Facebook ...
I do utilize Facebook - mostly to stay in some sort of contact (however miniscule it may be) with friends from my "military brat past", as well as to share photos with family and friends. I don't know about the rest of you, but my opinion is that life is fast and it's hard to keep up with things and events of those who have touched your life in some shape or form. When I get home from work, there are other responsibilities that need tending to and there isn't always time to pick up the phone to call your best friend from high school. By the time things do slow down, it's late and anyone I know would probably reach through the phone and strangle me for calling them and rousing them from sleep just to chat or catch up. LOL
Social networking helps me stay in touch with those who were important to me at some point in life and who still remain important. I'm able to hear about accomplishments of a friend or their child(ren) and offer best wishes, congratulations, whatever. It doesn't mean I don't care enough to pick up the phone but, as I already mentioned, time is short and responsibilities are endless ... it gives a whole new meaning to the phrase "there aren't enough hours in the day." At any rate, those with whom I Facebook know that I care about them and don't find it impersonal to keep in touch by those means - most of them are in the same situation I described above (i.e., not enough hours in the day).
When it comes to blogging, by definition I'm probably horrible. I don't post my every thought, every moment, every event to my status. My life just isn't that interesting and, to be honest, for being in the tech field, I'm a horrible techie. Once I get home, my cell phone stays in my purse - those who know me know to contact me on the home line. I don't communicate about everything via text, I'm not glued to my computer when I get home from work and I still write out my shopping list on a piece of paper.
Finally, I am very selective about what I post. If I post it, it's nothing that I wouldn't "own up" to or would be ashamed to have traced back to me. A self-censorship tactic that for some it would behoove them to learn. But to be honest, when I was in my 20's I, too, lacked the wisdom that comes with age which is "some things are better left unsaid." The difference nowadays is that once it's out there on the Internet it never really stays in the past.
And so, that's my 2-cents worth on social networking.
Happy (?!) Monday, all!
