|
May. 5, 2009
Facebook Trauma
It's been several weeks since I've blogged. I've finally entered the world of facebook. I'm not sure if that's a good idea, but I did, and it is fun.
It just doesn't take the place of blogging. This is where I can just tell my stories, or just ramble away. You can't ramble on FB - I think you're only allowed so many lines!
FB did pose an immediate problem for me: you have to ask to be friends. It reminded me of high school and not being popular. Does that sound pathetic to anyone else? "Pretty please, can we be friends?" Ah, well. And then there is the impulse to automatically agree to be friends with anyone who asks you - no matter how distance that acquaintance is. So I ended up "friending" people that I would not have sought out.
I started out with the ulterior motive of checking on clients who had FB - only to realize that you had to be "friends." Not going to happen. What person in their right mind (okay, that's debatable) would ask a custody investigator to be their friend? Nope.
But then I realized that I had some old high school friends there. Now, that's been fun. I will friend anyone from my old school. EVEN those that never spoke to me. AH, popular at last. Me and their 139 other friends.
Of course then I have friend whom I could just pick up the phone and call but of course I'd friend them because it was just, you know, FUN.
But then I allowed some of their kids "friend" me. And that's when I started thinking: this is a problem.
Now, understand I just started FB in the last couple of weeks. And I realize it promotes a familiarity with its' users that may not occur during a physical face to face conversation.
So, when a young teen son of a friend questioned me on a subject, and then seemed to (I'm sure in jest) criticize my cousin, I had to take another look.
And I decided: I'm not friends with everyone. I needed to set some limits! Sir thinks I overthink this whole thing. But I had to work it through my mind! Crazy as it seems.
So, I am thinking of my FB as an extension of my home. Other than my old HS friends, if a person isn't someone I'd be comfortable having a chat with in my own living room - they aren't "friends." So with that in mind - I "unfriended" some people. First to go were the teenage sons of a friends. They are perfectly good kids, but the FB allowed a familiarity I did not want.
OH! I love to browse to see who has a FB. I saw that the Judge (whose courtroom I'm generally in) has a FB, too, and I saw all her friends: other attorneys, social workers, etc. that I know.
And I thought - I want to be their friend too! And I almost... ALMOST...asked. And I didn't.
Because... it's an extension of my home. I fought down the old high school feeling of unpopular and reminded myself that I didn't want or need to be "friends" with them!
I'm good where I'm at.
Thank you for listening. |
| •
Send to a Friend!
|
Comments
|
|
|
|
Posted by 
Posted by 
May. 5, 2009 - FB