Home » Gratitude » Rediscover This Day and See Your Memories

Rediscover This Day and See Your Memories

Posted on by

“Be a person that others will look for your posts daily because they know you will encourage them. Be the positive one and help others to have a great day and you will find that not only they like you but you will like you too.”
― John Patrick Hickey, Oops! Did I Really Post That

Let’s talk about Social Media. No, I’m not gonna get all negative and fired up about the stupid stuff. I can’t because my nature is to focus on the good, not the bad. I rarely, if ever, share anything negative, quite frankly. I try to stay away from politics though sometimes, it’s awfully difficult… I will, on occasion, share the seriously stupid. Mostly, however, I choose to share things that make you laugh or go “awwww”… Because. You all know. It is a choice. We can rag on others, help grow hysteria or, how about this? Let’s share the happy, the laughs, the love.

That said.

It seems to be the “in” thing now. I don’t know who did it first, Facebook or Google, but they both like to go into your past pictures and posts (scary thought when you do think about it) and bring them forth one, two, three, nine years later. “See Your Memories” or “Rediscover This Day”… this can be fun or sad or, I imagine, horrifying… all depends on what you shared in the first place, eh?

I remember seeing a few memes on Facebook. Of course, the one I want, I cannot find… but here are a few to make you chuckle:

Why am I even going on about this? Because this morning’s “memory” on Facebook.

The boys were so cute and sweet. Then. 😉

So, I remembered that in December, Facebook thought it would be particularly perfect to choose the “Three years ago” timeline so that I could be reminded of my posts during Mick’s coma. For those not on Facebook, here’s what went down: in an effort to do something, because, frankly, I was feeling rather helpless, I posted a picture of Mick and some poem I Googled on either Strength or Courage or Faith or Hope… The end result was I got a lot of love from all over the world. Which I needed. So, to me, these were good posts. And no, it did not make me sad three years later to have these memories pop up daily – and kinda funny (Universe, that YOU?) that they stayed on the “3-year plan” for a week…. hmmmm. It reminded me of all the love and support I had received. Did I share these “Facebook Memories” like the one above? Nah. I felt they would make me look like I was looking for more sympathy, which I am not. I’m good. Really.

But, because I did mention it, here’s one…

On what would have been Austin’s 22nd birthday, I posted that I wondered what he would have looked like, and included this picture:

Smiling Austin, Oct. 1996
A few of the many comments

Not because I was sad. He has been gone for 21 years now. But, maybe because my dad’s fifth death anniversary is two days before Austin’s birthday, I was triggered. I dunno. But I shared it. So many people commented with lovely messages (as you can see above), sending love and hugs. I sure as hell was not looking for sympathy again, and hope no one took it that way. Though, I really don’t think so. I do feel blessed to have so many lovely people in my FB family.

Google’s “Rediscover” is a whole ‘nother kettle of fish!

They share albums. And make “stylized photos” and “Animations”… they go all out… Of course, if I didn’t take so many pictures and if they didn’t get uploaded into the Google Photos, I’d have zilch. Well, they do automatically from my phone. I haven’t set up my computer as of yet. I can only say thank goodness I did because I had some major computer issues way back and not all my photos had been backed up and The Google came to my rescue (for the one’s my bro-in-law, Chris, was unable to retrieve). Phew!

One of the nice things, is they – and by “they” I mean the powers that be who love to torment us peeps – make a collage page, then select a bunch of the pictures taken that day.

For instance, on May 28, I got this little popup.

There’s often a little surprise at seeing Mick’s face in an image I totally forgot I had taken… followed by a moment of reminiscing, usually followed by the thought “that was a fun day…”

Or, how about on May 20… 8 years ago, I had started karate three weeks before and signed up for the “cassage” – breaking of planks of wood – right away. What? You start karate at 46 and now you gonna break wood? What the hell? None of my pics made it to the collage so I’ve taken the liberty of adding two… The woman beside me, Sophie, started on the same day as I did and I coerced her to join me in the wood-breaking. We were like 5 year-olds, having learned how to ride a bicycle, when we broke our planks. High-fiving each other… Seriously. Such nuts. Big joy in the memory, followed by a little sadness because, Richard, completely on the left, is no longer with us, having died one year ago last January…

Cassage day for the MacIsaac-Rogersons
Preparing
Break!

