Instagram Episodes and Invisalign Inclinations

Just so you know, I’ve been in the social media game for a little more than fifteen years. It all started with Facebook; a spin class instructor at the gym said I should check it out. I did.

I had no idea how to use Facebook, but I had no doubt it would find a way to use me.

And I knew I could use a few more friends. Several years earlier, I did a self-improvement program that I thought was perfect for my office manager and everyone else who showed up for the Landmark Forum. During the three consecutive labor intensive 10-hour days, I discovered I was possessed by the need to always win, always have the last word. On Grad Night, I was one of the speakers, and shared the revelation that my only friends, outside of family, were on the payroll.

A nice woman, shortly thereafter, visited the Arcadia Chamber of Commerce, offering Facebook lessons. I signed up and acquired about 50 of Marla’s Facebook friends. And for the most part, our friendships have endured for fifteen years. The real test will be the outcome of our meeting in person.

I shared stuff, added friends, caught up with colleagues, classmates, and relatives who’d settled down beyond my SoCal ease of travel radius. I found new friends with common interests and views of the world. Today, I have 2,360 friends; I’ve met about a hundred of them eyeball-to-eyeball. In 2016, I ex-communicated about another hundred “friends” (mostly colleagues, and old having-the-last-word habits never fade 100%.)

Almost 12-years ago, I tippy-toed into Instagram (IG).

For several years, I played the voyeur role and just scrolled IG. Later, I added some before and after orthodontic cases, demonstrating the transformation into beautiful smiles from toothy traffic jams by way of Invisalign.

Don’t tell anyone, but for a little while I brokered new IG connections (including even a canine or two) from a moonlighting health professional. A few years went by before I broke down and found out what an Instagram “Story” was.

The IG Story discovery hit me like a speeding marshmallow. WTH, the story thing was all about photos. Next thing you know, just like everyone else (Millennial or younger), I was attached, umbilical style, to my phone and morphing into a one-man camera crew.

And okay, I’ll admit it, I haven’t been able to kick the habit of…taking pictures of food (gulp) and even a traditional Friday dirty Belvedere martini. The Friday beverage was served by my fave Northern Italian hangout in a glass supported by a metal, medieval-looking stem. One of my WhatsApp chat colleagues described the martini carrier as a “Pimp cup.” For a little while, I even had a new nickname. And sometimes it can be cool hangin’ out with my circle of continually educating molar jockeys.

My photo addiction has only worsened over time. And at this point, I will never stand for, entertain, or even spin my Peloton for any kind of intervention. I have no desire to become photo/video sober.

Selling my dental practice has not been helpful. Now, sad to say, my IG sensibility has turned competitively, revealing a dark side re-emerged from more than a Landmark decade ago. When I’m not looking to get more views on videos and more likes on stories, I’m busy trolling the unfortunates without the sense they were born with, choosing an opposing opinion and attitude about stuff like sports and, you know, politics. When you have a shot at having the last word with hundreds of people you’ve never even met, all at the same time… I think I may need a minute. Okay, I’m ready to continue.

I belong to a professional organization, the American Academy of Clear Aligners-AACA, that basically leads the world in Invisalign. And I’m still a freakin Board member. To remain in the inner circle, I’m obliged to volunteer stuff.

So I post inspirational quotes and a video commentary Monday-Friday. In the beginning, it was just the daily written quote shared by way of WhatsApp. At a certain point, I was even boring myself. I thought maybe I should add a commentary-video style.

I have this friend/colleague in Miami. Gina is a Fellow of the AACA, a speaker, and helps run the show for our national network of study clubs; she’s an amazing dentist who sees her team as family and the community as families to be served no matter their station. Gina’s dental practice includes a legit spa with all the latest advances and comforts; she’s also responsible for Miami Dolphins’ smiles and leads the nation in Invisalign care delivered to NFL players. And…Gina’s a social media phenom who teaches a course in (drum roll) Instagram!!!

When I asked Gina about adding a video commentary to the quotes with maybe a snarky take on things, she answered, “Yeah, do it, you’re good at that.” I thought, was that a cut? Anyway, I might pull a hammy one day working to be thoughtful and wise and occasionally intentionally humorous, but it’s now been almost 2-years.

I then asked Gina, what if I multi-purpose the videos as reels on IG? I wanted to know what days would work best. Gina: “Monday through Friday.” I gulped twice, “Of course.”

And IG is what I do these days, in addition to walking all over Pasadena and reading a book or two every week. And of course, when I’m walking, I’m shooting. Working outdoors in sunny SoCal is awesome because I’ve learned to shrink down my image (Monet style), and I get to wear sunglasses a lot. My Oakleys are amazing; they give me legit eyebrows and hide some eye baggage. Plus, Reels attention span ranges from 1-5 seconds, a perfect fit for my own attention span.

And yeah, I took Gina’s Instagram course, a 10-week online program coming from WhatsApp and YouTube (I think I may have passed, but I don’t assume). And if I keep on sharing slick IG info like I’ve learned from Gina and wear sunglasses indoors, I might get carded by social security (look, you’re never too old not to have goals.)

Gina’s coming to town next week; she’ll be speaking to my AACA study club and maybe even helping me understand IG Highlights and the dreaded Canva, both of which I accept and appreciate, but understand only the way I get that Greek is a Sicilian dialect (my mom’s.)

When I sheepishly asked Gina about a trip to SoCal, she laughed and observed, “It’s only a plane ride.”

Next Thursday, my local circle of Invisalign providing buddies/study club members are in for a treat. And I don’t think a generic “Like” will do the Gina learning experience justice.