So, what IS my status? What does this status even refer to? I am talking about my Facebook status? Here are the choices for Facebook statuses. I have taken the liberty of demystifying them so that you all know what the statuses actually mean.
Single: Self explanatory. With the asterisk being that there are some crazy ass people that are actually in a relationship that change this status at the end of every fight with their significant other. And also cheating men.
In a Relationship: This status can be misleading. It could be one date and the stalker to be is already committed you to a life time of restraining orders. This could also mean you want to seem more attractive to certain crazies and therefore it is a smoke screen. Or it could mean that you are actually in a relationship with a real live human being.
Engaged: Another misleading status. I think the misconception here is that you ACTUALLY have to be asked by someone to marry them. It's not a wishful thinking kind of a status. Asterisk-it does not qualify as a synonym for busy.
Married: Legally entangled with a real live human being. Asterisk-you will note that FB does not allow for part time married, married for legal reasons, not sure if the baby is mine married or married for tax reasons.
It's Complicated: (My personal favorite) This is code for I am not certain how the other person I obsess over feels about me. It can also be code for, I have multiple love interests and don't want to piss any of them off. Another potential code is I am currently stalking a celebrity and not sure if they even know I exist, yet. And last, but certainly not least, I am awaiting termination of the temporary restraining order against me and will update my status to "In a Relationship" as soon as it is.
In an Open Relationship: This one, I have to admit, confuses me. I mean it's so honest and up front, it doesn't seem to belong in the FB universe. This one, I have to say, if you have the proverbial testicular fortitude to display, it probably literally and accurately reflects your status.
Widowed: This is used for the obvious status of "I got dumped and wish the other person was dead". Or it could really mean your significant other has passed.
Separated: Ah, another favorite. My significant other and I just broke up five minutes ago and I am not sure if we are going to get back together or not and I still want to have a booty call so I'm not changing my status to Single just yet.
Divorced: Female definition: I am an over 40 year old cougar and think that this status will turn on men under 30 because it means I'm experienced. Male Definition: I am over 40 and recently divorced and want to attract a 20 year old who thinks because I can afford a divorce I must have money to spend on her.
In a Civil Union: I honestly have no idea why you would put this as your status other than you live in a state that discriminates against your sexual orientation and I think you should take a stand and say FUCK YOU and put that you're married. That's just my opinion though....
In a Domestic Partnership: Don't lie, you automatically assume gay here. BUT...there are many definitions (and I'm not just saying that because it happens to be MY personal status). Co-habitation of two people could be reflected in this particular status. Again, you live in a state that discriminates against your sexual orientation. Asterisk-You don't want your internet boyfriend/girlfriend to know you are actually married, so you put this status instead. And a remote possibility, the IRS is searching your "social media profile" and you don't want to tip your hand about your exemptions. (Oh yeah, it's true)
Now in the "real world" and not FBland as I like to call it, these statuses are useless. They are about as useful at telling you what the actual situation is as having Red Sox tickets in October is. So in the real world when someone asks you what your status is, what should you say? What does it refer to?
I find it odd that in today's day and age, it really is one of the first questions people ask you, male or female, when they meet you. Like this so called "status" defines who you are. Does it? Was the single (truly single, not FB single) you different than the married you? Do you answer questions differently now that you are divorced than when you were married? I guess it depends on the questions.
For me personally, I have a significant other, and I call him a significant other because I feel like I am too old to have a boyfriend. I don't know why I feel that way, but I do. This is just a personal thing really. But that really doesn't tell you who am I as a person. I mean, yes, you know that I am committed to someone, but not where I live, what I do for a living or how I vote. It would seem to me the question is a set up for judgement. Because I am a certain age and am in a domestic partnership and not married, people will assume that means something. When really, it means that I am a certain age and in a domestic partnership. I guess the point here is that why should we continue to place one more label for people to make incorrect assumptions and judgments about who we really are? Don't get me wrong, I get the comfort and security of having a label to describe the domestic bliss that you may be a part of. But does it need to be out front of everything else that defines who you are? Weren't you a solitary, independent you before you were part of a "coupling"? I mean why is there pity or disappointment in someone's eyes when they proclaim that they are single or unattached? Having been in some kind of a relationship for the majority of my life, I can understand the constraints of constantly being associated with another person, good or bad. For some reason people assume that once you are a couple your brain functions in rhythm with your partner. You MUST be interested in the same things. Got news for you, being different is probably what attracted me to this person to begin with. Why would I want to adopt their views just for the sake of our couple status?
At the end of the day, people are still going to judge you by your status. They are going to make assumptions about what your status says about you. But you know what? Fuck 'em. Let them assume all they want. You keep them guessing and make up your own status. (Which is another thing that pisses me off about FB. Why no free form status available?) From now on my status is going to be Mind Your Own Fucking Business. Or on a good day, Fuck You, Have a Nice Day!