Since that fateful day, my planks increased to 4 thick, when I fractured my arm. Uh huh. Right…. Next step would have been cement… had I not stopped karate. Who knows? If my foot ever feels better, or my shoulder or. Yeah. No. Not gonna happen. Shall remain as a lovely memory.

One last thought on this whole Social Media thing. I have a Twitter account that my blog posts and Instagram pics get uploaded to. I just haven’t ever gotten into the whole tweeting thing… and no, there is no one I particularly want to follow. Instagram is fun when I take a walk and click a pic and upload. That I can spend some time scrolling, liking pics by those I follow. Not too demanding. Frankly, I am in LinkedIn but don’t use it in any useful way. Maybe when I truly get tired of having to soak my feet after a shift at work, and popping pain killers to try and get through, I will get on there and look for a job….

Meantime, enough of this for today. I have to clean the house. We have a potential buyer visiting tomorrow!

OF course, I don’t use Social Media like in the video below but…. when FB and Google are reminding you of stuff… they are the stalkers, no?

A few of the 10,000 things that make me happy and grateful

  1. Social Media – I use it for good
  2. Love. From strangers who became friends
  3. Peter, who will finish fixing my pool.
  4. Memories
  5. Being cancelled for work because of rain, giving me time to clean house for visit

39 thoughts on “Rediscover This Day and See Your Memories”

  1. I’m glad that the “memory posts” you’ve been getting are pretty positive ones. I tend to fall more into the camp of “stop showing me pictures of my ex!” My “favorites” are the group shots of me, my ex, and our then-friend who he left me for (grrr). But oh well, them’s the breaks (ha ha, no pun intended). I haven’t gotten a shot of him popping up in my feed for a while now, so thanks for reminding me how happy I am about that!

    Liked by 2 people

  2. I have fb but I don’t share anything there but funny memes, gardening, and pics of beatiful creatures. So my “memories” are usually lions, tigers, animals at play. But I get what you mean. So many use fb to take a stab at somebody and their memories must be “joyous”. lol not!

    Liked by 1 person

  3. Q,

    This was the first post I had in mind. Not yours of course, that would’ve been creepy. But social media in general. And then I veered because of a stone I collected on Saturday, and sometimes it’s that simple, and so am I.
    But Mick . . . that umbrella. I swear I HAD to know! LOL.
    And it’s not about wanting sympathy or any of that Q. It’s about providing a window into your past for others to look through. Some of us (You) are so much better at that than others (Me). But all that matters, all that counts is that we do it because the moment called for us to do it. Because it mattered to us, that much. All of it.
    I’m the first one to say we have to watch dog social media and all these monolithic enterprises, because left to their own devices . . . no bueno. But do not mistake the worst case scenarios with the vast majority of best case scenarios that happen every single day.
    I know I don’t.
    I’m thankful you don’t even more.

    Love, memes and Coca Cola

    Liked by 1 person

    • B,
      I know you wanted to do a positive take, but I’m also positive you will do a totally different one than nine. And am expecting it, btw…
      I’m glad you see it for what it is. Just a simple share from a simple woman. And yes. Because it mattered.
      That umbrella… I swear, I think it IS a Coca Cola… but in some Arabic language… wouldn’t put it past him, yanno.
      Yes… we do have to watchdog social media because, bloody hell…
      I do believe there is more good than shit out there. No one can convince me otherwise.

      Love, Coca Cola, Positive Spins.

      Liked by 1 person

      • Flower Child,

        It’s an absolute necessity in this day and age to put positive spins on everything. I’m not talking rose colored glasses or anything like that, even if John Lennon WOULD be fine company right about now. But no . . we have to take it upon ourselves to cull sunflower seeds out of the plutonium enriched landscape (see what I did there?).
        I’m glad you’re expecting one of those posts, because I can most certainly oblige. There won’t be much hateration going on either. Some . . for entertainment purposes only.
        You are not simple but for the most important things, as it should be. Because when we get past all the many complications, we should all break down simply. As people, not machines. As stories, not algorithms.

