Sunday, January 18, 2009

On Facebook



That's me, in the red top in this picture that an old high school friend just posted on facebook.

I decided to join facebook last year. I'm not quite sure why, but it seemed like there might be some interesting stuff on there.

So I joined, and a stranger asked me to be his friend. A good-looking stranger, I might add. Well, I went to college in Toronto and he lived in Toronto, so maybe we weren't completely strangers (although we probably were), but I said ok. My first friend! Then I asked Donna from work to be my friend, and I had 2 friends. Gradually my friends list started to increase, although the numbers didn't approach what my kids have. But honestly, I have started to suspect that the kids just look for quantity, rather than quality, in their friends.

I honestly have no idea how to navigate around facebook, and I don't really have the time or desire to explore it; I just wait for people to befriend me.

Suddenly a few weeks ago an old high school friend asked if I would be his friend. I accepted, and I got on his account and found other high school friends. So the last week has kind of been a frenzy of getting back in touch with people from junior high and high school. I was very good friends with one girl in junior high and she found me (first asking if that is really me, cause my picture is a monkey; something that I'd rather display than the real thing). We then started emailing each other, catching up on 30+ years of what's happened to us.

Incidentally, it's kind of interesting to sum up 30 years of your life. When you are in touch with someone daily, the topics are basically how was the drive to work, what are you making for dinner, listen to what so-and-so did to me, etc. Being in touch after 30+ years is much more complex, and it's almost like you have nothing of note to say!

One of the high school people I found (and befriended) is now an exec at the food channel. My cousin-in-law loves him, so I got them in touch with each other. My cousin-in-law had shared with me that she has a list of guests she would invite to her "dream dinner party" and my high school friend (along with Bob Newhart and some others) is one of them. So she got to tell him in an email herself that he was so honored. He sent a nice email back.

Another high school friend must be very into scanning pictures, cause suddenly old high school pictures are popping up on facebook. I can't believe I was ever that young and carefree. I know I will never be young again, but I'd settle for carefree.

I purposely did not ask my son or daughter if they would be my friend. I recognize they have a life with their friends and they don't want me in it. But funny enough, several of their friends asked if I would be their friend. So I am cool with the friends but not with the flesh and blood.

A few days ago, my nephew decided to un-befriend me. He sent an email to all of the "older" relatives, telling us very nicely that he loved us, but no longer wanted us on his facebook; he was reserving this for friends. Wow, to face such rejection at age 51! My first facebook rejection! But alas, those of us who were rejected have formed our own group of fellow-relatives-rejected-by-the-nephew (not its official name, but it's official purpose).

8 comments:

anno said...

Sounds like you are swimming well in the waters of Facebook. My toes are barely wet, and so far I've found it, hmmm, not exactly chilly, but a place where I'm not quite certain just what to do. Honestly, it's all I can do to keep up with my blog. Maybe if I had handsome strangers asking to be my friend...

Loved the story about your high school acquaintance "unbefriending" you!

Jeanie said...

Speaking as the cousin, I am so grateful for your connection to your foodie friend! He was very gracious to write to me. (I felt like I was 15 again!).

I, too, was rejected by same nephew-to-you. I still haven't written him to say, "It's OK." It is. Sort of. Kind of. It's the principle of rejection that gets me!

Anonymous said...

I was rejected too, as you know. The thing is, I hadn't even asked to BE his FB friend, so I was rejected preemptively!

JessInFocus said...

Ahh facebook! I am starting to like it more and more, but I still have trouble navigating it. I have found lost of family on it. It is amazing how many people are on facebook really.

Mich said...

Ok. Holy cow. I LOVE that picture. For some reason it totally reminds me of my OU friends. We were sort of retro.

AND, to be un-befriended is a downright shame!!

Going to Facebook now to see if you'll be my friend ...

Jams said...

I've never been on face book. Don't know anything about it but my son reconnected with some of his college friends and enjoys it. Love the story about your group of fellow-relatives-rejected-by-the-nephew. Funny.

Jan said...

Hi Bonnie,
Wow, you've been on a journey! Connecting w/friends from way-back-when! I saw all of my old friends at my h.s. reunion in 2005--since then, only a few of us stay in touch, maybe at Christmas! I don't have a Facebook account and don't think I would be able to have that & my blog. I am tied up w/the blog as it is!!!
My daughter has an account (of course--what daughter wouldn't??!)-she is 20. I put her on as a friend and she took me off. SO, don't feel bad. They have things to 'discuss' (and photos to show!!) that parents aren't allowed to see. Too bad isn't it? But, if I were back in h.s. or college, I wouldn't want my parents a part of those things either!!
Sounds like you're having fun re-connecting though...hope it goes well for you:)
I'm your age! (Although, on March 5th, I'll be 52). Time moves on.....

I got your message about the seeds. Have you started some yet? Did you get one of the kits w/the peat pots and/or heat pad? I was checking back to see but didn't see a post on it---unless I missed one.

Jan said...

When I said 'I put my daughter on as a friend' on facebook, it was because I 'DID' open an account a while ago, but since then, cancelled it. Didn't see anyone I knew on there...only 1 person from h.s. and they didn't respond when I said hi...