Facebook

I'm on Facebook.
Not right now, but I have an account - I guess that means a page. It took me awhile to figure out how it works - who can see what, how to hide some of the programs that pop up from it, but I think I've got the hang of it now. I really like it - at first I thought it was a waste of time. AND, I felt slightly guilty. Here's why.
My first excursions were a very tentative peep at who was on there - my sister, some local friends, friends from our playgroup down in Chesapeake - and then I got a message from a high school boyfriend. Nothing much - how are you, I'm married, are you, here's my story, here's my blog (and then I never heard from him again; that blog gets 'em every time!). Then an old friend died, and I saw his best friend on FB, made the contact, exchanged the necessary information, forwarded my blog address, and BAM! that contact died on the vine.
So, I thought that was all FB was good for - old BFs (or old BFFs) contacting, seeing if you were divorced (I guess?) and moving on. But what has been so RICH for me was the other friendships I've re-established. I've seen folks there I haven't talked to since 10th grade - or since grad school 10 years ago - and we're having a hoot seeing how each other turned out. It really is a great way to reconnect.
Friends from our old church in Chesapeake are online, too, as well as those who have moved on from there to other parts of the country. Its neat-o watching pictures of their babies and kids growing up, as well as being able to relate to some of the struggles they face in their lives. They share their difficulties and I share mine - kind of like we did face-to-face, but its a larger network that is just as strong in cyberspace as it was in the nursery/at the playground/fellowship hall.
The best use I've seen with FB is the real-time ability to connect with - HAH!- local friends. We scheduled a great playdate at the park, keep up with our kids' colds (kind of like the Covington Flu Report) and complai- I mean, compliment our husbands. Right now we're planning a girls (moms) night out at the local Mexican restaurante - and according to the posts there may be an outburst of impromptu karaoke (without a mike - without a karaoke machine) fueled by, "a gallon of margaritas". Hmmmm. And if we make the paper, we'll be sure that one of the mom's picture is on the front page - again - for a small-town scandal. I'll be sure to include a link if it gets that out of hand!
I've had to put myself on FB, email and blog restriction during the daytime. I don't want it to come before my Littles, and once Andy gets home, he has reign over the computer. Plus I want to spend time with him - unelectronically, if you catch my drift. So, Facebook waits, piling up status feeds, collecting inbox messages and receiving posted pictures, waiting for me to peruse at my leisure. Around midnight. See you online!