We’re all friends here, right? So I think I can tell you that lately I’ve been feeling my age a little bit. The creaks are getting a little louder when I get out of a chair. The beads of sweat form a little more quickly about four seconds after I head outside. And, frankly, the hair stylist at the barber shop saying “wow, you have a lot of grey hairs” didn’t help much either.
So I did something this weekend designed to put a little pep back into my step. I decided to wade into the fountain of youth that is TikTok. For those of you who don’t know what TikTok is, go read Speckman’s column about pants or something, because I’m talking now to the youngsters.
That’s right. I’m on the TikTok. (Note: I even know how to spell it. It’s not Tick Tock – don’t spell it like that – that only makes you look old.) I’m scrolling through all the videos from angry truckers, angsty twelve year olds and all of the hot moms in the Target parking lot complaining about their husbands while they’re sitting in their 2021 Dodge trucks. That’s right. I have joined my first new social media platform in over 10 years.
It’s certainly not Twitter. That can be taken as both a pro and a con. But from the pro side, there is a lot of funny content on TikTok. Jokes, funny dancing, a shockingly high amount of dog videos, and the internet staple–people getting kicked in the nuts. The con side has a LOT of complainers and a LOT of anger. I guess that’s where the world is at now – we all have the right to complain and be angry. But over 10 years, I’ve been able to mold my Twitter page to at least shy away from some of that. TikTok doesn’t know me from Adam, so it’s giving me the fire hose right now. For every Applebee’s dance video (look it up, I don’t have time to explain here, but it’s like, a thing) there’s someone sobbing about something.
Still, I think I’m addicted. Obviously, the idea is to dive in and make some content of my own. So far, I’ve only got a couple of videos up there as I’m still learning the platform. But I sure hope to be doing the Applebee’s shake and the reaction duets real soon!
Sure, it’s kind of silly to say I feel a little younger because of a social media platform, but that’s only because I feel older every day after reading Twitter or Facebook. Why not spend a little self-love time feeling a bit younger!
So, if you need me, I’ll be at the back side of the TikTok trend sucking the marrow out of it while everyone moves to some other platform. You can find me @thefakened on the TikTok’s, kids.
Now, if you’ll excuse me, I got some dancing to practice.
(Check out Chris Kamler on Twitter, where you know him as @TheFakeNed. And now–who knew–on TikTok where he is also known as @thefakened)