        PS- I can’t believe I didn’t know “Dick in a Box”.

        Liked by 1 person

        • Wild Thing to my Flower Child,

          I agree. Again. A choice. Some will call it naive, I care not. Plutonium enriched indeed…
          Glad to hear it. And there can’t be hateration…
          I can be simple. Or not. Hopefully not (too complicated).

          Seriously, I’m shocked you didn’t know it…

          Like

          • I’ve never been referred to as naive. I’ve been admonished for being the opposite in fact. But I learned from those admonishments. Which is how you get from someplace else to where you are, I’m guessing.

            I love being simple. Because simplicity is accessible. Simplicity has wondrous side effects.

            It must have been during a time when I was boycotting SNL or something. Seriously, when I do shit like that, I don’t pay attention to anything related to the thing I am boycotting. I knew JT was on there all the time, and I am sure I probably have hear something of this at some point before now, but damn if I don’t go deep cover. I didn’t realize how effective it was, until now!

            Liked by 1 person

          • I have. And I frankly, it used to bother me. Now, I choose to believe it’s because I allow room for the good to come in. I.have had cynical thoughts but I rarely voice them. Yes, you do not learn from yes…

            Simplicity is good. You are not simple. You are too interested in too many things.

            I think it was mentioned on Jimmy Fallon – coz I almost never watched SNL…

            Liked by 1 person

          • I started out as the youngest cynic, too young. For too many reasons but whatevs.
            And from that I gathered up too many reasons not to be so damned cynical. Granted, other physiological concerns crop their heads up into the matter, but I don’t let them keep me company for very long.

            Sans the cryptic eloquence, bad shit at a too young age followed by ongoing depression. But as I told you earlier about those peeps who convene and then proceed to bitch about their problems? I ain’t got time for that.

            Which is why simplicity is a brilliant strategy. For me.

            I missed out on SO much of this stuff! After discovering Dick in a Box, I then discovered Real People Fake Arms . . . another oldie!

            Liked by 1 person

          • You know what? I truly believe those who go through shit have more of a chance of first, becoming cynical and second, if they are well-surrounded and open-minded plus learn to love life, change their perception or view on life.

            Those who whine about every little “bo-bo” drive me nuts…

            Ummm… I dunno the Real People Fake Arms. Or at least, I don’t think I do… gonna go check

            Liked by 1 person

          • Yeah, I can’t do the “poor me” thing. Can’t stand to be around it. Certain people, they make it an art form. And while I am compassionate, I am also a realist.
            And you haven’t seen the fake arms? Coo. Now I don’t feel so out of the loop. Even if I just discovered it my damn self, lol.

            Liked by 1 person

          • It’s kinda funny, in an SNL kinda way.

            And the compassion is hearty. I don’t let the whiners affect it, because they would love to think they could affect it. So, no.

            Liked by 1 person

  4. Social media is to me, like any other energy, potential for good, bad, blah, neutral, for the full out nasties but also for the awesome compassion and kindness and light and love one can come across. It is what we make it, and what we feed into, and yeah, where we put OUR energy.
    Funny about those “Hello, Universe, is that you?” moments. I sometimes feel they are a bit intrusive, sometimes feel they are a place for pause and awe, sometimes a sweet if tender hello from the beyond. More than ones I’d gotten ‘memories’ from Facebook or reminders from my ‘Amazon list’ for upcoming birthdays of people who now celebrate theirs in realms unseen. It feels like a visit, more often than not. A breeze hello across the heart and cheek.
    Here’s to old and new friends and fast friends and social media’s best ways to connect in ways that matter.

    Na’ama

    Liked by 1 person

    • That is EXACKERY what I say….
      LOL… Yeah… Hello, Universe… I think, like Social Media, we can take from it what we want…
      Yep… an air kiss is what it is…
      Thanks so much for visiting, Na’ama… and commenting!

