Recently, at the invitation of my oldest daughter, I created a profile on Facebook. It’s not much of a profile: the same stupid picture I use here, a brief mention of my interests, the sort of music I listen to, favorite books and movies and so forth. So far, I have gathered together an elite cadre of three friends. That includes the daughter. (Not sure who that doofus is in the picture; wonder if he’d like to be my friend).
Friends are the currency of Facebook; like dollars, you can never have too many. The first thing you must do, after listing a few zany personal details, is start inviting everybody you can think of to be your friend. Everybody, no exceptions. I haven’t gotten around to that yet, but when I do, I expect to have so many friends that Facebook will have to add another server just to accommodate them all. Good friends. Then, when my page displays all the avatars, it will slow the Internet to a crawl.
Until then, I’m making do with just the three. We’ve been having great fun comparing our Pet Peeves, and favorite movies, and knowledge of U.S. geography, and who among us is most likely to be a lesbian (it was me, by the way). However, I’m not sure what I should do next. I keep looking at my Facebook page, but it rarely changes. Much like my blog. I suppose it comes back to the friend question.
It’s not as though there is a shortage of things to do, of course. You can “poke” someone, or “super poke” them. I haven’t done that yet because it seems, well, unseemly. You can dispatch a vampire to bite a friend. You can send a hug (not a real hug, that technology is still in its infancy); or you can send them a gift (not a real gift, that would be cost-prohibitive). In short, we’re talking about range of actions that will soon render all face-to-face contact superfluous. Or at least quite a bit less convenient.
Anyway, if you don’t already have a Facebook profile, I urge you to create one now. And be my friend. Social networks like Facebook and MySpace are truly the wave of the future, allowing drunken teens to foreclose career options quicker than ever before, and hackers new methods of pissing off Alicia Keys. They also are helping to close the gap between the haves here and the have-nots in Nigeria. You’ll want to get on this train before it leaves the station.
On Facebook, time for a new face
One lab rat to another
Maybe that “dislike” button is a good idea
Just a little unfriendly advice
I’m there, because a colleague at work made an application called Bookshare. I like it, and to use it you have to be on Facebook. I’ve never been so popular! I’ve got more friends than I ever have had at any time in my life. (And I only accept invites from people I actually know or with whom I interact via blogging). So when I’m feeling low, I can just go over and see how popular I am 😉
Next time I’m there, I’ll add you to my friends!
(My daughter is on there too, but I try to keep a bit clear of her, as she is next door in reality, should I need to tell her tea is ready or ask her if she’s finished her homework, and I don’t want to crowd her cyberspace.)
I’ll have a look for Bookshare. I find the whole Facebook application interface kind of confusing — I’m never quite sure if I’m looking at my applications or someone else’s.
But yes, I’d be honored to be your friend.
Hi Dave,
I just stumbled upon your blog. You are a refreshingly hilarious voice in the blogosphere.
(that’s a compliment, in case you were wondering 😉
I have invited you to be my friend on Facebook, even though you know nothing about me.
What fun, eh?
Barb from Canada
Well, I know this about you: You find my blog hilarious. That is the foundation for a lasting friendship, in my view.
Thanks for the invite. I’ve just accepted. Now prepare yourself for an onslaught of virtual gifts and superpokes.