Single: Self explanatory. With the asterisk being that there are some crazy ass people that are actually in a relationship that change this status at the end of every fight with their significant other. And also cheating men.
In a Relationship: This status can be misleading. It could be one date and the stalker to be is already committed you to a life time of restraining orders. This could also mean you want to seem more attractive to certain crazies and therefore it is a smoke screen. Or it could mean that you are actually in a relationship with a real live human being.
Engaged: Another misleading status. I think the misconception here is that you ACTUALLY have to be asked by someone to marry them. It's not a wishful thinking kind of a status. Asterisk-it does not qualify as a synonym for busy.
Married: Legally entangled with a real live human being. Asterisk-you will note that FB does not allow for part time married, married for legal reasons, not sure if the baby is mine married or married for tax reasons.
It's Complicated: (My personal favorite) This is code for I am not certain how the other person I obsess over feels about me. It can also be code for, I have multiple love interests and don't want to piss any of them off. Another potential code is I am currently stalking a celebrity and not sure if they even know I exist, yet. And last, but certainly not least, I am awaiting termination of the temporary restraining order against me and will update my status to "In a Relationship" as soon as it is.
In an Open Relationship: This one, I have to admit, confuses me. I mean it's so honest and up front, it doesn't seem to belong in the FB universe. This one, I have to say, if you have the proverbial testicular fortitude to display, it probably literally and accurately reflects your status.
Widowed: This is used for the obvious status of "I got dumped and wish the other person was dead". Or it could really mean your significant other has passed.
Separated: Ah, another favorite. My significant other and I just broke up five minutes ago and I am not sure if we are going to get back together or not and I still want to have a booty call so I'm not changing my status to Single just yet.
Divorced: Female definition: I am an over 40 year old cougar and think that this status will turn on men under 30 because it means I'm experienced. Male Definition: I am over 40 and recently divorced and want to attract a 20 year old who thinks because I can afford a divorce I must have money to spend on her.
In a Civil Union: I honestly have no idea why you would put this as your status other than you live in a state that discriminates against your sexual orientation and I think you should take a stand and say FUCK YOU and put that you're married. That's just my opinion though....
In a Domestic Partnership: Don't lie, you automatically assume gay here. BUT...there are many definitions (and I'm not just saying that because it happens to be MY personal status). Co-habitation of two people could be reflected in this particular status. Again, you live in a state that discriminates against your sexual orientation. Asterisk-You don't want your internet boyfriend/girlfriend to know you are actually married, so you put this status instead. And a remote possibility, the IRS is searching your "social media profile" and you don't want to tip your hand about your exemptions. (Oh yeah, it's true)
Now in the "real world" and not FBland as I like to call it, these statuses are useless. They are about as useful at telling you what the actual situation is as having Red Sox tickets in October is. So in the real world when someone asks you what your status is, what should you say? What does it refer to?
I find it odd that in today's day and age, it really is one of the first questions people ask you, male or female, when they meet you. Like this so called "status" defines who you are. Does it? Was the single (truly single, not FB single) you different than the married you? Do you answer questions differently now that you are divorced than when you were married? I guess it depends on the questions.
For me personally, I have a significant other, and I call him a significant other because I feel like I am too old to have a boyfriend. I don't know why I feel that way, but I do. This is just a personal thing really. But that really doesn't tell you who am I as a person. I mean, yes, you know that I am committed to someone, but not where I live, what I do for a living or how I vote. It would seem to me the question is a set up for judgement. Because I am a certain age and am in a domestic partnership and not married, people will assume that means something. When really, it means that I am a certain age and in a domestic partnership. I guess the point here is that why should we continue to place one more label for people to make incorrect assumptions and judgments about who we really are? Don't get me wrong, I get the comfort and security of having a label to describe the domestic bliss that you may be a part of. But does it need to be out front of everything else that defines who you are? Weren't you a solitary, independent you before you were part of a "coupling"? I mean why is there pity or disappointment in someone's eyes when they proclaim that they are single or unattached? Having been in some kind of a relationship for the majority of my life, I can understand the constraints of constantly being associated with another person, good or bad. For some reason people assume that once you are a couple your brain functions in rhythm with your partner. You MUST be interested in the same things. Got news for you, being different is probably what attracted me to this person to begin with. Why would I want to adopt their views just for the sake of our couple status?
At the end of the day, people are still going to judge you by your status. They are going to make assumptions about what your status says about you. But you know what? Fuck 'em. Let them assume all they want. You keep them guessing and make up your own status. (Which is another thing that pisses me off about FB. Why no free form status available?) From now on my status is going to be Mind Your Own Fucking Business. Or on a good day, Fuck You, Have a Nice Day!
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