Facebook has been in the news quite a lot lately, from being the source of Michael Phelps' public apology (posted on his Facebook page) to the means by which a ring of teenage vandals was brought to justice.
If you haven't kept up, Facebook is a social networking site. On Facebook, you have a network of "Friends." This term is used loosely, since your Friends can be anyone from acquaintances you met at a conference to that guy you worked a summer job with 20 years ago.
You can post everything from fascinating personal updates ("Just got back from walking the dog!") to articles of interest or clips from YouTube.
Facebook is not something I thought I would ever be involved with, but I got roped in last fall. Several old college friends - actual friends, mind you - e-mailed to say I should sign up. I did, and it's been a real hoot, reconnecting with people I haven't seen in a long, long time.
But I've slacked off lately. Partly, it's because what was a small group of old college friends has just mushroomed.
First of all, I don't know what to do about all these Friend requests, which you then have to approve, so that your new Friends can access your Facebook page and chat with you. Part of the problem is that Facebook bombards you with possible Friends you may have some connection with, and your current Friends are always sending Friends suggestions.
Hey, I'm lucky to have any Friends at all. But I've been getting Friend requests from people I ran track with back in high school during one season in 1983. Nice to hear from you, but we don't have much in common besides the fact that we both ran around in circles at the Baltimore Armory. Then there are Friend requests from people I don't even know. I'm sure they are perfectly nice folks, but I ignore their requests. I've tried to keep my Friends to a manageable number - it's somewhere around 36 at the moment and includes one of my brothers, a minister in town and a cousin.
Lately, there's also been this annoying thing going around on Facebook called "25 Random Things About Me" where you are supposed to reveal your personal epiphanies and so forth. If you've been "tagged" by your Friends, it's then your turn. I've done my best to ignore this one. Twenty-five things? Are you kidding me? I'm just not that interesting.
I do like all these cool groups you can join of like-minded Facebook users. One such group, dedicated in their hatred of the herb cilantro, actually made the front page of The Wall Street Journal last week. The only group I'm thinking about joining right now is "The George R.R. Martin Labor Encouragement Force." George R.R. Martin is the world's greatest living author of sci fi and fantasy, but he's dragging his feet finishing that "Song of Fire and Ice" series, darn him.
I'm also having a hard time keeping up with all my Facebook friends, commenting on their posted photos, updating my status, writing on their walls. I know I'm letting them down, and hey, I feel bad about it. The problem is that our bosses here at the Whig have wisely blocked access to Facebook. At home, the computer is always in big demand, so my wife and children have decided that dad's designated computer time is between midnight and 6 a.m. They like to point out that they're giving me six hours, never mind that I'm generally sleeping during my assigned time slot.
Facebook has been fun, but it's starting to feel like another one of those obligatory things. I might even be signing off for good soon. Before I do, however, I'll be sure to get the snail mail addresses for all my Facebook friends. If nothing else, I'll send them Christmas cards next year. The kind where you use an envelope and a stamp.
Tags:
25 random things about me, facebook
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