Sunday, January 04, 2009

this may be the last you see of me for a while

I had this well thought out post when I sat down and now I can't remember it.


Maybe because when I first turned on the computer I saw that several of the people I found earlier in the day on Facebook had responded that they want to be my friend.

Facebook.

Have you heard of it?

I signed up almost a year ago when someone sent me an invitation. Since then, I've logged in once every few months to accept invitations from long-lost friends to reconnect. But I haven't really spent much time with it, because I spend far too much time as it is on the computer.

(Or so Charlie says.)


But today.

I logged on to Facebook for the first time in three months and accepted several friend invitations. Or whatever you call them. And I ignored several friend requests from people that I have absolutely no idea who they are. Maybe they have me confused with someone else? And I looked at all these crazy requests I've received for ... Lil Green Patch? Nicest Person? Ice cream madness? Star Wars? Sweetest Person? Give me a hug? Give me a cupcake? Give me a zombie?

Who?

What?


And in the midst of all that, I noticed that my niece, Janine, had written to me.

My niece that I haven't seen or spoken to in at least two years.

Janine?

So I click over to her Facebook page and I see that she is connected with several of my other nieces who are also on Facebook. And so, I send them invitations to be my friend. And then, just out of curiosity, I decide to search and see who else might be on Facebook that I know.

And almost every one that I looked for, I found.

There were two of my four sisters. Three of my college professors. Almost half of my 23 nieces and nephews. And my very first boyfriend who I dated all through highschool and for two years of college. Through the beauty that is Facebook, I found out that my highschool's 20-year reunion is the last week of July.

I sure hope my neck is healed by then because showing up in a brace would be so uncool.

This to me, is what is so great about the internet. Sitting in the comfort of my living room in my pajamas, in a single morning, I can almost instantly connect with people that have touched my life. And just when I'm getting in to it - I will look at my watch and notice that almost THREE HOURS have slipped past while I was checking in on Alice. And Lucy. And Emily. And Eileen.

And my 17-year old niece Mary has over five hundred friends?

Does my brother know that his daughter has befriended so many people?!

So, that might be the last time I log on to Facebook for the next three months because I just don't have the time. With whatever computer time I have, I need to be recording for posterity William wearing his soccer shin guards to church tonight over his pants because last week, a boy kicked him and he wanted to make sure that didn't happen again.

I need to write about Elizabeth telling me that while she was at church - she heard God whisper in her ear that He is taking good care of Molly. And that Molly loves her very, very much.

I need to record that although I tell the children every night when I tuck them in to bed that God sent them to me ... tonight, Carolyn felt compelled to tell me that No, God sent ME to HER. And also? Could she please get up for a very small minute and have some ice cream?

Okay, enough about posterity.

While I was writing this post, Charlie decided to check out Facebook. He is going crazy sitting behind me yelling out that he has just found guys that he hasn't spoken with in over 20 years. People from his trip to New Zealand!!

And college roommates!!

And oh man. Where's his HAIR?!

He set up an account less than 20 minutes ago and already, he's sent out 30 friend requests. Now something tells me my husband might be spending more time on the computer than me from this point on. At the rate he is going, he might soon have more friends than me.

And that simply won't do.

22 comments:

  1. I long resisted facebook because I didn't understand the point.

    I will admit right here that I was totally and completely wrong.

    While Facebook might be a crazy time suck, it is one of the most wonderful reunion tools on the internet...even if it does sometimes bring out some crazy internet stalkers.

    But as a recent convert to facebook lover myself, I welcome you to the great time suck...I mean connection tool!

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  2. Facebook rocks my socks off. I check mine about 15 times a day. And then I get thoroughly offended when someone has not commented on my pictures that I put up 2 hours before.

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  3. Oh NO! Doesn't he have a lap top???? Tell him it's not about you!!! or even him......... It's about us!!

    WE NEED OUR TRIPLET FIX!!!!!!!!

    Marg.

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  4. Facebook is my latest addiction. And I have connected with so many wonderful people. I highly recommend logging on more than every few months, for all of the reasons you posted and more.

    My siblings are younger and there is no way I can beat their friend list. My nieces and nephews are even worse. I keep my husband up to date on his family and their relationship status ;) That way when the family gets together at least we are "in the know."

    Have fun...and I totally know you can beat Charlie's 30 friends!

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  5. Facebook is crazy. It is such a time suck. But I love it all the same. I totally ignore all those silly invite/icon/app things except for a rare occasion I will say accept to a birthday calendar that helps me (automatically) keep track of birthdays.

    Anyway, trying to compete with two facebook accounts (yours and Charlies) will be tough...my husband is on facebook ALL the time!

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  6. I also spend WAAAAAY to much time on facebook. But it is so cool to see what everyone is up to. Especially the long lost grade school and high school people- it's like getting to see how the story ended up, how their lives turned out is sooo fascinating to me.

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  7. I HEART Facebook too. Like you I found it just a few months ago and love it! Have fun catching up with all your friends/family! :)

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  8. I discovered Facebook the week before Christmas and I was SO ANNOYED that people would be busy celebrating Christmas and not accepting my friend requests immediately!!!!!

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  9. I LOVE Facebook! Had a "real" reunion with some friends I hadn't seen in years with whom I reconnected on Facebook.

    My husband is way more addicted than I am too on Facebook

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  10. I wanna be your friend -- Joy Hall


    Welcome to the dark side!

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  11. FB rocks! Glad to see you are finally getting my little plants that I've sent you! heehee

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  12. Yep, I'm on facebook too. It is a great way to re-connect with my long lost peeps:)

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  13. i am completely addicted to the facebook word games.

    it's ... uh... exercising my brain, right?

    RIGHT?????

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  14. Hey Jen,
    Totally unrelated to this post, but thank you for your post a while back about the hats your kids wear. I just wanted to let you know I found them for $9.93 online today.
    http://www.rei.com/outlet/product/778517
    Stacey
    P.S. Love your blog.

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  15. I totally heart facebook and it's getting better all the time as more and more of my friends join. If you want to 'meet' one of your blog reader fans and see pics of my family, feel free to add me... Anita Reimann. I've gotten in much better touch with a few of my cousins, and reconnected with old high school friends. cheers, Anita R. (and btw, I love William's logic regarding the shin guards! Too cute!)

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  16. Did you have to blog about Facebook today? I was in the middle of a big project and stopped to read your blog... Then of course I had to go see what was so great about Facebook. And that's where I have spent the past two hours... :+) I must say it is pretty cool. Have fun!

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  17. I'm facebook addicted so I feel your pain!

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  18. I saw you on Facebook last month when I was zabasearching you. Welcome to your unprivate world! Hee hee. Now knock it off and stay over in the anonymous world with us.

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  19. Heeh Yes it did make me feel better! Oh and I hear you on the face book thing! Its insane.

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  20. I resisted FB for a looong time. But finally last November I succumbed. And it was wonderful! I've touched base again with so many old friends. But yes, like you, I have no discipline on that dang thing. Thank goodness work doesn't allow that site on our network, so I can't check it at the office. I'd never get anything done!

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  21. Ahhh...facebook. I was one of the first out of my group of friends to join at the insistance of my neighbour last year.

    Now they are ALL on...who can resist?!!

    You should see the youtube video that has two guys acting out facebook as if it were real life; "the real facebook" I think it's called.

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  22. I was crying because I read about Molly and I just put my loved Brandy to sleep after Christmas. As my tears started rolling I went back and continued reading...the shin guards....now crying and laughing very loudly!

    Thanks.

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