At the urging of my friend, Tipper and another old friend, Sue J., I decided to check out Facebook. I'm not sure what the purpose of this site is other than connecting to each others whether it is old classmates or old friends trying to find each other. I am sorry to say that I spent far more time than I have to spend, trying to go through all the menus.
I can see how this could be addictive, just as the Blackberry has become addictive. BB has a Blackberry and it is on and with him at all waking hours. At first I scorned this little phone gadget that cost so much money, but heck, now I am asking him to let me check my e-mail when we are traveling. He set it up with both my email address and his email address so it is like a secretary for both of us. The only problem with it as far as I'm concerned, I cannot type on it. So I phone instead of returning emails when we are away from home.
While trying out this Facebook thing, I tried to think of someone from high school I might want to hear from again after all these years. Only one person came to mind. Claudia. We went to the same college and kept in touch for many years, but have not corresponded in fifteen years or more.
Lo and behold, I put in her maiden name and there she was in Portland Maine, the same place she had been when she sent the last Christmas card. And also on her list of "friends" was Jen, her daughter, now grown up with family, and I think her son was also among the list of friends attached to her name.
I'm sure there are some tips I should have known before I signed up for Facebook. Mainly that I should have used my maiden name if I wanted my past to catch up with me. I have mixed feelings about that. I'll go to Facebook now and see what is going on. I'm not sure what benefit I'll get from it, but I'm curious and like to see what is happening.
I resisted facebook, too - but it's been okay, sometimes even fun! And I reconnected with a few people from high school :)
ReplyDeleteFacebook is far better than MySpace - cleaner, easier to navigate, more adult. That is probably the biggest attraction. Lots of games & such as well, plus fan clubs, etc.
ReplyDeleteAt the moment, Facebook and Twitter are all the rage... (Although I confess I've not totally figured out Twitter...)
L. Diane Wolfe
www.circleoffriendsbooks.blogspot.com
www.spunkonastick.net
www.thecircleoffriends.net
Thanks, Kat,
ReplyDeleteI'm catching on. Jayne Ferrer says we should have a Netwest Facebook page.
What do you and Diane say?
I don't know how a non-profit business sets and get friends. But I'll look into it.
I agree, it is a more adult site than those others I've heard about.
I just tried Facebook myself this past week. Encouraged by old friends who really enjoy it, I thought why not? I'm not certain I really like it. To me it looks like group emails. Personally I prefer to correspond with friends separately by email as I always have. These old friends have a large family and I can see why they like it. They wrote back and said we should get something on our wall soon or people will think we don't have any friends.
ReplyDeleteHave you tried Twitter Glenda? I haven't yet. I'm not sure I have time for all of this plus two blogs, a food column and writing a book. Hope you and Barry had a nice Easter.
Sam
Facebook - my verdict is still out. I spent several hours on two evenings and seems to me it is for families or groups scattered all over the country.
ReplyDeleteHowever, I've been told it is a good place to get publicity for your writing - connecting to many people who might not have the opportunity to learn about you.
I notice the Folk School is on Facebook, NCWN is on Facebook and many people who have blogs I follow or read. I will continue to check it out and see what kind of response I get. Much of it seems to be for people who have more time that you and I do Sam.
But I keep remembersing how Maggie Bishop, author of mystery and romance novels said she spends TWO hours every day on marketing on the Internet. I think this kind of thing is part of marketing now just as blogs and websites have been for sometime now.