Other than the fact that I wish I had invented it, I don’t really have much of an opinion on Facebook. I joined last year because someone sent me an invitation to be his Friend and I didn’t want to be rude by ignoring him. Plus, I was curious about this whole Facebook thing. It seemed like something for twenty-somethings and I’m in my forties. But I signed up and accepted the Friend invitation. I looked at my new Friend’s wall and saw comments from his Friends. It seemed interesting. I signed off and didn’t log back in for at least a year. Then about a month or two ago I got another Friend invitation so I went back on the site. Since then I’ve accumulated 40 Friends.

All of a sudden all my friends are signing up for it. Even people much older than me seem to be using Facebook now. What gives? My guess is that Facebook is just the absolute easiest way to keep track of family and friends. Everybody these days is busy with work, family, and homelife, and it’s tough to keep tabs on loved ones. But Facebook makes it simple. Just log in and take a look at your wall. You’ll see brief updates on what people are doing and thinking.

Unfortunately, sometimes these updates devolve into inappropriate or too personal comments that I would rather not know about. My husband’s religious, conservative relatives enjoy posting personal opinions about politics that reveal an agenda that I cannot get on board with. Others Friends post personal information about their health, including talk about medications they are taking! For me, Facebook is more valuable when someone posts an interesting story from their day, posts a cute picture, or provides a meaty update about their life events.

My husband, who was anti-Facebook for ever so long, finally broke down after an invitation to view someone’s profile. He has since become a Facebook freak, checking in every day and immersing himself in hiding Easter eggs on people’s profiles and playing Vampire Wars. He also pokes and throws beads at people. Huh? I don’t exactly get the point of these activities but he seems to be enjoying himself. And there is the danger of Facebook: to become so immersed in the various applications available that you forget the root purpose of the site, to stay in touch with Friends.

So go ahead and Facebook if you have to, but keep your posts interesting and meaty. And please remember that everything you write will show up on the walls of ALL your Friends, so make it something worth reading!

Last 5 posts by OrganizerMom

• Get Your Own Email! - October 2nd, 2008
• The Field Trip - October 13th, 2008
• Autumn Joy - October 19th, 2008
• Angry Red Spots - October 20th, 2008
• Three Shots and a Cup - October 22nd, 2008