Social Networking
A few months ago, I would have never even considered having a Facebook account. What for? Well, now I have one. It’s funny what being on your own for several months will do to you. As I’ve mentioned before, I’m not a big fan of TV, save for watching an episode of House or two. Sometimes the TV will go for weeks on end without being turned on. If I want video entertainment, I’ll watch a Netflix instant movie or watch something on Hulu, but, for the most part I prefer to read.
I can deal with lots of alone time, but sometimes I just want some interaction. My favorite person to hang out with and talk to is my wife, but she’s not here in Summerville right now, nor is she in the country for that matter.
So, I decided that I would join Facebook just to see what it was about. I know that Tony has a Facebook account and cannot seem to wait to get home and see what’s going on in his account. I told him that I had a Facebook account and asked him to add me as a friend. He said “No way!”. 
I figured as much. I’m pretty sure that I don’t even want to know what they talk about.
Well, I joined and have found a few of my high school friends online. I also found a young lady that I used to work with, Stacey, It’s kind of fun to see what people are posting. It’s pretty superficial and a great waste of time, but it is interesting to see who’s doing what and where they are living.
I was having lunch with a former coworker and friend of mine, Rajesh. He’s a single guy and I asked him what single guys did during the weekend and evenings and he said either watch TV, play X-Box, or drink. It didn’t sound so appealing to me and he agreed. I suggested that he take up a hobby. LOL!
During my 8 months here I’ve done a number of things to keep busy so that the evenings don’t seem so long, but sometimes it would just be nice to have dinner or a movie with a friend and just chit-chat. I’ll probably dabble in Facebook for a while, but I sincerely doubt that it will hold my interest long.
Anybody else on Facebook? I looked at Twitter too and decided that Tweeting’s not for me.
Paul -
Unrelated to Facebook–incidentally, I agree with you on all counts regarding FB–but have you looked into remote programming work? There are so many photo blogs in my RSS reader, so sorry if I’m getting this wrong, but I seem to remember you being a programmer who has to commute to Charleston from Charlotte after the banking bust. There are an increasing number of remote jobs available now, especially in web development-related areas. Just curious if you’ve looked into it or not.
Seinberg
Before you gegin logging in to Facebook constantly I have to warn you that it’s addicting! LOL
I got on Facebook a couple of months ago to follow a friend of mine who was out of the country for two months. Since then I seem to be on it every day. Since I telecommute and my cats don’t talk much, it gives me some social contact every day.
I found meetup.com was a decent way to meet people with some similar interests while I was traveling – photo groups, hikers, that sort of thing.
I have a facebook…it is empty pretty much…I deleted practically everything that had been there and only got it to keep up with Rob when he was in Iraq. I really don’t use it.
I have an account also Paul – joined just to learn what the buzz is about, and have used it here and there – but quickly got tired of all the psuedo-virus “Apps” they have there. Everyone is always sending you something that you have to agree that the app has access to all of your friends and information. The only difference between that and spyware is that it is spyware you agree to let in I guess.
I still use it from time to time – it is interesting to see what some people are up to, connect with old friends – but I can’t really get into the update of my status every half hour to let everyone know I just let my dog out to pee.
I have a Facebook account, but I can’t really see how it is terribly useful to a photographer. At least not yet.
It’s reassuring to find that others are not much more than curious about most of these social networking gizmos. As another person who is not afraid to be alone with my thoughts for a few hours now and then, I can’t even muster enough curiousity about Facebook or Twitter to spend time trying them. Besides, if I were lonely it seems there are much better ways to connect with other humans. Gordon’s idea sounds good, although I have never been in a position to try it. Hopelessly old-fashioned of me, I suppose.
What amazes me about Facebook is the almost pathological need of some to tell me EVERYTHING they do. What they had for breakfast. How their trip to the airport went. How the short-order cook put too much butter on their toast. It’s downright creepy. In my office I sit next to a young woman who complained about those kind of people endlessly, but lately has started posting exactly those kind of updates. Me, I just don’t get it.
On the other hand, my web site has gotten some hits from the link I left on Facebook, so . . .
I can see that I’m ready losing interest in it. I stop in, now, and see if I have any new friend invites. I have reconnected with a few people that I worked with some 20+ years ago. In that respect it’s fun, but I don’t have anything to talk about on a day-to-day basis.
It never seemed to be attractive enough for me to really start it – I am busy enough with family + photography + keeping real life contacts so that I don’t see the spare time necessary for it. Plus I have that paranoid feeling that out here in cyberspace there are more than sufficient traces of me and my life, and I don’t want to add my social contacts into a big business plan of somebody whose’s intention at best are only profit. Google is problematic enough in this context already, so I think I will get along without facebook and the like
Social networking is fun – at-least in the beginning! You get to see what people are doing… friends, people you know … perfect way to keep watch on personal life of others!