My foray into Facebook began with meager intentions. I signed up in 2007 wanting to keep tabs on my teen’s presence on the online social networking site. I’d venture on to her and her friend’s Facebook pages periodically, make a mental note of what I saw, and sign-off.
I maintained my stealth Facebook presence for 18 months.
Last fall, I celebrated a birthday (mine!) over lunch with friends Karen and Janeen and listened to Janeen’s excitement about reconnecting with old friends and classmates via Facebook. Her enthusiasm was contagious, so by the end of that weekend, I had beefed up my profile and sent out “Will you be my friend?” invitations to dozens of people in my email address book.
Thirteen “new” friends later, I still didn’t get it, and my Facebook remained dormant.
This past weekend, we celebrated another birthday lunch (Janeen’s!), and now Karen was also signing Facebook’s praises, although warning of its time-wasting potential, as well. I went home and asked my daughter to give me a quick tutorial, which she graciously provided with a minimum of sighing and eye-rolling at her mother’s Facebook incompetence. I wrote on a few people’s walls and checked out which high school and college classmates had Facebook pages (quite a few!).
Now, I’m like The Candidate’s Robert Redford in the film’s closing scene: “What do we do now?”
What’s been the experience of other Wise Women on Facebook? I see how Facebook could add an interesting, new twist in my lif, so I am intrigued …
2-17-2009 10:22:31
I’ve had similar experiences with Facebook. Joined simply to learn a little about social networking sites before starting one for my association. Thought it was a waste of time. Then got kicked off for some reason (I think someone “hijacked” my account and was sending spam under my name, although my best friend asked if I got kicked off “for being too old.” Once I got kicked off, I told myself I didn’t care, but a few weeks later realized I DID care and set up another profile for myself using a different e-mail address. I’m not quite a Facebook junkie yet, but I do enjoy re-connecting with some old friends and getting to know some current acquaintances a bit better. (Although I will admit to clicking “ignore request” when a former high school classmate tried to connect with me recently. Heck, she wouldn’t talk to me in high school, why would I want to talk to her now?
2-17-2009 11:47:36
I have a love-hate relationship with it. I, too, stumbled on it accidentally, was delighted at times to reconnect with certain high school friends, and equally mortified to read how public the details of some people’s lives are. I hate that it does suck you in and waste a lot of time, but I love being able to call up my friends and give them the gossip du jour all gleaned from the pages of facebook.
2-17-2009 17:38:23
Love/hate is a good way to describe my relationship with FB, too. It’s wonderful for reconnecting with friends and colleagues who’ve moved to other parts of the country — people I really want to keep up with.
Example: a writer-friend of mine moved to Virginia a couple years ago, and we lost contact until she friended me on FB last month. I love that she posts links to her new articles, so I can read them and keep up with her new life.
That said, I am truly baffled when people I’ve never met (and with whom I have little or no connection) ask to “friend” me. Like Kathleen said here, I click “ignore request” when I have absolutely NO idea who the be-friender is. I feel it is odd to allow strangers access to my personal information on FB. And for what reason?
2-19-2009 11:51:05
My grown children use facebook to keep up with each other, friends, and relatives. I haven’t made the jump to FB because I don’t know that the time involved would be worth it.
2-23-2009 11:43:31
I don’t have a FaceBook profile and am definitely a FaceBook-Phobe. I’ve had requests for “friending” (is that the term?) from a handful of people I do know, but always refuse. I’m way too scared of people I don’t know being able to access any personal info. Although I do see the appeal and the scope for staying connected. I’d rather email (even write letters!!) to stay in touch with friends on purpose. Pretty soon will we be saying that emailing is the new letter-writing, and that even emailing is outdated?