Thursday, February 19, 2009

Battling a belligerent Facebook app

A lot of people know very well about the crap that hit the fan when Facebook changed their terms of service a few weeks ago, and if you haven't heard, the FTC got involved and Facebook recanted.

But I got a completely unrelated email from Facebook a few weeks ago. Are you familiar with Causes? Its a little application where you can join groups to show your support. I support numerous law enforcement causes, one for breast cancer research and the ALS Association among others.

This email basically said, "Hey! We see you have a birthday coming up! Why not ask your friends to make a donation to one of your Causes instead of buying you a gift?"

I was all, "Hey - cool idea! An actual purpose for Facebook! Let's do it!"

So I filled out all the questions they asked, like my birthdate (which I didn't get - I mean, wouldn't they already know that?), which cause I selected and how much I was asking folks to donate. Their suggestion was that you ask for $20 if you're turning 20, $36 if you're turning $36, so I stuck with the default. In my case, $31.

The last page allowed you to select how often a note would go to the list of friends you selected asking for dough, and how often you wanted your status to be updated with a link for donations. I basically selected the default and understood that the app would change my status automatically for me at given intervals - no big thing.

Only when my status was updated it said something like this:



What the bloody fark?!? I'm not going to be 40.

If you clicked the link, it took you to a page that said:

Colleen turns 31 on February 18!
In honor of her birthday, grant her birthday wish by donating $31 to ALS Research



Well, what the hell. Its probably a fluke. Right?

Only the next time it updated it still said I was going to be 40. So I updated my status in retaliation.



Blasted Facebook changed it back.



So I changed it again.



In the mean time, I started to get lots of wishes to enjoy my 40th birthday.

WOULD YOU BELIEVE FACEBOOOK CHANGED MY STATUS FOUR TIMES YESTERDAY?!?



When I got home from a very lovely birthday dinner that included margaritas as big as your head (which I sometimes need to survive dinner with my family) it had been updated AH-GAIN.

When you do turn 40, you're officially a grown up. I figure that gives me nine years.



To which my best friend's fiance replied:



Asshat.

Just when I thought all the "fun" was over, I logged in this morning (cuz those Little Green plants don't send themselves) I just about pissed my pants.



Moral of the story? Don't fight with Facebook.



Facebook always wins.



See, I really don't care that everyone sees how old I am. If I had just turned 40 you'd better believe I would have been wearing a tiara and feather boa at my desk. Hell, what am I saying? I would have taken the damned day off and had a few more o' them magaritas.

23 comments:

Jenni said...

LOL! I guess it's not enough that facebook sucks minutes out of our day...they want to steal YEARS of our lives now, too!

Amo said...

I love that! Thanks for the giggle today.

Heather said...

LOL! Happy 40th birthday :-)

Anonymous said...

Next year they'll try to sign you up for the new AARP app (Facebook counts by 10)

Wineplz said...

I'm glad you got to have a monstrous margarita for your birthday...sounds heavenly...and way more impressive than my birthday potroast I made for mine.

I'm also glad you're not a waaay older than me. Cuz then I'd be annoyed that I'm rooming with someone 8 yrs older than me looks at least 2 yrs younger than me. :D

Tenakim said...

That's hilarious! A FB catfight! I love it. Don't ever mess with a woman's youth FB!!!

Anonymous said...

Happy 40th birthday Colllleeen! (snicker)

Tara R. said...

It's some kind of Internet conspiracy! Happy Birthday from your AARP sista!

Marni's Organized Mess said...

That's funny, I've never been into Facebook...

WeaselMomma said...

Happy 40th! I had no idea you were reaching for your walker, I mean such a momentous benchmark.

Angie [A Whole Lot of Nothing] said...

Happy 40th!

(I just skimmed. Are you not 40?)

;)

Burgh Baby said...

Wait, so you're not 40? Oh . . . um . . . you don't look a day over 29. Really!

(Happy birthday, again.)

Kate said...

LOL...that's funny.

Anonymous said...

All the more reason for me to never go to the land o' facebook. But I'm glad you wore a tiara!

Colleen - Mommy Always Wins said...

Facebook changed it back.
http://twitpic.com/1kpr3

Its a conspiracy, I swear.

Jean said...

This is a great story! I was so confused because I always get your status updates and I thought you were playing a joke on US! I knew your were too wrinkle-free to be 40. I hope you had a nice bday even though you got in a cyber fight.

designHER Momma said...

oh this made me laugh so hard! Can we be friends on Facebook? You sound like someone that I actually wouldn't mind reading their status updates.

happy birthday old fart.

Roger Miller said...

Whoever told you that you are a grownup at 40, obviously hasn't met me. :)

Kim H. said...

Totally unrelated, but I think the word "asshat" is one of the most funny words I have ever heard and am trying to think of new and creative ways to use it.

Facebook is evil -- although will you be my friend on it?....

maggie said...

Facebook sucks. That was pretty funny, though, in an arghhh kind of way.

Also, and I'm sure at some point maybe you've mentioned ALS or I've asked or something, but did you know someone who had it? I ask because I lost my mom to it and love hearing when anyone supports that particular cause. No matter how old the person is or isn't. ;)

Unknown said...

Too funny!

Candid Carrie said...

Wait until you hit fifty. Then facebook says:

You are too phuckin' old for facebook.

Kat said...

Hee hee hee I laughed when i saw it as your status.. Hope you had a great birthday chica!