Thursday, January 6, 2011

Social Networking

I don't Social Network. 

When My Space started...I had no interest.  I don't even know if I have EVER been on that site. Then came Facebook...and while all of my friends bugged me about it, I had NO interest.  I saw it as a massive time suck, and a way of drudging stuff up from your past that really should just stay in your past.  My friend, C, said that as the world comes to an end, I will be marching in protest with my little sign "Say No to Facebook."

And then came Twitter...the first of any of these things to intrigue me at all.  But even that seems like a time suck.  However, it seems that most bloggers do use it, and it might be something I should investigate more if I choose to really market my little blog.

Last night, my friend C said "can you log onto G-man's Facebook page so I can show you some pics?"  I e-mailed him and asked if that was ok with him....he was fine...gave me the info....and I logged in. 

My discovery of the evening.....I was right.  It has the potential to be a time suck.  I can see how you can hop along and look at pictures and find people and then look at their stuff....and 2 hrs later, you are still clicking away.  I also discovered that the past needs to stay in the past.

On G-man's "friends," as I was looking at his page.....was his old roommate (whom we met through).  So I clicked on R's page.  R is married to A (who was my friend in college).  So I clicked on HER page.  I am looking at her friends and see a bunch of people from college.....including my EX BOYFRIEND.

My stomach sank.  Now, this is stupid....he and I broke up in 1995.  I haven't "talked" to him since 1998.  But just the power of seeing his picture and knowing that there might be info on his page sent my stomach turning and I broke out in a cold sweat.  Of course, C wanted to look, so I directed her there.  We clicked on his page....which was all private, so no info to be gotten there.

I realize these things only have as much power as you choose to give them.  But this isn't for me.  I can very easily see how it can get out of hand and obsessive.  No thanks.  I am busy enough without adding this in.

As for my Ex.....I have just enough morbid curiousity to wonder what he is up to.  But not enough to get an account and find out!

3 comments:

  1. I have to admit I enjoy my facebook time, tho I do set a limit to the amount of time I am on it. I use it for a variety of things, sold a lot of produce through it this summer, found a canopy for our truck, etc. It's kinda like craigslist and freecycle combined when I post what I have or what I am looking for. Hubby got addicted to one of the games on it, then realized he was spending hours on it, so he quite. Everything in moderation.

    I do see my ex-husbands face occassionally (he is friends with my daughters) but I can't see his page without being a friend, and until he pays the back child support, that ain't gonna happen. LOL

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  2. IMHO, Twitter is STUPID! I don't get it and the stupid tweets fly by so fast I don't see how anyone gets anything out of it. Although I'm on Twitter and post to it (automatically - I want little to do with it), I prefer Facebook for my blog. I get a lot more feedback and interaction that way. Most bloggers I know agree that FB is better than Twitter for promoting your blog, but you need to be on both.

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  3. While I do use Facebook and Twitter, somehow I seem to be losing interest in them. I mean, what value do I get at the end of day! It's great to know what friends have been up to...but spare me the mundane details. I'd other add some more value to myself while "socializing"

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