Social? Networking Part 1

I LOVE "social networking."

There.  I said it.  Even though sometimes I complain about the "joys" of facebook, I rarely go a day without checking in.  I wasted lots of hours in college on myspace.  I have a twitter account that I almost never use.  Facebook is my favorite, though...until they come up with something that changes a little less frequently!  Yep...I'm a social network junkie!

 

Here's why I love social networking:

I can "talk" to people I haven't talked to in years!  I have "friends" from elementary school on facebook!  It's true.   I may not have talked to them in elementary school...or since elementary school...but somehow, often through a friend or a friend of a friend, we've found each other and are "friends" now.  We chat like we've been friends all our lives.  We may not have liked each other then, but we're best buds now!  Or at least when we're both online we are.

I have new friends!  It's absolutely true.  Okay, technically I didn't "meet" her on facebook, but one of my best friends in the whole world is a facebook friend.  One I've never met in real life!  We could chat for hours on end.  Sometimes we DO chat for hours on end.  We've got kids the same ages, with similar "issues."  We have similar values.  We wish so desperately that we lived close enough to sit on the back porch with a cup of hot chocolate while our kids ran around the back yard together, but we don't.  Instead, we chat online while our kids run around our respective back yards.  We can support each other through medical issues, surgeries, financial struggles...all from across the country.  Thanks, Leigh!

I have the chance to win great prizes!  It's true.   I've found that lots of fellow "mommy bloggers" post reviews and giveaways on facebook.  Items I NEED but usually wouldn't buy for myself.  Sometimes the giveaways are right there on facebook!  I don't even have to go to the trouble of searching the internet!

I can chat with my sister all day long, off and on.  It saves having to pull my cell phone out of my pocket 40,000 times a day.  She calls me less now that we've figured out we can chat online!  (Don't get me wrong, we still talk on the phone daily...usually multiple times.)  We're both stay at home moms, and it's nice to hear a friendly (read: grown-up) voice from time to time!

I can "contract" help!  When I have a question about taxes, I send a note to a friend on facebook that knows about tax laws.  When I need a babysitter, I first post about it on facebook to see if anyone's interested.  When I need information about a particular product, I can post a general question and 13 people will respond.  It's amazing!

I can send mass emails (to 20 people at a time) inviting them or telling them or asking them or...  Or I can send private emails to one or two people at a time.  I can even send a mass email and then branch a private conversation from that.  We almost don't even NEED separate email accounts anymore!

If I had a business, I could have my very own "fan page" where everyone I know could "like" me and keep up with what's going on!

I can keep connected with my family, some far away, some near.  I can see pictures of their children/pets/gardens and they can see mine.  They can share their day dreams, their accomplishments, their struggles, their prayers, their lunch menus, and I can share mine.  For some of us that don't get to see each other in person often, this is great!

I could go on all day about what I love, but I'll stop there.  Social networking has come a long, LONG way in the past few years.  There are a hundred million  reasons to enjoy social networking.  After all, it helps keep us "social," right?

Right...

Come back tomorrow and read what I have to say about "ANTI-social" networking...