name that time-space: the facebook update map

Some unspecified time ago - and probably because I was excessively bored - I browsed over all my facebook friends' most recent updates and wrote them all down. I present them to you now, in their full, unedited (save the names, which have been scratched out), schizophrenic glory.

Of course, it's common for a lot of us to browse over people's updates on facebook. But there are some funky things that go on with this kind of activity. It's a lot more than witticisms or frequently pointless announcements ("I had some coffee!"). With any and all social interactions, what we choose to reveal to others in a public setting (even a virtual public like facebook) ends up pointing to a set of experiences specific to a particular time-space. There need not be seamless (or even half-assed) conversations at work; rather, we end up contributing to a map of experience that finds as many points of convergence as divergence, commonality and difference.

Sorry for the academic jargon. Concrete example: during this year's NFC Championship game, practically all my friends' updates had to do with the status of the Vikings and/or Saints. What does such a map illustrate? 1) That I have extensive networks in both Minnesota and New Orleans (which I do). 2) That these networks of friends made updates on a very public event, not to inform people of its details, but rather to bond, argue, or engage in common experiences of the event. 3) That this game, as a virtually-experienced spectacle, ended up capturing much of our attention and interest, and thus served as perfect fodder for a virtual engine like facebook. 4) That other virtually-experienced spectacles (i.e. the healthcare debate) or other everyday, real-life experiences (i.e. coming home from work) were temporarily shelved in favor of facebook update excitement around the game.

That said: can you name this time-space? Do you know the exact year, day, and time when these updates happened? What does this say about my networks? Does this match up with your networks? What does this say about our virtual public life?

I'll have the answer (to the first question, not the others) in my next post.

is watching the master debaters.

would rather be at Skate's On The Bay.

is going home (my friends)...

is watching McCain get spanked. Righteous...

is already tired of her work schedule for the next 3 months...

is watching the debate over pizza and beer. i love being an adult.

is starting to really like his classes.

got a new apartment in the international district!

is going to watch tonight's debates at Hamburger Mary's... wanna join?

is performing at Intermedia on Thurs Oct 9, 7 pm with Ibe and Sun Yung - plus wine

and beer... hollaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa...

is busy.

would like a night stand.

is up and at em.

homework done, go to target, buy furniture. Groceries and floor will wait until

tonight.

is lovin rainy nashville, getting ready to crash the debates part 2.

Yay unemployment.

should be in Hawaii by the first of November and in Washington on the 18th or 19th.

wants to be in Osaka with The Boy right now. Only 4 more days...

is made of cool brew mocha & soy milk.

is sick. Stupid con.

is http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2008/oct/07/pink.floyd.keyboardist.denied.last.wish.

refuses to change his status message just because some people are bitter about the

sun in California.

is glad Steven finally got his charger back!

is thinking you should all visit themelononline.com and if you like what you see,

maybe donate a buck or two to keep us ripe.

really believes that everything IS gonna be alright.

needs to learn to take things one day at a time.

is enjoying a bunfire and chilling with folks at my house.

still loves...and will always love, and will wait until time makes to reconnect our

souls together...

is friggin' exhausted!

is marketing at midnight.

is in Partial Hell!!!

is considering switching back to analog after spending 1.5 hrs on the phone with the

HP people and THEN coming home to find that the printer has done a Lazurus.

is revising a story.

is nothing short of perfectly relaxed in perfect company.

is "NYC, here I come!"

is potentially addicted [to running marathons].

needs to find her winter coat because its looking like its time to start bundling up.

is jealous that her sister is going to Londonium this weekend.

is either kicking of statement of purpose ass or else statement of purpose is

playing rope a dope. We can all guess which is really happening.

hates fax machines!

An Electoral College TIE? Its Possible!!

<http://www.washtimes.com/news/2008/sep/23/an-electoral-college-doomsday/>.

is NERVOUS! and really excited....

is listening to Jane's Addiction and running my dog on a trail under fresh snow!

wants to get out of the city, permanently.

is curious about this years showing of "The Nightmare Before Christmas" as in, is

there going to be one...?

is so frustrated that the internet can't find the server that she needs in order to

transport herself 7 miles today...

is reveling in a lovely full night of sleep...

is bonding with Tori Amos instead of sleeping.

19 dollar airbed is sounding pretty enticing right now. sleeeeeeeeeeepy.

is freezing.

has the ugliest sweater of them all!

is tired from all that fun (i.e. rockband) this weekend.

is back in Seattle.

is smiling...and almost back to health.

is wondering why he had to get a flat tire.

hates Evan. A lot. No...seriously.......jk.

is barely moving.

is playing offense against his head cold.

is back to real life... well school, not really real life.

is coughing.

is looking for manatees in the rio dulce.

is 7 days until home!

head is his only home unless it rains.

enjoyed the rain last night! it's still hard to believe that it goes months without

raining here.

is finding it.

is a drifter.

is mourning the loss of the Cubs. Why has the universe been so cruel to them and

their fans?

is looking for others in the Bangor area who want to play kickball. Possibly in

ridiculous outfits. Are you in?

is Oktoberfest, bitches!

is fighting paralysis.

is listening to noisy rain.

is saying tha world jus got alot less smarter...RIP to my friend & family, tha

"Ghetto Scientist."

is so sick of the bullshit and games that are politics. But be sure to go vote

tomorrow, and register to vote by this weekend if you are not already!

is ohhh minnesoooota.

If I fail pathophys, do I get a second try, like the $700 Billion Bailout? God save

the bankers!

paulson looks like he just robbed a bank...

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122304922742602533.html.

is impatient for the 5 day weekend.

is glad to be.

is http://explodingdog.com/title/imamess.html.

is excited that Biden is so genuine. Erica now has a growing fondness for Joe Biden.

would like to start ending all of her sentences in "also"...also.

wants to know how she'll get home now that this has happened on her regular bus

route: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10535521.

is obsessing over one teeny little word.

is going to be in Cali this weekend!

hates anatomy. but she loves you.

Thanks everyone for your birthday wishes!

apparently has hazel eyes. Thanks Wikipedia!

is trying to think of what she's doing right now.

is ready for California. oh wait, that's still weeks away. Pat- bring some Bay Area

love with you!

saw Obama in La Crosse this morning. The heat off that man gave me sunburn.

is grateful to everyone who organized CR10.

is tying up the loose ends of his application to SU.

is finding out that doing nothing can be the most difficult thing to do.

thinks YOU should come to Daman. My latest choral awesome-ness!! Check it out!!

www.theesoterics.org.