Social media isn't social: A Goodreads experience gone bad

I thought it might be fun to poke around on Goodreads where I could see reviews of potential good reads, and if the notion strikes, I could even share my thoughts about particular authors and their works. It seemed like a great idea, so I created a Goodreads account.

A few days later, I signed in, or attempted to, and received the following unfriendly message:

Account locked

• Your Goodreads account has been temporarily suspended because one of your actions has violated our Community Guidelines. Please go here for more information on appealing and contact us if you believe this was done in error.

I am puzzled. To date, I have had no activity or interaction on Goodreads other than setting up a profile, and I sent a couple of emails explaining that important fact. The Goodreads detectives should be able to restore my account lickety-split.

Not so fast, they say. I have been informed that an investigation is underway … it could take some time … I need to be patient.

I cannot imagine the action that triggered Goodreads into locking my account. I would like to tell the wardens that I am a rule follower, that I abide by the regulations and the laws of our land, and that I have never even had a parking ticket — even after driving for X number of years.

This is ridiculous. In only a few days, I went from being an excited new member of Goodreads to the Community Jail of Goodreads, the latter of which happened without a keystroke from me. These are the things that turn me off about social media. As soon as I can reclaim my account, if that ever happens, I will delete it faster than I set it up.

Then I will return to offline obscurity, where it’s safe, where no one can find me, and where I have not been accused of something I did not do.

Think fast!

     In the parking lot of Michael's yesterday, a young girl carrying a book approached me. I stopped to hear what she had to say. Smiling real big, she said she'd like to invite me to church Sunday. I responded by telling her I'd be attending my own church on Sunday. She asked me which one, and I told her. I asked which church she belonged to, and she pulled back her lapel to show a badge with the words, Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, which indicated our beliefs differ. We exchanged a few more niceties and then went our separate ways.

    Last night I thought back to that encounter and kicked myself in the behind, because I always think of what I should have said long after the opportunity has gone by. I am just like Meg Ryan's character, Kathleen Kelly, in one of my favorite old movies, You've Got Mail. Kathleen could never think of the words she needed to say to her bookstore rival and suitor, Joe Foxx, until the conversation had ended, and it was too late. I suffer from the same malfunction.

    I wish I had invited the Bible-toting girl to my church on Sunday, but I did not think to do so. I wish I could think fast on my feet like some other people I know. Once in a while I can, but in this instance, I totally missed an opportunity.

    If we had continued talking, she might have come to my church .. we might have become friends ...