first 40 DAYS IN THE LIFE OF A MYSPACE MOM

40 DAYS IN THE LIFE OF A MYSPACE WRITER MOM -My REAL-LIFE MOM column in Today’s Oregonian Newspaper

40 DAYS IN THE LIFE OF A MYSPACE MOM
REAL-LIFE MOM
By Cornelia Seigneur
Thursday, October 11, 2007 The Oregonian's SW Weekly section
Afew years ago when my teenage daughter started the MySpace scene, I secretly opened a MySpace account as well to monitor her. I wanted to keep tabs on whom she was meeting and what she was saying in this online social network. But when she quit cyberspace, I quit as well.
Since then, I've been told at writing conferences from Portland to New York that it is important -- i.e., necessary -- for writers to have an Internet presence. A Web site for sure, a blog absolutely and a MySpace or Facebook account. To connect. To get your name out there. Just in case someone is looking.
I got my Web site running last December and began blogging regularly in early August.
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And now, I'm back on MySpace.
Day One: I opened a MySpace account last week, and now the biggest thought on my mind is how to get more people in my "friends" section. Yikes, I feel like I am back in high school. Er, middle school?
It just does not look good to have only "Tom" as your friend, as everyone who knows MySpace understands that Tom is everybody's pal.
Day Two: I am thrilled when I get several requests from other MySpace members to be their friend. Yeah! Someone likes me. Then I realize most of the requests are from single or divorced guys looking for love. Whoops. I quickly figure out how to check the "married" box on the personal details page.
Now will anyone else want to be my friend?
Day Six: I am spending way too much time "searching" MySpace groups and asking people to be my friends. And people are saying yes! I feel so popular now.
Day Nine: I realize that my MySpace blog gets read more than my other blog because people are commenting on it and subscribing to it -- OK, I have a whopping six subscribers -- so I have been focusing more on MySpace to muse on life and family and kids and culture and news than my other blog.
Day 15: I am finding my favorite authors and musicians and even some of my favorite dead authors and musicians on MySpace. Wow, this does have far-reaching effects.
Day 21: My daughter is teasing me for talking about MySpace so much, especially since her friends are saying, "Hey, your mom requested me as her friend on MySpace."
Yes, it's true. As a youth group volunteer at our church, I realize that many of the kids I work with are on MySpace. For all the bad rap MySpace has received, this connection is nice.
Day 30: Wow, I have over 120 friends now, and all sorts of people are requesting me to be their friend. I am even being more selective on whom I approve, as somehow, some way, a woman in a slinky bikini has appeared on my page. I need to be more careful whom I call friend -- unless someone changed her photo?
Day 40: I have to confess that, again, MySpace is eating up way too much of my time. I make up the excuse, "It is for work," but really I need to exercise self-control. I am so embarrassed by the amount of time I am spending on MySpace that I have hidden the flashing icon that tells people when I am online.
Now, if only I could hide my age, I'd be happy.
Visit Cornelia Seigneur at www.myspace.com/corneliaseigneur or e-mail her at cornelia@writermom.net.