Thursday, October 28, 2010

Is facebook a verb?

Sometimes I find myself spending too much time on facebook and I think to myself, Self, maybe your detractor friends are right and it's just a big fat waste of time.
But then something serendipitous (you know that's my favourite word, right?) happens (read former post here) and I am hooked again.

Like last week, when Ellen, of The Other Foote fame, delivered this little treat to my door. 
Ellen, in case you didn't know, is one of my favourite people in the whole world. 
I'll bet she didn't even know that! 
She's probably holding back a tear or two as she reads these words. 
Anyway, Ellen posted a quote from West Side Story and I commented that I had never seen it. 
Viola!

I haven't watched the movie yet, but we ate the cookies!

A couple of months ago, one of the cute young moms at church posted late at night that she was desperate for some chocolate but couldn't find a single morsel in the house. 
Well, you know me and my chocolate stash!
She lives quite close, so I raided my stash and took her a bar of Scharffenberger, hoping she had discerning taste buds. She was suitably surprised and delighted and I got a huge kick out of being her chocolate fairy.
Then, I had a cold about three weeks ago and was whining about it on facebook. 
Right at dinnertime, my little friend knocks on the door with some adobo chicken and rice.
My turn to be surprised and delighted.
She had sick kids last week.
I know, because I saw it on facebook.
So I took her a loaf of apple bread.
And I was glad to see that her Mom went and helped her out for a day.

So, to me, facebook has become one more way to take care of each other. 
Yes, I sometimes waste a little time on it, but the benefits to my mental health far outweigh the disadvantages.

The other big plus, for me, is that I can keep up with the lives of my friends, both near and far.
Remember my Canadian friend Mark from Doha?
He joined facebook at the behest of his grown children. 
Like me, he is a sucker for nostalgia and enjoys reminiscing with old high school friends, which facebook has facilitated like no other genre. Because of our facebook connection, we took a fun trip to Utah together, which you can read about here, here, here, and here, should you be a new reader and also a devil for punishment! It was one of the highlights of my year.

So, think what you will about the evils of social networking.
As for me, I will continue to facebook to my heart's content.

P.S. Ellen, there's your link back!

7 comments:

  1. I agree! It can take up too much time, but it helps me stay connected with friends and family - both old and young!

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  2. Your trip with Mark and Grace was the highlight of my summer. Reminded me that once upon a time I had friends and a carefree life, not that I don't like the life I have, it was just different and I will be honest, a lot more fun with less responsibility!! I agree, I can't keep up with my kids without being on FB, especially Nathan in Afghanistan. Keeps me in the lives of my far flung nieces and nephews as well. I hope you never get tired of blogging or being on FB, I would miss you dreadfully, specially now that I found you again after 30 years!!

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  3. haha Now I'm thinking I'll moan and groan on facebook about craving sweets or whatnot... excellent!

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  4. Don't forget our pizza cook off, never would have happened if not for facebook. I have the same problem sometimes, but love keeping in touch and I am not a call someone up and talk endlessly on the phone person. Facebook and texts suit my personality better

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  5. I can't do it~ I can't do Facebook! *runs screaming from the blog*

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  6. Oh nooooo, I've scared off Jenny!

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  7. I think I need a tissue...*sniff*

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