      Liked by 1 person

  5. Dear Dale,

    I’ve been in more than one writing workshop where we were told that it’s practically it’s a necessity in this day and age to maintain a media presence. An author, after all, has to get her name out there, right? Of course right.
    Like you, I really haven’t gotten the hang of Twitter. LinkedIn? Fuhget about it. I keep accepting invitations but I don’t have a clue what to do with it.
    Lately Facebook has been a great way of sharing artwork. Something positive and non-threatening since I’m sick of politics from left to right and all points in between.
    Blogging has been the absolute best thing that’s happened, particularly Friday Fictoneers.
    I said all that to say how much I’ve enjoyed our friendship. I do stalk you. 😉 I’d never have known you existed had it not been for social media. Glad I found you (And all those Wisoffs) ❤

    Shalom,

    Rochelle

    Like

    • Dear Rochelle,

      I realise it is the “new” way of getting out there. It’s nuts and a full-time job. No wonder many entrepreneurs hire VA’s to do it for them.
      Twitter… who has the time to follow these crazy threads? LinkedIn… fancy Facebook, Still… when it’s time, I may go through there to find myself a job. We’ll see.
      I agree, FB has been a great way to share your art, your process, generate interest. You’ve been doing fabulously well with it. And politics. I. Just. Can’t.
      Blogging has been a source of so much joy for me. And yes, Thank you, Sarah, for pulling me into FF… Now I have YOU in my life. I will definitely, one day, make it to your neck of the woods. Just make sure you have a couch for me….

      Lotsa love,

      Dale

      Like

  6. Dale, your blog this morning (all about Facebook posts but really and actually all about everything else), was just wonderful. You’re my kind of writer – clear and honest, resonating with the reader. You made me laugh and, yes, you brought a tear or five. Terrific. Thank you for being so worth reading, Jilly.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Aww gee, Jilly. You’re my kind of reader! Thank you so much for your kind words. So very glad I touched you. Your comment has really touched me. 😊

      Like

  8. It’s good that these memories bring you smiles, not tears. Though I’m sure it’s not the same for many others. Myself, being a confirmed recluse, I just don’t go near to facebook.

    Liked by 1 person

  9. dearest Dale
    I remember clearly, you entered my life with your beautiful smile and gr8 comments on DK’s blog…. I’m thankful for this.
    I have been spared this kind of attention mainly tks to the fact that I’ve spurned FB since the beginning (I think I can claim having been amongst the first 30 ppl to do FB and also the first one to close it after only about 10 days because I sort of knew that I didn’t want ‘all this’).
    Since I ‘know’ you only a very short time, most of your reflecting on earlier posts mean little to me – am I to understand that you had a young boy who died and maybe your husband too? Or divorce? – I need not even know but I can see that not all the memories of ‘them’ bringing these things up again would be a joy to behold.
    So, although I have nothing to say about all of the above I managed neatly to hog the web for far too long with far too little to say – I’m sorry! Am I forgiven? 😉

    Liked by 1 person

    • Dearest Kiki,
      Thank you so much for your kind words. FB can be used as one wishes…
      And yes. Austin died at almost 8 months and Mick died 3 years ago.
      And strangely… the memories don’t hurt. They bring a moment of reminiscence.
      Don’t you dare apologize! You are welcome to write as much as you want!!

      Liked by 1 person

      • My poor friend; you seem to have been carrying more than your fair share of heart-ache and loss. I’m admiring you for being able to view life so favourably and I commend you for joyful, glorious smile. I’m honoured to know you even though I don’t of course. ‘Knowing’ someone just from some exchanges on a blog doesn’t make us blood-sisters – which luckily – isn’t necessary! It’s just so nice to meet decent joyful people in such a ‘random’ fashion.
        have a hug! 🙂

        Liked by 1 person

        • Ah well… the way I see it… life is like that. Some have it worse than I. My nature is to be realistic while being optimistic. I think I’m just by nature a smiley-joe! And truly, I find that we share way more on our blogs than many do in person… so you probably know me more that many…
          I’m truly happy to have met you too, Kiki!!

          Liked by 1 person

  11. I know the point of this post–but I have to say, what I got out of it was once again what an awesome person you are, Dale. All you have been through and yet you continue to live life fully–sharing fully–celebrating fully. That takes guts and courage and chutzpah–and all sorts of good things that define you:). Just wanted to let you know I’m once again applauding from afar . . .

    Like

Comments are closed.