last week, i heard that a bunch of the blog girls took a trip over to facebook, and discovered there is a whole 'nuther world of social media out there.
i have to admit, i've had a facebook page for a couple of years, and i've never ever posted one thing there. i decided to look again, and i saw about 50 people that i know/knew, who would probably be my "friend" if i asked. with some of them, it would be truly fun to say hi! with others, i would feel silly, and would probably have a hard time coming up with anything at all to say.
it got me thinking about blogging, which i so love. oh sure, it's not without its weirdness, like when you find out somebody has been lurking around and reading your posts without telling you. or when someone you don't really WANT to have in your life is there, right along with your good friends, partaking of your vulnerabilities. there IS that.
but still. i think of blogging as "going out to coffee" or "chatting about what you did last night" with people i really truly want to share myself with. i'm open here (within reason) and i feel like i "know" you guys. it's intimate, too. when i'm hurting, the whole world does not comment, but one or two of you do, and that is enough. i can tell you guys stories, and read your stories, and connect. and that's good.
facebook, on the other hand, reminds me of going to "parties" when i was in college. yep, i actually attempted to be a partier once. i remember the sweating about just what to wear, and who would actually be there, and calling so-and-so and seeing if i could ride with her. i remember how silly i felt most of the time, anxiously awaiting to find that ONE person i was hoping to see, so i could crawl back in the corner and hole up with them, thus avoiding the masses.
even when i got to be a grownup with a grownup job, my behavior at the "work parties" we held was much the same. aaaaaaaarrrrrrrgggh! it was hard to pretend i wanted to be in a huge room full of people when i SO did not want to be! for a time, i actually enjoyed myself. it was fun "being seen" and acting kind of cool. for a little while, anyway.
so, back to facebook. it looks kind of fun. and i might be missing out on the party by not going over there. and to those of you who have invited me to be your friend, just know i already AM your friend. but i'd probably rather talk to you right HERE, where i can actually take the time to see how you are doing. is that okay?
11 comments:
Bpbbi-First of all hopefully you don't think of me as a "lurker" and second of all check out my last post-it is my feeling about facebook. You wrote it much better than I...except it is like going to a high school party, and some of the people appear to be the SAME
oh funny!
i was just posting on YOUR blog to tell you i wrote this post!!
and no, you are not a lurker, in fact, i am so happy to get to "know" you this way :)
You are brilliant! You hit the nail on the head, girl. I started the facebook thing for the new job, having absolutely no clue where it would take me. It's ridiculous, in its way, and I'm sorry I got everyone started on it. My hub tried to join the bandwagon over the weekend, too, but the first person who wanted to "friend" him was his psycho ex-girlfriend, so he wisely walked away.
yep, bob, that is how i feel too. i think i'm too old to go out and party on facebook, and all that "do you want to be friends" stuff just sends me back to junior high. nope. blogging is good for me, too.
well, you know, it's not too DEEP over at facebook. at least, it doesn't look like it.
oh.
and don't even think about Twitter, you have to be witty and clever and FAST there!
i sometimes think about blog posts for a WEEK before i post them :) ha.
Hi Bob, I agree. I love your analogy (whatever!!) You hit the nail right on the head! Oh totally unrelated....if I brought a couple of sewing ideas and dimensions, can we do a bit of straight line sewing? K~
you wrote the blog post that's been brewing in my mind for months.
my dilemma now is whether i can leave facebook without seeming like the rude kid who says, 'this party stinks! i'm outta here!', thereby offending all my partying 'friends'!
it's cyber-social-awkwardness. ;)
just to be clear, if i know you or at least know about you, and we've talked about my blog, or you've ever left a comment, you are NOT creepy or a lurker :)
he he.
at least not on MY blog.
ellen. i am glad you feel this way too, although you might be stuck with it if you want to connect with your "girls" without seeming like a gramma.
kirst. yes.
So I do actually have a couple kind of cool facebook stories. I was pressured to join at work, although I'm not sure why I am friends on facebook with my work friends ;)
Anyway story #1. I reconnected with Heather. I went to high school with her. Her mom has brain cancer. They have done what they can, but there is nothing left to do. She blogs about her moms daily struggle and her faith. I have emailed her a couple of times. She is in my thoughts and prayers.
Story #2. I reconnected with my friend Meg. We went to music camp together when we were in high school, she was from Omaha, and she was super cool. We were always visiting each other. Then she moved away got married and we lost track. Now were are friends again ;)
Now I do agree with what you are saying about facebook, but there is good that can come out of it too ;)
oh lou, that is right. i do remember you said you had a good time there.
okay. i guess facebook can be good too :)
i've been asked to be friends on the facebook thing but I've never set up my own. honestly, I don't really get it. I check it every once in awhile, but I prefer the blogging way to communicate. It's just what I'm used to I guess.
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