flum·mox  /fləməks/

verb, informal

To perplex (someone) greatly; bewilder.

Do you remember the photograph of that baby trying to swipe pages of Time magazine like it was an iPad. I ask you, where is that child now?? I need that kid.

As humanity transitions to a social media mediated world, if you want to say something and you want to be heard, you can’t fight ‘em. You have to join them. I succumb.

Easier said than done! One hundred and two ‘it’s so easy even a monkey can do it’ tutorials later, I lay on the floor, a miserable sobbing heap. I’m smart. I can usually figure things out. Eventually. Using a tried and true technique: When all else fails, read the directions.

As with all things new, I give myself lots of lead time to make sure that I am master of my subject matter, well before I need to show it off. Two weeks is usually sufficient. I started the learn social media adventure in February. It is now October. My, how two weeks flies!

One of the most important things I’ve learned during the process is that social media is unstable. Just as I’ve mastered one aspect of the ‘back end,’ a hidden army of programmers makes it BETTER. That is, you have to unlearn everything you’ve just learned to work with the new and improved version. As I reflect on this reality, I consider that the men making these changes live on the San Andreas fault, one of the most volatile earthquake zones in the world. Suddenly, it all makes sense.

Gentlemen, I have one thing to say to you (and I borrow the immortal words of Winston Churchill to say it), I will “never, ever ever ever ever give up.”