Part of me really thinks that April Fools Day really ought to be renamed ‘The internet lies day’. Every major website likes to toss out a little fib. Westjet and Google tend to be my favourite. The thought of trying to use metric time at the airport, or taking on a real life quest to become a Pokemon Master gave me a good chuckle.

However when I turn to social media I find that a lot of people are lying today. They are talking about leaving jobs, getting married, having babies, and a lot of other things. I find it a bit frustrating having to assume that pretty much everything I hear today is false until I can verify it later.

When I sat down at my computer this morning I began to think about what little fib I would toss out on to social media. But the more I thought about it the less I found myself wanting to do it. I knew whatever I said wouldn’t really be funny, and I didn’t really want to mislead anyone.

Then it dawned on me, today is hardly the only day that people take to social media and toss out little fibs and lies. I know every time I go on to social media I put a deliberate spin on everything I do. I have an online image that I like to portray and most if not all of my posts forward that image regardless of how my day is really going.

For example one of the things that I like to portray is that I am a pretty active cook in my house. Which is mostly true. The other day on my Facebook page (have you liked it yet?) I said this;

‘What food in your house if it was suddenly no longer available would throw off your cooking the most. For us I think it would be ground beef.’

This is a true statement. If suddenly I found ground beef had disappeared from the grocery store this would change my meal planning quite a lot. However I could have just as easily and honestly shared this;

I didn’t share that because you don’t get awarded a lot of ‘good parent points’ for admitting to the use of KD.

I have shared this picture of Simeon and Ariella all smiles in their hockey gear ready for a night of mighty hockey;

But I have never posted about the tears, and fight it takes to get them on to the ice. Nor have I posted about the massive effort it take to keep them there. I don’t mention that Simeon almost always has a meltdown when we tell him that it is mighty hockey day, or that to get their gear on I have to yell at both of them consistently without actually raising my voice.

I post the picture because it looks like we are taking physical fitness seriously, I don’t post the editorial because no one looks favourably upon the stern dad who forces their children to participate in sports.

Recently I shared about my childrens’ big birthday party here on this blog, I even shared this picture;

What I didn’t share was the arguments Meghan and I had leading up to the party, or about the grumpy mood I was in later that day after my energy crashed from cleaning up. Cute birthday parties forward my image as a active dad, posts about grumply snapping at people when it is all done do not.

There are a lot of things that I share. Most of which I aim to be positive. That means I leave a lot of negative behind on the cutting room floor. I leave out a lot of fights, a lot of boxed food, a lot fast food, a lot of tears and more. I leave out anything that might make you, or me question my super dad/super husband status. And perhaps that is unfair.

Today while everyone seems to be trying to fool someone if only for a few minutes I am reflecting on the spin and image I try to project everyday. I wouldn’t go so far as to say it is a lie, but it certainly isn’t the whole truth either.

How about you, do you put a spin on who you are?