guy typed my name in all-lowercase, no results came up. I said I’d Facebook him, but never did.

A week or two ago, I was on the subway coming home after a late night with my old roommate, and a young couple cornered me to try and invite me to their church. (No joke; I was seriously rattled that they could smell the agnosticism on me.) I politely listened to their pitch and even took a postcard, all the while counting down my stops until I could escape. Then the girl pulled out her phone and said, “Are you on Facebook?”

What was I going to say? “Facebook is against my religion” was out, and I may have already mentioned that I was a blogger, so not being connected to a social network seemed very unlikely. To her credit, this girl caught on to my reaction and gave me her name so I could find her.

Just because we put so much of ourselves out on Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, and other sites doesn’t mean that others automatically have the prerogative to demand access to social networks that operate on some form of privacy. I’m happy to give a person my Facebook, but I have to have had a conversation with him/her and actually envision us talking beyond that encounter. I believe MADtv put it best with their “Can I Have Your Number” sketch.

Does anyone else share this discomfort, or are you happy to give your Facebook info to anyone you meet?

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Etiquette Guide: Why "Are You on Facebook?" Can Be the Most Uncomfortable Question

Gallery: Katy Perry's 10 Wackiest Looks

Posted: 25 Mar 2011 10:55 AM PDT


Katy Perry transformed into an alien for her upcoming video for “E.T.” Wacky? Sure, but not the wackiest she’s done. From a mustachioed nutcracker to a human Lichtenstein painting, here are Katy’s 10 most outrageous looks.

  • A walking ticket.
  • Supporting the troops in skintight camo? That'll work.
  • Snowwoman.
  • The craziest mustachioed nutcracker.
  • We see these eyeballs on her breasts, right?
  • Yikes!
  • Yikeser!
  • Hey, rad, she's a Lichtenstein.

Post from: Crushable

Gallery: Katy Perry's 10 Wackiest Looks

'16 and Pregnant' Couple Aubrey and Brandon Have Divorced

Posted: 25 Mar 2011 09:38 AM PDT

On the second season of 16 and Pregnant, we watched Aubrey Wolters and Brandon Akerill get married. We also watched Aubrey drop out of high school, fail her GED test, give birth to son Austin, and try out gold prospecting as a potential revenue source, in that order. But Oh No They Didn’t reports that Aubrey and Brandon’s marriage didn’t work out and they’re no longer together. Aubrey posted on her Facebook wall “Brandon & I are no longer together, we are simply just friends.” She also hinted that we’d learn more about the breakup on an upcoming MTV special that will follow up with other past 16 and Pregnant cast members. That brings 16 and Pregnant‘s divorce total to two, as Christinna Renee Robinson and husband Isiah are living separately and have ended their marriage.

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'16 and Pregnant' Couple Aubrey and Brandon Have Divorced

Posted: 25 Mar 2011 10:10 AM PDT

This headline may be fake, but it’s scarily accurate: “In Freak Accident, 34 Katherine Heigl Films Released At Once.” (The Onion)

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The Daily WTF: Tom Ford's Etiquette Tips As Presented By Pugs

Posted: 25 Mar 2011 11:14 AM PDT

Tom Ford has an article out on gentlemanly etiquette! And BuzzFeed has images of a bunch of pugs presenting his tips, proving that proper dude behavior starts with man’s best friend Or something.

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The Daily WTF: Tom Ford's Etiquette Tips As Presented By Pugs

Which 'Teen Mom' Is Worse: Jenelle Evans or Amber Portwood?

Posted: 25 Mar 2011 09:40 AM PDT

Every week on Teen Mom 2, I find myself listing more reasons why I despise Jenelle Evans. And I’m not the only one – troubled fellow Teen Mom Amber Portwood recently said in an interview that “I pretty much despise what [Jenelle] stands for. She's an idiot and I don't care if people know or not.” Do I hate Amber less now because she hasn’t been on my TV recently? Or is she a better parent than Jenelle? Let’s review the evidence:

  • Amber hit boyfriend Gary on camera and lost custody of her daughter Leah.
  • Jenelle stole her mom’s credit cards and got arrested for breaking and entering. She signed custody of son Jace over to her mother Barbara when she realized she would probably lose custody anyway.
  • Amber has been rumored to have a pill addiction and lost a lot of weight suddenly, but the rumors are so far unsubstantiated.
  • Jenelle has smoked pot on camera.
  • Amber had minimal family support (her mom wasn’t around and her dad is ill), but she was able to get her own apartment with government assistance.
  • Jenelle is permanently couchsurfing – sometimes she’s allowed to stay at her mom’s, but when she gets kicked out she crashes with friends or Kieffer’s cousin.
  • Amber got the world’s worst tattoo.
  • Jenelle also has an ugly tattoo, but it is slightly less visible.
  • Amber has reportedly been dating a string of losers since splitting from Gary.
  • Jenelle dated Kieffer. The couple that gets arrested together … apparently does not stay together.
  • Amber’s daughter is now living with her ex-fiance, Gary.
  • Jenelle has admitted that ex-boyfriend Andrew may not actually be Jace’s father.
  • Amber has not completed high school or her GED.
  • Jenelle finished high school with good grades and is now attending community college.

Post from: Crushable

Which 'Teen Mom' Is Worse: Jenelle Evans or Amber Portwood?

What Is Your Least Favorite Movie Ever?

Posted: 25 Mar 2011 09:21 AM PDT

This question was posed in our office today, and here’s mine: Where the Wild Things Are. Before the movie came out, I was super excited about it. I loved the book when I was a kid. I love Spike Jonze, Catherine O’Hara, and Lauren Ambrose. The trailer made me cry (although it was probably because of the generous use of Arcade Fire).

But the movie happened, and it was terrible. Dave Eggers somehow managed to turn a quirky kids’ book into a whiny hipster love story about some monster who acted out because a girl didn’t like him. It was actively terrible. It was depressing. It’s the only movie I’ve ever walked out of.

Here’s the rest of the office poll:

Liana Maeby, Associate Editor: Either Gummo or Dancing in the Dark (the depressing Bjork movie)

Lucia Peters, Editorial Intern: Gods and Generals

Natalie Zutter, Associate Editor: Spiderman 3

What’s yours?

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What Is Your Least Favorite Movie Ever?

Posted: 25 Mar 2011 08:38 AM PDT

Crushable’s holding VYou office hours this afternoon – Head over to our page and ask us a question and we’ll answer starting at 3 Eastern. (VYou)

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'Jersey Shore' Guidocabulary: Stop Being a Whiskey Dick and Maybe Apologize

Posted: 25 Mar 2011 08:45 AM PDT

It’s the season finale of Jersey Shore. Although I think the first season was so great it’ll be hard to top, I think that the Shore is where this show needs to be. The Miami season felt weird and artificial, but here there aren’t luxe clubs or palm trees. Ultimately, I just want to see roided-up Guidos and Guidettes get drunk, hook up, eat pizza, and yell at each other, and that’s what this show does better than anyone else. I miss it already. Bring on Italy and the spinoffs!

  • Playing Him Out
  • Looking People In the Face
  • From the Ground Up
  • Get It Down
  • Rap With Her
  • Maybe Apologize
  • A Thing
  • Whiskey Dick
  • Single
  • Best Summer Ever

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'Jersey Shore' Guidocabulary: Stop Being a Whiskey Dick and Maybe Apologize

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