Instagram slut

Someone told me yesterday that I am an Instagram slut. He took care to explain this was not a criticism, merely an observation that I post photos on Instagram almost every day, some days I post four or more, which is apparently not the etiquette, since it clogs up the public feed. He entreated me not to take offense when he discerned that I had. No doubt he heard something in my studiedly casual follow-up questions, my feelings disguised by the reporter's mask. I led him into the quagmire. He pointed out that this was simply the term for an overeager poster, and that it was a minor consideration because after all, people were free to follow or unfollow me as they chose. He added that he personally enjoys seeing my photos, especially the vintage ones of family members that he would not otherwise see.

You've probably figured out that the person making this observation was my son, who was home for the weekend. Who else would have the nerve? Everyone else would just quietly unfollow me, as I notice now that some people have already done. I'm not mad at that. I purposely keep my Instagram photos private, so that it goes out only to a few who I think won't mind my self-indulgent play. My daughter and husband tried to mitigate what they immediately sensed what my feeling of having been chastised. My daughter said, "It's your Instagram album, Mom. Do whatever you want." And my husband leaned in and said, "Well, you're my Instagram slut. Who cares what anyone thinks?" which did make me smile.

But all the same I immediately sat down and deleted half my pictures, and today I am wondering if I will ever post another one. Something clicked off in me, the whole experience now tainted. Which is a shame. I love those Instagram filters. They are the most artful that I've found, which I think is why this particular app caught on so widely in the first place. Since yesterday I have been downloading other photo filtering apps and trying them out, then deleting them because they don't quite satisfy. So here is my question. Is there a photo filtering app other than Instagram that you use and love, or even just like? If so, please send your suggestions my way.

Meanwhile, I know full well that I should not let anything said by a smart-ass whippersnapper affect me this way. Children have no idea how their offhand comments, perhaps meant to display how urbane and worldly they truly are, can slice the quiet flesh of their parents. Looking back, I can see that I committed the same offense against my own parents ten trillion times. I also see that they forgave me every time. And besides, I've decided to own the descriptor Instagram slut. And I just had this idea. I can start a brand new private Instagram account and accept not a single follower. Then I can post as often as I darn well please. This is my stream of consciousness while drinking my morning coffee. No matter how it sounds, it was good to see my boy. Happy Sunday, friends.