Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Taking the Plunge!

Quite a few months ago, my daughter -Mandy -decided to set up a Facebook account for herself. At that time, she sent me an e-mail invitation to join in and set up an account for myself.

Frankly, I couldn'tsee what the big thrill was with Facebook. Besides that, how many people would I be able to find as "Friends" from my past, in my age range and such.

And, my other logic was that I sure as Hell didn't need something else computer-related to which I might possible get addicted. And I most certainly didn't have any spare time to putsy around on something like the darned Facebook when I have all kinds of blogs to read every day from my Reader, trying to come up with posts from time to time as well that are even half-interesting in addition to wracking my pea brain daily to think up something yummy to fix for supper, watch the two little ones and try to keep them on the "straight and narrow" too. Add to that, the three boxes packed with various embroidery projects I have now acquired and would like to get at least some of them completed during my lifetime.

Plain and simiple, in my estimation, there were not enough hours in a day as it was for me so why would I ever think of adding something as time-consuming as Facebook to my jam-packed schedule.

Now that doesn't mean that I haven't often peeked in on Mandy's Facebook, read some of the stuff there, enjoyed a chuckle or two -or ten from time to time. Because, yes I have. I've even ventured out and made a couple comments now and again on her account too but she got a little testy about that and told me to get my own damned Facebook!

And I held out on doing that until last week when a friend from over in Ohio who I met through some common interests in local history and family tree research about 9-10 years ago, sent me am e-mail invitation to join Facebook so I could see all her photos there.

Hmmm. I debated for at least 4-5 days over the idea and then, finally, last night, I bit, took the plunge , I did and now, I too am a member of the Facebook community!

I stayed up till after 4 a.m. Monday morning in search of people I know and sending out requests then for them to add me as a friend. Yes, I did that!

I spent a lot of time on it off and on all day today too -finding more people, sending friend requests to them and then, tonight after having done all that and finally having finally finished reading all the posts from last night and today on my reader, I decided it was time to sit back, write a post for the old blog and relax with the last cold bottle of Yuengling that's been in the fridge for close to six months now!

Too my surprise, my "Friend" count is now up to 47 people. One of my friends is a lady who is a writer, interested too in local history, with whom I had communicated for aabout 4-5 years but we lost contact about 3, maybe 4 years ago, and now, what was lost has been found again! Neat, huu?

You betcha!

Ok, very few of those on my Friend list are in my age range, that much is true. Instead though, I have made connections with numerous cousins -children of my frist cousins on both sides of my family tree and that's great! That alone will aid me tremendously in trying to keep my family trees a little better up-to-date.

A lot of those on my friend list are younger folks who I have worked with over the years. Some are friends of Mandy's too and even have one of the therapists who worked with Maya and Kurt over the past 4 years too.

And I also have a lot of my blogger friends on my Facebook friend list as well! Just a faster way of keeping in contact too with some of those folks.

And y ou know what?

At the end of this day -after about 24 hours of living in that fast lane of Facebook, I even have a big photo albumk posted there now too with 70 pictures of my kids and grandkids -the most important things in my life -for all the Facebook community who "friends" me to see!

And you know what else?

I was right about one thing -it is addictive. Damned addictive, for sure.

But I have to say this much for it too -I'm loving it!

Come join me there, why don't 'cha?

I'll be waiting to "friend" you. All ya gotta do is ask!

13 comments:

Debo Blue said...

I'm not on Facebook so I oouldn't go in and see the pix. You're hilarious Jeni.

Now it's time to try Twitter. You can follow me there (DeboBlue).

Maybe I'll open a Facebook page.

One day.

Diva's Thoughts said...

I keep hearing people say how addictive facebook is.

Sandee said...

I'm not going to join Facebook. I can't do one more thing in terms of blogging. I've got my plate so full now. I'm glad that you are enjoying Facebook. Have a great time. :)

Suldog said...

Sorry, Jeni, but I have barely enough time to visit all of my friends in bloggerville, let alone branch out onto Facebook or Twitter or anything else. Enjoy, though!

Casdok said...

Like you i resisted for ages and then took the plunge. Thankfully i am not finding it too addictive (says she!!)

none said...

I was thinking of looking up some old friends on facebook but then I thought if they were really friends they would have tried to keep in touch.

Jocelyn said...

I so have shared your sentiments: I feel like I don't need one more thing to maintain...yet I feel myself heading there, too.

I'll look you up when and if I ever take the plunge. You are awesome.

Linda said...

Facebook is alright and I've been on it for quite some time but I do find that it takes up way too much time that I really should be using for other things. I have a Twitter account, too, but I really don't use it and don't plan on using it no matter how many "Followers" I have!

I just wish that my real life was as full as my online life but alas, that just never seems to be the case!

Paula said...

You took the plunge! Actually, I was sucked into Facebook quite a bit at first, but now I only check it about once a week or so. It kind of irritates me, with everybody's quizzes and such that fill up the home page all the time. I've decided that I still much prefer the bloggy world, though it's been fun getting back in contact with old friends.

Berni said...

Although I had opened accounts a while ago I really wasn't using it. My sons had suggested it as a way to keep in touch with what they were up to and I suppose it does a bit when they think to post. About the same time as you I rethought it and realized I really need to connect with folks, I don't know a whole lot and since I went to boarding school in UK any friends I had there are long lost. However I have connected with a few folks from my old church and some from the church we go to now in the hopes of making some friendships despite the mileage problem. I think it can be quite addictive, maybe when I have tried all the little doo-dads I will ease off a bit. I tried a chat message to you today just to see how that worked. I wasn't sure if I would actually connect and hear your voice or it was text messaging.

Travis Cody said...

I'm having the Facebook think too. I haven't done it for a lot of the same reasons. But now I'm considering it. We'll see.

fermicat said...

I'll probably join Facebook soon, but so far I haven't found the time to fool with it.

terri said...

I joined, but just don't have time to keep up with it. I'll look you up next time I log on though!