G-Sync - Tag....You're It.

For those getting up to speed on social media, there's a game of Tag that continues to sweep the metro Grand Rapids area, only in this version thousands can play at once and you don't have to worry about always being "It" because you might be too slow or too busy to catch anyone.

In this modern online version, you don't give each other a little shove and run off, but people do tag one another by placing a name or comment on the image of a person they know on the Internet.

It doesn't have the same rules as the kid's game -- in fact, I doubt there are any rules at all since many would not even really consider it a game. But I can tell you that once you have been tagged on a site, you may soon find yourself joining the action.

For all the contacts we have created through sites like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Tumblr, it appears this casual tagging may be ushering in a new era for our virtual communal selves. Human beings long to be a part of something, and this silly craze just adds to the fun aspect of social media sites.

But no matter how clever or whimsical something can appear on the computer screen, it still can't replace sitting side-by-side, elbow-to-elbow with real flesh-and-blood people as they laugh at double entendres, carve the goop out of a pumpkin or speculate over ribbon art that festoons the walls of a room.

So stop tending that virtual green grass and conducting online surveys about what type of Saved By The Bell character you are. Invite a few virtual friends out for a quick rendezvous at a local eatery or performance. Sure, you may spend a few awkward moments trying to remember what it was like to look a real person in the eye, but it will all come back to you again.

And while you are at it, if you see someone you know out at an event, start some real time fun by replacing “Hello” with a childlike sneaky “Tag, You’re It.” (Running away after is optional.)  Let’s keep it going, West Michigan.


Choose local…and often.

Tommy Allen, Lifestyle Editor

Email:  [email protected]
Twitter Tour Guide: @TommyGSync

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Photo provided by Terry Johnston and Illustrated by Tommy Allen

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