So we're sitting in the green room in the back of our church
auditorium between our opening worship set and our closing song, when we got into our weekly
"deep talks".
You know, the talks you have with fellow servants...about
topics that can only surface after years of trust has been built...
Like how it would be REALLY COOL to have a real-life
Facebook party!
No phones, no tablets or devices, only people, pens, and
lots of sticky-backed paper.
After a short but intense brainstorming session, we carved
out the basic tenants, and after updating the rules as much as I could, I think
we've uncovered yet another universal truth that only the Church (or at least a
worship band stuck in a little green room too long) can uncover. Here I give
you the...
Official Rules for the Real-Life Facebook Party
Login
When you arrive, walk through the door and put a green dot
in the center of your shirt. This will let your 'friends' know you are
available to talk. Of course during the evening if you get tired, fed-up, or
you just want to harvest some carrots from the 5'x5' real organic corner garden
without interruption, switch the green dot with a grey dot...this will inform
your friends you are 'not available to chat'.
Like
You will be given a stack of purple dots that say
"Like". At any time, stick those purple dots onto people, pets, CDs,
pictures, ...anything that gives you a smile.
Note: these dots firmly adhere onto what you 'like' thanks
to the latest in adhesive technologies. If you decide to 'unlike' that thing,
quickly rip the purple dot from that item and listen/watch as that item screams
at the lost arm-hair. User research has found that this method of 'unliking' is
very satisfying.
Post
Your clothes are your wall. Your friends clothes are their
wall. During your social conversations, if you want others to know what you are
thinking, or have a funny quote simply use the provided post-it notes and a
pen, write it down, and post it to their shirt (wall).
Upload
You have previously printed out a variety of photos from your
week, past, vacation, etc. Carry multiple copies around and number them. These
can be added to your shirt/wall or posted onto your friends wall.
Share
If your friends like a post or photo on your wall, they can
copy it (with your name on it of course), and add it to their wall. If others
see it on your friends wall, they can copy it and share it...and so on.
Note: At the end of the night, the person with the highest
shared content will win a prize
Socialize
As you walk around and converse, you may use your voice, but
you MUST use 3rd person to talk about yourself (an homage to the old days of
Facebook where all status updates started with "Greg is..."). For example, you walk up to the bar:
"Greg is thirsty!", with a host response,
"There are over 30 micro-brews that Greg might enjoy", followed with,
"Greg enjoys Trois Pistoles", finishing with,
"Greg loves this
party!"
Or, you walk up to a girl you like:
"Greg thinks you're pretty cute but is not sure how to
ask you to dance", followed by,
"Karyn married you 19 years ago dear,
you had me at 'Greg'", finishing with,
"Greg loves Karyn"
While this may seem very odd at other parties, it will add
authentic realism to a Facebook party.
Request
You will be given a stack of "Request" badges with
your name on them (drink coasters). If you see someone you do not know, you can
request their friendship by giving them a request badge, and only if they
return it to you can you strike up a conversation. Of course you are free to
read their shirt/wall, but they may have privacy settings which will make them
turn away from you.
They can return it to you at once or later once they get
around to it. Or, you may find your request badge underneath their empty drink
glass and then you will know you never really had a chance at being their
friend.
Note: If you are reading the wall of a female, watch where
you read...unlike the digital Facebook, this real-life Facebook comes with
real-life cheek-slaps meant to course-correct those wandering eyes.
Group
For fancy Facebook parties, hired wait staff can also double
as 'Facebook Groups'. You can tag the wait staff with a label they wear on
their hat such as, "PRS Guitars", or "Sushi Lovers", and
anyone who wants to join the group drops a request badge onto their tray. Any
time a member of the group posts to the group wall (their tuxedo vest), the
wait staff must shout it out loud so all members of the group can hear.
Sponsor
In the corner is a small stage with a microphone. This is
called the "Sponsor a Post" stage. With proper payment, you may stand
on the stage and say most anything you like and all in attendance really have
no option but to hear it.
Note: Proper payment depends on those in attendance. It may
be a case of beer, a box of Pokemon cards, or my favorite, G strings (for my
guitar of course...what were you thinking?!?)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Well, I think we've got a hit on our hands. A Real-Life
Facebook Party. What do you think?
What would you add? Respond and I'll add to it and
give the proper credit :-)
