What happened to spelling?

After my previous post about social networks, I promptly logged onto my Facebook account as I had received a message from my sister.  Since we fell out earlier this week (nothing too serious) I thought it best to check what was the matter.

But while there I noticed something that has been bothering me for some time - why don't people write properly on Facebook.  Twitter has the limitation of 140 characters, therefore the poor spelling and grammar is expected - I see it as a duty to make the most out of the space that you have.  However, Facebook doesn't have such a restriction, so why on Earth do people insist on using such poor spelling and grammar?  What infuriates me more is the use of 'ii' instead of 'i'.  Do they realise that they are actually ADDING letters to the proper spelling?  Surely the purpose of slang/text speak is to SHORTEN words?

Now I know that we all make mistakes.  We are all short of time, we all need to do at least a hundred things per minute, and occasionally spelling falls victim to this. I'm not stuck-up about this, but those people that persistently abuse the beauty of the written word is infuriating to say the least.

So I have now listed the versions of words that I have discovered today:

• wana - want to
• boi - boy (and no extra letters or effort was used spelling it correctly!)
• bin - been or being, not a waste receptacle
• tu - to (again, no extra effort, so why?)
• ova - over (only someone who has no obsession with their menstrual cycle, ovulation or fertility would use this!)

OK, I'm making myself cross thinking about this...but this is a sample from one person in the last 2 hours.  I know it might say something about my 'friend', but I haven't got it in my heart to delete her as she is the daughter of one of my only female friends.

But on a lighter note, today I had that quandary - when do I use 'effect' and 'affect'?  I am constantly getting this wrong.  I have looked it up hundreds of time, but it just doesn't stick.  So please, if you have any useful little tip as to when I should use them, share with me.  And if you have any words that bother you, again, share.  We're all friends here! :)

Social networks - ARGH!!!

As you all know, I have an active Twitter account.  I'll be honest, my BroodyIVFMummy account is my second attempt.  A while ago I decided to join the Twitterverse, basically to celeb stalk (I still think that this is the main use of Twitter apart from the small number of groups that have found genuine support, like my lovely IF community, which I will get onto later).  Maybe my heart wasn't in it, maybe I am just stupid but I just didn't get it.

I'm a creature of habit.  I used Facebook (I still do) and I liked the format.  I liked that you could follow a conversation on a status thread.  It just made sense to me.  I have to be honest I still like the way Facebook works.  I still like those things that I liked before.  My only problem is the people on Facebook.  Yes, I know that they are my friends (acquaintences?) but sometimes they can be too much.

Does anyone remember a time before social network sites?  The time when you could go home and have your private life and your friends and work colleagues could have theirs.  Apart from the morning chat about last night's TV, your two lives never shall meet.  However, along came Facebook and the other multitude of social networks and privacy disappeared.  Of course, many people are like me - those that keep some things private.  BUT soooo many people think that I am interested in every part of their life...  The people that I spend all day with have now started to bleed into my private family time.  The thing is I didn't invite them into that space, so how did it happen?

Now before you all think that I have become a two-faced monster, please know that this is only about my personal Facebook account.  I have become bored of their mundane statuses about blah, blah, blah...  I only keep it to stay in touch with family in far flung places and exchange photos with them (so I hope I'm not being too hypocritical)

My faith has been restored in social networks though.  One day I decided to create a Twitter account solely for my battle through infertility.  I don't know what made me do it, rather than use Facebook.  Maybe it was the vastness of Twitter.  Maybe I wanted to separate it from my 'other' life.  But whatever the reasons, I decided to create Broody IVF Mummy.  That is exactly who I am - a desperately broody mummy to a gorgeous son, conceived through IVF.  I hope you agree Broody IVF Mummy is a little better than the long version ;)

This account has offered me a lifeline (which I have explained before).  The wonderful people that I have 'met' through this community are amazing.  Each day, we all share our hope, joy, fears and sadness.  Unfortunately there is always too much sadness.  We all deserve the gift of parenthood by whatever road we take.  And I know that with time we will get there.  We welcome new people into our 'world' (I was amazed how welcome I was a few months ago).  I long for the day when no-one else joins because that means that infertility has been given a kick in the behind and told to move on, but that is NEVER going to happen, so we will continue to welcome newbies into our lives.

So last week I decided to start a Facebook account.  Again it is under the Broody IVF Mummy account name.  I guessed that there are some people out there, looking for some help but who can't grapple with the complexities of Twitter.  At the moment, I have one lovely friend, Stephanie, who I have managed to track through Twitter.  The point is to reach new people too, and if you are reading this and you aren't a Tweep, then please log on and follow my journey on Facebook too.  I want to share with others the support that is there (well, and the details of my IVF journey, but that's the point), and not the details of what I had for dinner last night (though I might share that info if you ask nicely).

Sorry for the rambling! xxx