Sunday, February 18, 2007

ShoutLife

I resisted involvement in MySpace, even though numerous Christian authors said that this was a viable way to get in touch with the younger generation. There was just too much "weirdness" associated with the site. And I'm not much into the cyber-world anyway.
So when I was introduced to ShoutLife http://www.shoutlife.com , I wasn't much interested. You know, I'd have to make a profile page and upload a picture and all that complicated stuff. So my college-age assistant said she'd do it.
I hemmed. I hawed. She said it was a Christian site. Just come look over her shoulder and she'd show me all the neat people on it.
I saw some musical groups I recognized and some fellow authors, so I said, go ahead. Do it!
For an old granny like me that was stepping off into places no granny named Donita K Paul had gone before.
Okay . . . two, maybe three, weeks later--I'm hooked! I love it. I love looking at the faces and sending up arrow prayers for some of the photos where the expressions just break my heart. I'm a sucker for any animal picture that is posted instead of the member's face. I love looking at the background behind the member's face. What is that on the wall? A cupie doll collection? Some of the pictures are downright funny and others are sad.
I love reading the profile blurbs. Do people realize how much they reveal of themselves when they say, "I'm me, don't knock it."
I ask myself questions. Why does this 13 year old girl think she needs to look like a seductress? Why does this boy want to look tough?
Do you belong to MySpace or ShoutLife? I found I am being introduced to teens in a way I haven't been since I taught school and I missed the association. What do you think of these communities?

2 comments:

T. Suzanne Eller said...

My Myspace is at http://myspace.com/suzanneeller

It's awesome to be able to connect with teens, and others. I especially love connecting with teens and twentysomethings in my home city. That has been the most positive aspect.

Suzie Eller

Katie Hart - Pinterest Manager said...

I'm a part of both ShoutLife (as you know!) and Myspace - user name waterfallbooks on both. I hate the ads and such on Myspace, but most of my friends use it rather than ShoutLife. I also am more familiar with the page setup on Myspace (I had a lot more free time when I got it than now!). I check ShoutLife everyday or so for new authors/artists, but I'm disappointed that so few well-known Christian artists have a page. It might be some competition with another new "Christian myspace" - myCCM.org - that's keeping them away; I don't know. I just look forward to the day when bands upload their music to ShoutLife first, and casual conversation can include, "Do you have a ShoutLife?"