![[header4.jpg]](http://img51.imageshack.us/img51/2263/banner20questionstuesda.png)
Computer social networking is really an interesting animal. So, on Facebook, I have created the most bare bones profile I could imagine whilst still letting people know of my existence. It has been an interesting process. I have found out (much to my 5 year rule’s chagrin) that there are a few people with whom I had lost contact that were not actually deceased. Go them! It is nice to know that Dan is doing well in the Toledo area, and who isn’t surprised that John is living in Cincinnati?
Anyhoo… interesting things have happened since I have dipped my toes in the swirling miasma of “social networking.” The most interesting of which happened yesterday, but more on that later. Let’s get some set-up and back story.
Because I am all that and a bag of chips I get “friend” requests all the time. If it is from someone I actually know, I will accept the friend request regardless of personal leanings for or against the person. Every once and a while I get a friend request that seems to be dubious at best. I don’t know any single 20 year old “women” from Russia who are “Looking for a relationship.” You, Svetlana? You get your friend request denied.
I guess in many ways I am too old for the whole Facebook process. I don’t write on anyone’s “wall.” I don’t understand nor care what the hell “poking” is. I have not added any widgets or other applications to my account. I don’t feel it necessary to compare myself to Courtney Love. Really, I only made an account because somehow some people were being referred to this here bloggarooney via a Facebook link, and I wanted to find out why and how.
Really, for me, a friend request from someone I know and recognize is like acknowledging someone as being. “Yes, I recognize your existence” is basically what I am saying. Honestly, that is the only reason I have more than 5 friends listed on my Facebook account. Befriending someone you know/knew in real life on Facebook is harmless, but it can lead to interesting situations.
This weekend we decided to go to the zoo. The weather was insanely beautiful and everyone was in pretty good spirits. We load up the car and head to the zoo. The zoo was amazing. Because the weather was so mild, animals that typically don’t do anything were up and about, and the animals that there is usually no sign of there existence were at least sleeping within view. The first place we went was to watch the zoo train cross the tracks. Little Man was having no part of riding the train, but he did want us to sit on as bench and wait for the train to lower the gates and such.
Once done with the train, he wanted to go see the penguins. So off across the zoo the family traveled. Here is where the interesting Facebook interaction thing takes place. At the penguin exhibit, I see one of the people that is listed as a “friend” within my Facebook account. Now, this is a person that I have not spoken to since before Little Man was born, and the only “contact” I have had with them is via the third party notification system employed by Facebook itself, but nonetheless in cyber land this person is listed as a “friend.”
I am confident in this person’s identity and I am fairly certain that I was recognized as well. No acknowledgement was made by either of us other than me leaning over toward Wifey and asking “Isn’t that so-and-so?” and her replying “I don’t know.” So I ask you Internet folk especially those who are all Facebooked up, what is the point of having someone listed as your friend, if both people don’t want to talk to each other? I mean what’s the freaking point of social networking if the members of the network don’t want to be social.
To recap:
This didn’t end up being all that interesting
I apologize
It was a better idea before I started writing it
In that way, I completely ruined it
Is there a category on Facebook for your social network for “wishes no ill will toward”
I think “Friend” is pretty presumptuous
Without it being so hot the penguin house was not sooo difficult to be around olfactory-wise
Been working on a preferred alignment alternative for a highway job in Utica, Indiana
I lead a very exciting life
No really
I love me some Olympics
Not as much as Wifey loves the Olympics
I am not sure that Olympians love the Olympics as much as Wifey loves the Olympics
Ummm… Olympics, Olympics, Olympics, Olympics, Olympics, Olympics
Listening to the guy in the Cube next door celebrating the first Indian individual gold medal
Anyhoo… interesting things have happened since I have dipped my toes in the swirling miasma of “social networking.” The most interesting of which happened yesterday, but more on that later. Let’s get some set-up and back story.
Because I am all that and a bag of chips I get “friend” requests all the time. If it is from someone I actually know, I will accept the friend request regardless of personal leanings for or against the person. Every once and a while I get a friend request that seems to be dubious at best. I don’t know any single 20 year old “women” from Russia who are “Looking for a relationship.” You, Svetlana? You get your friend request denied.
I guess in many ways I am too old for the whole Facebook process. I don’t write on anyone’s “wall.” I don’t understand nor care what the hell “poking” is. I have not added any widgets or other applications to my account. I don’t feel it necessary to compare myself to Courtney Love. Really, I only made an account because somehow some people were being referred to this here bloggarooney via a Facebook link, and I wanted to find out why and how.
Really, for me, a friend request from someone I know and recognize is like acknowledging someone as being. “Yes, I recognize your existence” is basically what I am saying. Honestly, that is the only reason I have more than 5 friends listed on my Facebook account. Befriending someone you know/knew in real life on Facebook is harmless, but it can lead to interesting situations.
This weekend we decided to go to the zoo. The weather was insanely beautiful and everyone was in pretty good spirits. We load up the car and head to the zoo. The zoo was amazing. Because the weather was so mild, animals that typically don’t do anything were up and about, and the animals that there is usually no sign of there existence were at least sleeping within view. The first place we went was to watch the zoo train cross the tracks. Little Man was having no part of riding the train, but he did want us to sit on as bench and wait for the train to lower the gates and such.
Once done with the train, he wanted to go see the penguins. So off across the zoo the family traveled. Here is where the interesting Facebook interaction thing takes place. At the penguin exhibit, I see one of the people that is listed as a “friend” within my Facebook account. Now, this is a person that I have not spoken to since before Little Man was born, and the only “contact” I have had with them is via the third party notification system employed by Facebook itself, but nonetheless in cyber land this person is listed as a “friend.”
I am confident in this person’s identity and I am fairly certain that I was recognized as well. No acknowledgement was made by either of us other than me leaning over toward Wifey and asking “Isn’t that so-and-so?” and her replying “I don’t know.” So I ask you Internet folk especially those who are all Facebooked up, what is the point of having someone listed as your friend, if both people don’t want to talk to each other? I mean what’s the freaking point of social networking if the members of the network don’t want to be social.
To recap:
This didn’t end up being all that interesting
I apologize
It was a better idea before I started writing it
In that way, I completely ruined it
Is there a category on Facebook for your social network for “wishes no ill will toward”
I think “Friend” is pretty presumptuous
Without it being so hot the penguin house was not sooo difficult to be around olfactory-wise
Been working on a preferred alignment alternative for a highway job in Utica, Indiana
I lead a very exciting life
No really
I love me some Olympics
Not as much as Wifey loves the Olympics
I am not sure that Olympians love the Olympics as much as Wifey loves the Olympics
Ummm… Olympics, Olympics, Olympics, Olympics, Olympics, Olympics
Listening to the guy in the Cube next door celebrating the first Indian individual gold medal
Labels: mad ramblings
3 Comments:
Re: facebook, have you seen this?
http://www.geekoffice.com/Media_Section/Musicians_Vids/Facebook_Stalker/
Atmikha
I prefer Facebook to MySpace because I've found the one or two applications that I honestly enjoy. But I agree with you on the "friend" definition. I will rarely request someone just because I "know" them from that one party 6 years ago.
I'm reasonably certain that there are two types of facebookers:
1) the type who turn it into their life's passion, watching, writing, and rekindling.
and
2) the kind who like a good memory jog from time to time, and like some affirmation that their life hasn't completely gone down the crapper in comparison to those people from their past.
I think I'm #2, no pun intended.
I also have recently spent an inordinate amount of time removing third party apps from my facebook page. Less is more, I sometimes say.
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