Facebook

What do I always say folks? Am I not always telling you how we need to strive to evolve as a person? We should always be looking for ways to improve ourselves. I always say not to be afraid to change a little every now and then, and not to knock something until you’ve tried it. Well, I did a little of that evolving last week. I finally let me wife make me a Facebook page.
If you have been living under a rock the last few years, Facebook is a social networking internet sight that lets you keep up and chat with friends and family.
I know, I know. I said I would never do it. I said it was nerdy, and a waste of time, and a barrel full of trouble for a married person. I said it was for women, and any man on there should have his Guy Card taken away for a while.
And to some extent, I still believe all of that. But I have to admit… it’s actually kind of cool, too.
I’ve caught up with and have seen pictures of old friends who I have not seen in over a decade. I got to exchange a few words with a buddy who’s sons played football with my son. I’ve even come across a couple of teachers that I had back in high school- one of which I thought had been dead for quite some time.
And everywhere I look on there, there are ideas for my column. For instance, I met this woman a few years ago when I used to deliver newspapers. For the longest time, I thought this lady was very (how should I say this?) … Martha Stewart. She was always quiet and reserved, and I could just picture her going home every day and making furniture out of toothpicks, a couple of pinecones and some hot glue.
Come to find out, she’s an avid 70s and 80s rock and roll fan. And she even told an amazing story the other day about pulling a calf all by herself. She pulled a calf by herself. Folks, she reached down, grabbed hold, and pulled a calf… by herself. Let’s see Martha do that on t.v.
Without Facebook, I would never have heard that story.
It’s also a great way to exchange a few words with friends and family without having to talk on the phone. I’m not a big phone guy, so this works out good for me. I can drop a few lines on someone’s wall (that’s what we FB users call someone’s message board), then come back in a few hours to see what they replied. You don’t actually have to carry on a conversation with them, and you don’t get stuck on the phone for a half hour discussing something that you have no interest in. It’s quick and to the point, and that’s what I like about it.
Of course, there is still plenty that I don’t like.
I’m not crazy about having to put a picture of myself up there. I’ve never seen a picture of myself that I liked, so I had to dig for one that I hated less than the others. Someone on there posted some photos of us back in high school. I never realized that I looked so bad.
I’m not crazy about the way it makes you feel needy, either. In order to talk to somebody, you have to ask to be their “friend”. That’s a lot of pride for me to swallow. In my 37 years, I’ve never once asked to be someone’s friend.
And whenever someone asks to be my friend or comments on my wall it sends an email to me, which I get on my iPhone. So now I’m addicted to checking my phone more times a day than my son ties his shoes.
And I’m not crazy about playing all the little farm games and stuff on there, either. Evolving or not, I’m not ready to turn my Guy Card in for good just yet.