I am totally inept and completely resistant when it comes to technology. I didn’t even get a mobile phone until mid-2002, and only then because my job demanded that I be contactable 24 hours a day. I send Husband into a frothing fury every time I either a) stuff up the TV settings or b) fail to be able to use the TV full stop. In my defence, there are literally six remotes lying next to our TV … The latest thing I’ve been resisting is Facebook. Of course, for the rest of the population, there’s nothing “latest” about Facebook. But for me, I couldn’t imagine finding the time to do whatever Facebook expected you to do along with working and taking care of the kids. Now that the “working” bit of my life is over, I’ve decided to give it a whirl. Wow, I really should have checked it out sooner. I now understand why TV ratings, newspaper and magazine circulations etc are in severe decline. How can anyone possibly find time to do anything else except search for “friends” on Facebook or check out their own and other people’s “walls”? It’s kind of addictive as well. My first two days on Facebook were spent trawling backwards and forwards through the “people you might like” bit and friending everyone I could lay my hands on. Ah, the excitement every time I opened my gmail account to discover someone had either accepted my friend request or had requested I friend them. The warm glow of popularity enveloped me in its addictive arms. Sometimes the “people you might like” function got it really, really wrong and suggested “people I might hate”, but generally it was an amazingly fun, time-sucking experience. It also filled me with angst about the ettiquette of “friending”. Is it sad and desperate to friend someone you haven’t spoken to in 10 years, or merely a really thoughtful overture? How embarassing is it to not have your request for friendship accepted? Is it better not to ask at all than to run the risk of rejection? As I ponder these huge questions, my time to do any of the things I was planning to do with my new life has suddenly evaporated. So much for clearing out the attic or starting my movie script. I’m way too busy for that.
TONIGHT’S MENU: God knows (the Sprogs); last hurrah dinner at our favourite restaurant that’s closing down (the grown-ups), farewell Peramas, we’ll miss you!
housegoeshome 
I’ve been on Facebook for a few years but recently I was sent a friend request by a guy that made my life absolute hell at school (think to the point of changing schools). I accepted it just to see what he turned out like. Life has not been kind to him – karma!
Love that karma – usually takes care of things for me.
I’ve had friend requests from a guy who regularly bashed me at school, and others who literally never spoke a word to me through my entire education. I have no problem with denying requests, and I’m not fussed if I get rejected. I do think if it’s been a very long time since you’ve seen someone, that you should accompany the request with a brief note. Facebook has been a net positive experience for me, in terms of reconciling with the past. I generally never accept anyone I don’t know, but the one time I broke this rule (and there’s a very weird story as to why I did) that person ended up becoming a good real life friend.
Sounds like a weird story I’d like to hear sometime Matt!
just a word of advice, alana, from sum1 who has nagged & nagged u 2 get facebook… lol.. u may want 2 look at your facebook settings & turn off the emails for everything…. otherwise, u wont want 2 open your gmail – everything u do will send u an email… lol
my traffic is slow low at the moment that I’m enjoying all those emails!!!