Some people get annoyed with 'everything happens for a reason' and 'you choose your own happiness' type memes on facebook, which have spawned a million memes like this

They're soothing.

However, my least favourite 'positive' memes are the current crop of them that I suppose could be described as the tough love inspirational meme genre, like the one I saw this morning that said

Now you know I'm the first person to admit I'm a whiny, self-pitying bitch who does not fulfill the saintly special-needs-mom-hero picture I should, but oh, readers, I fucking hate these things. I hate their passive aggression and pseudo- practical enlightenment, and their judgy condemnation-masquerading-as-goodness. I hate the way they make me feel.

I've been reducing my fucking glass for years. I don't expect to be loved by anyone any more. I don't expect to have sex again in my life. I don't expect to get a hug. I don't expect to to go out much at all. I don't expect to have a pension. I don't expect to be able to turn the heat on in Winter because Olivia can't stand the noise. I don't expect to travel or be able to go very far from home on any given day. I don't expect to be a grandparent, because I'm not sure people should be bringing children into this world as it stands today. I don't expect to have holidays again. I don't expect Christmas presents. I don't expect to have a job that pays well. There are lots of things I accept, and while my glass is full compared to many (I have a house, I've never been unable to conceive or lost a child, I have my health so far, I can run a car, I share parenting and bills with another human, I have people who treat me to lunch sometimes etc. etc.), my glass is fairly small. So while yes, I should stop bitching, also, FUCK OFF.

Why am I writing this? Because I just saw this.

And I love it because it's a lot more realistic and positive than the 'stop bitching' one above. But also because she wouldn't be as smiley and content if her bucket was half the fucking size it is.

I heart facebook

Normally I don't. I hate it. It's full of lots of pointless things, like groups people like, and people's friend and family responses to posts that were only of moderate interest in the first place. I go there looking for entertainment somewhat pathetically and am not always entertained.

But in fairness, there are sometimes beautiful photos, and funnies, and videos, and links to blogposts etc.

BUT!

In the last week, two women I know more online than off have been tracking their pregnancies. One was Tatty, onetime commenter here, who got frustrated a week before her due date, and started waiting way too soon, and had her parents here from Brazil and cried when her dad had to go back before the birth but then got some homeopathy and had went into labour, and then had her baby and posted photos of them all. And if it wasn't for Facebook I wouldn't have known anything about it.

And then there's Mary, who lives in Wexford and I don't see often, much as she delights me with her evil sense of humour and her sweetness. Yesterday she posted that it was her due date and she was drumming her fingers on the table. Then she went into labour. And this morning there's a picture of a baby girl (I was right! I have the gift!) with the title 'Pop'. It's so good to see, because Mary's first son was stillborn and her next birth was induced and didn't go well and her last birth was induced too, but it sounds like this one was natural and speedy. I look forward to more details on Facebook!

So I've got the Facebook warm fuzzies today.

I'll go back to being frustrated with it soon, as I think that's it for impending births for now :)