#48B - YOUTUBE

Earlier today I obliterated my Faffbook account and swore complete Faffbook abstinence.

As I wrote, this does take away my ability to share blog postings there and you'll have to use bookmarks, blog apps like Feedly or a Blogger account to keep up with Kiss My Big Hairy Spider. I guess I will continue to share each entry to Google+ as well, whatever the fuck that is. I can't make Google completely go away because of YouTube so I may as well.

That is what this "part two" is about - YouTube. I hope you all subscribe to my YouTube channel. There's a bunch of cool vids there and I plan to post more. I love YouTube. If I don't know how to do something in software I use I find a video that teaches me. If I don't know how to field strip or detail clean a certain firearm I do the same. I find guitar instructional vids all the time and I love all the photographic training and Lightroom workflow videos that are available. And there's plenty of concert footage. Of course, there are also Big Hairy Spider vids. And that's where I come in ...

I am about to post a mating video featuring Harpactira chrysogaster. I think the iPhone 6 does some amazing video in both real time and slow motion. One blog reader commented on my #47 - Casa de Tarantula #3 entry and asked me to illustrate a technique that would require video. I can insert video in the blog if it's a short clip, but for videos of a couple minutes or more I'd rather just upload to YouTube and share by a link.

My absence from Faffbook certainly is going to reduce my exposure and hinder the promotion of my projects. I understand and understood. So, I ask you here to make sure you have a way to keep up with this blog and that you subscribe to my YouTube channel and select email notifications when I post new videos.

Here's the link to the Harpactira chrysogaster mating vid.

And here is an even rarer sight ... USA captive mating of "Monocentropus lambertoni"! This may be a US first. Males are rare and I hope to produce the first babies. BTW, the species is in quotes because there is much question as to whether our hobby spider is really M. lambertoni. See my article in the next BTS Journal for more info on this "controversy"!

Cheers, MJ

#48 - FINAL FACEBOOK FUCKERY

You've read me rant about Faffbook. My contempt for it is obvious. I like Instagram and Twitter, even though a life without any social media would be a better one. But fuck Faffbook.

Now that I have closed my business and am distancing myself from the hobby I wondered whether I could finally do away with Faffbook. My Instagram account @exoticfauna allows me to share photos with followers without the noise, nonsense and FUCKERY of Faffbook. I also have a new IG account for gun lovers (@dailyhandgun). I don't have many followers there yet so if you have any interest please follow me. 

I haven't done much with Twitter of late because my personal Faffbook page is linked to it and it's also easy to share my IG posts to Twitter as tweets with one click. But reading my Twitter feed used to be a frequent occurrence. I don't read or watch news. Anywhere. Any time. Twitter allows me to follow my interests and what little snippets of news I desire. With a 160 character limit these snippets are necessarily concise. No fluff, no nonsense. 

Faffbook offers me nothing. Last night I was tagged in a post that went on and on with a bunch of discussion I had no interest in reading. I turn off notifications so I am not bothered, but for some reason I kept getting more and more notices as my name was repeatedly used. I can't stand this. Leave me out of your discussions. I have no interest. I don't have the time or desire that the chatterboxes do. The conversation itself didn't really bother me (ok, maybe a little ...), but I am bothered that I can't just avoid any and all conversations if I choose. I also want to prevent being tagged so that I am dragged into the noisy chatter. I share my opinions here in this blog. I'm not going to post them on social media.

Twice before I have deactivated my Facebook account. This is my third incarnation. So I decided that three times is a charm and decided to deactivate again after un-"friending" everyone. Two problems. Number one I am an admin of the BTS Facebook page. This isn't a biggie. There are plenty of admins and mods and one message to my best mate Mark and I'd be relieved of my duties. However, the other problem is my blog. 

How does the blog connect to Facebook? Well, I have repeatedly recommended the app Feedly. I know there are other similar ones, but a reader suggested Feedly to me early on and I love it. I am now reading about ten blogs using this one app. I suggest you do the same. Of course, you can also sign up for a Blogger account instead and keep up with my blog there. 

However, I know damn well that few are going to do either and all of you that waste hours each day on Faffbook are getting my notices of each blog posting there. If I deactivate my Faffbook my KMBHS page will also cease to be published. As will my Spider Shoppe, Exotic Fauna and ArachnoGathering pegs. I'm not bothered by the last three. So, I guess I am going to find out how much my readership drops by deactivating and having no more FB announcements of the blog. You've been warned. At least bookmark kissmybighairyspider.blogspot.com and visit often.

It sucks that FB doesn't allow you to just deactivate your personal page without losing pages you've created. You can just ignore your personal page and I have friends who have done that. I could delete every friend and let it rot, but keep KMBHS going on FB. That doesn't seem like a desirable compromise. 

Arachnoboards has been kind enough to give me banner advertising so I hope this brings me new readers. And I am hoping those who have read my blog for the past two months through almost 50 entries have bookmarked the blog in their browser at least so they can return and catch up when they have the time and desire. 

But your Faffbook announcements will cease. My Faffbook will be obliterated. Looks for me as @exoticfauna on Instagram and Twitter and YouTube. If you're into handguns please follow my @dailyhandgun. 

I'm not going to keep ranting or whining or whinging about FB while it still pops up on my devices. It's time I made another positive life change and moved on. Goodbye Fuckbook. 

PS: For those of you who actually are real friends this of course means no FB Messenger. Close friends can text, acquaintances can email. I also like using Whatsapp for "FB Messenger" style chatting with fast photo shares so you can also use that if you have my phone number AND are a close friend. But from now on it is only Instagram and Twitter for me.

PS2: Sadly, I can't completely dispense with Google+ and Gmail as they are tied to YouTube and I need to keep that account going. But you can always reach me at m.a.jacobi@icloud.com.