Mama Bean doesn't like facebook status bubble bursters

You know these people. These are the people that have to suck the wind out of your sails when you post happily about some small-but-BIG-to-you life victory or celebration. There is a sense that they just want to share their experience with a similar situation, and demonstrate the common ground that ostensibly explains why you are friends (on facebook, anyway.) But it generally just sounds like oneupmanship. Or gloating.

Examples abound with parenting-related status updates. "Jane Doe is so happy Baby Doe didn't spit up her breakfast today!" Such a lovely status update, hooray for Jane Doe, because a) spit up is gross and b) it's worrisome when your baby keeps ejecting the nutrition so painstakingly given her. And then Bubble-Burster comes along, "Haven't had to deal with that. Baby Burster never spits up! LOL" Yeah, L-O-effing-L. Shut up, Burster.

On friend K's status recently, "First robin of spring!" I feel K's joy, because this is the hallmark of impending thaw-and-bloom I look most forward to every year. (As opposed to the return of the blasted Canuckian Geese, which I dread, as they are akin to rats.) When you live in a place with seasons, these transitional touchstones are important and visceral. (I am not being melodramatic.) So Douchey McBubbleburster comments, "They never left down here all winter long." Well, whoop-dee-effing-doo for you. Clearly, you don't live somewhere with seasons, and you cannot appreciate robins as we do, except to brag about them to the robin-deprived.

Look, I don't know K's commenting friend, I don't know where he lives, maybe their relationship can accommodate this kind of interplay. I'm just saying, from my perspective, it's annoying. The appropriate response to someone saying, "Yay for me!" is not "Yay for me, too, in this way that subtly one-ups your Yay!" The appropriate response is "Yay for you! I am happy you are happy!" and then, y'know, share your story if you feel like it. Am I being over-sensitive? This is entirely possible, I'm thin-skinned as all get out.

Don't get me wrong, I loooOOOOOOOOOooove comments. (Well, I don't love people who explain to you why the joke in your own status is funny. I know why the joke is funny - that's why I made it. But, I digress-as-usual.) Comments are like my crack, just ask Papa Bean. I actually giggle when I see them. (OMG, I smiled for actual days after Aunt Leila and Her Bad Mother commented on some posts the other week. Blogging heroes came to visit! So. Much. Happy.) So this should in No Way be taken as an admonition to forego commenting. If the only way you know to comment is by raining on my parade (or confirming that I did, in fact, make a joke) then by all means type it up! I promise your comment will bring me glee, No Matter What. I'm just saying, maybe try to keep my bubble intact, that's all :)