List-Mania: Facebook Follies

Day 231

A little more than a year ago my sister told me that she joined Facebook and recommended that I join as well. She had found a bunch of friends from Canada and said she had a lot of fun reconnecting.

I am a sucker for nostalgia so I hopped aboard the Facebook train and honestly I have not regretted it. It is fun to hear from people from my past and see what they are doing now. I know some people have huge problems on Facebook with a lot of bickering going down. I know people who have suddenly deleted their account because of something that happened on Facebook.

I laugh at those people because it is their own fault.

I love Facebook and I am usually on at least once a day. But I like it because I am interested in reconnecting with friends that I had before. And that leads right into my List-Mania: Facebook Follies. Things that I personally find funny or wrong about Facebook.

FACEBOOK FOLLY #1
"If I was your friend before Facebook I'll be your friend on Facebook"

This is what I enjoy the most about Facebook. I like to reconnect with those friends that I have lost contact for some reason or another. But I will not let everyone in the door. If I was a friend of yours before Facebook existed, chances are I will be your friend on Facebook. But this is not a popularity contest, just because I knew you in high school doesn't mean we were friends. If I thought you were a kind of jerkhole in high school chances are I will just laugh at your friend request and hit Ignore.

FACEBOOK FOLLY #2
"Facebook is NOT a way to say all is forgiven"

This is to the guy that back stabbed my friends and I but then wants to be Facebook friends. Get a life jerkhole! If I was your real friend you would have never stabbed in the back in the first place. Facebook is not a way to casually apologize for all the stupid and harmful things you have done. Now don't get me wrong here. I am friends on Facebook with former bosses and girls I had dated but I am NOT friends with those relationships that ended horribly. Having a former girlfriend 'friend request' me that ended the relationship horribly is like her sending me a wedding invitation to her new hubby. Not going to fall for it. If you really want to be my friend you better send me more than a simple 'friend request'.

FACEBOOK FOLLY #3
"Just because I am friends with you doesn't mean I want to play with you"

Please don't take offense at this but I am not one that plays all those Facebook games like Mafia or Farmville. I just am not that type of guy and honestly I don't want to get hooked. So please forgive me but for every new game I am invited to I just end up blocking the wall post. I want to hear how are doing and not what you are killing or hunting or farming etc. Go ahead and still send invites if you want just don't be offended when they are ignored.

FACEBOOK FOLLY #4
"Updating your status gets old when all you do is complain"

Sometimes you need to vent and Facebook is a great place to let loose. But only in moderation. I complained about my allergies the other day but that was it. Wouldn't it bug you (if you were a friend of mine) if I said that every day? It would get on your nerves. So quit being such a Negative Nelly, your life must not be that bad if you can log into Facebook everyday to air your grievances. Change it up a bit, don't be such a downer!

FACEBOOK FOLLY #5
"Silent De-Friending"

I really think Facebook should change this. If you are going to defriend me, I would like to know why. I am not a fan of being defriended ninja-like. Am I being a jerkhole without knowing it? Did I "like" something I shouldn't and you quit Facebook? Even if I got a message saying so-and-so deleted their account that would make me feel a bit better. I don't want to be the cause of you quitting Facebook. This should be a place where you can have fun reconnecting and the joys of remembering the past. If you have defriended me because I said something let me know. I would do the same for you.

FACEBOOK FOLLY #6
"Just because they are family doesn't mean they are friends"

This is a warning to all new Facebook users. If you have problems with your family it may not be a good idea to have them as friends. Luckily for me, I don't have this problem at all. I am glad that I have family on Facebook. I have family all over the US that I am friends with and it is fun to get to know them better because of Facebook. But I have witnessed family breakdowns all because of Facebook. So be careful when being friends with family. You get what you asked for! It can go both ways.

I love Facebook and I am happy that I have reconnected with those that I have. It is a great place to see what old friends are up to. I highly recommend joining if you already haven't. It is time to get on the bandwagon.