Remember Those Negatives You Sold Me?….
I re-joined Facebook. I tried it a year ago and didn’t have much incentive to stay on; there weren’t that many people on there that I knew. Then about 3 weeks ago I got a phone call from an old friend. He had called my Mom in El Paso and she gave him my phone number. This may be a good time to review security protocol with her. He mentioned Facebook and how he was re-connecting with a lot of people from our younger years. He mentioned a lot of mutual friends who were on there that hadn’t been on a year ago when I first signed up. I decided to give it a go; what could it hurt? I mean, it’s not like anything we did back then was that bad; and besides, I’ve got just as much dirt on them as they have on me. I also had the foresight to purchase all of the photographic evidence, negatives included. They are safely put away in a secure, undisclosed location. Along with the pictures that I have of them. (Insert evil laugh here)
It’s been a little over 3 weeks for Facebook 2.0, and I have a few observations and questions:
- I’ve learned that there are a lot of old friends who are now using the adult version of their names. Tommy’s are now Tom’s; Robby’s are now Rob, or Robert, or Bob or Bobert.
- Is the person you knew in grade school that you haven’t talked to in 30 years really interested in being your friend, or are they just interested in rifling through your photos to see if you’ve gained as much weight as they have? Maybe they just want to see if your bald; as they suspected you would be; or maybe they want to see if you’re married to that person you were dating back then. Maybe you’re single now and they can pursue your ex. Poor man’s Craigslist?
- I’ve learned that you can take a Top 5 quiz for anything. I’ve done Top 5 movies, albums, cartoons and famous people you’ve met. I have 4 requests to take more on my sidebar. See; after you take the quiz, you can tag some (or all) of your friends to take it also. This is fine, to a point. I’m not interested in naming my Top 5 flowers, Top 5 soap operas or Top 5 gastrointestinal infections. Some things are sacred.
- What do you do when you get a friend suggestion from someone and you have no idea who the suggested person is? I have that dilemma right now. The suggested friend and I share 9 mutual friends, but I have no idea who she is. If she’s married, she didn’t use her maiden name like most ladies do, so I’m sunk. She didn’t post a profile picture either. Come to think of it; it doesn’t sound like she really wants to be on Facebook. Face being the operative word here.
- I’ve got a friend request from the daughter of a friend. This creeps me out a little. If it’s a niece, nephew or the child of a close friend, that’s one thing, but if I never knew of your existence until you sent me your request? Sorry. I’m not here to pad your friend numbers. She has like, 255,000 friends already, why does she need me? I’m not a number; to quote Gary Myrick.
- I’ve got a few friends that use their wife’s profile. It’s like double secret probation stalking. They can search through their friends’ profiles without being seen and never have to worry about that picture of them dressed like Fank-N-Furter from 1984 getting tagged and putting them in the dog house.
So far, it’s been an interesting journey. After the aforementioned friend tracked me down through my Mom, we subsequently have tracked down another friend who lives near both of us. We’re planning a reunion of sorts in Atlanta where the 3 of us will be together again for the first time in over 25 years. We’ll meet each others’ families and swap stories from the glory days. Once the wives and kids go to sleep we’ll be able to tell them again, only this time, it will be closer to the truth. I’ve re-connected with friends who are now pilots, physicists, rock school owners (just like Jack Black in School Of Rock!), CEO’s, artists, rock stars turned farmers, photographers, executive chef’s, editors of national magazines, police officers, coaches, teachers and lawyers. Oh, and stay at home Dads.
amy
I’ll admit… I really do like seeing that the girls that were mean to me in high school are fat. And I’m not
(NukeDad) And that’s AFTER you’ve had kids! Amy, you’re a rock star!
amys last blog post..For Fe2O3 + f(x)
Apr 20, 2009 @ 9:32 am
tom
My ex recently suggested I get a facebook page. That right there is enough reason for me to not to. Then there’s that picture you put up there: makes me scared.
(NukeDad) I don’t know, I think they got my good side.
toms last blog post..Apostrophe Catastrophe
Apr 20, 2009 @ 12:25 pm
Otter Thomas
I am one of the last remaining humans not on face book. I always felt like if I wanted to keep in touch with these people I would have done it in the first place.
(NukeDad) Good point. There are some I’ve kept in touch with, and others that I wish I had; those are the ones I’m re-connecting with.
Otter Thomass last blog post..There is an Inch Worm in My House
Apr 20, 2009 @ 2:52 pm
Melisa
Re: #4
What I’ve done in the past is pick the person out of our mutual friends who I trust the most and ASK them who the person is! If you don’t want to do that, just ignore the friend request. If you can’t remember someone from way back just by her first name enough to get back in touch, chances are it’s not worth it.
Also, re: #5: NO NO NO NO NO NO!!!!! I got a friend request from the son of our oldest friends, who is now 18 but was 17 at the time. I thought, “How cool! We can stay in touch!” (he’s an awesome kid) Then I discovered that he does his status updates in song lyrics. He had a girlfriend for a while, and the songs he was using? Grossing me out. I used to change his diapers. This was way TMI!!!
Don’t do it!!!!!
(NukeDad) I agree on both accounts. What songs was he using? I’m missing something; unless it was Melissa by the Allman Brothers, but you’d still be in the clear because that was with 2 s’s!
Melisas last blog post..Boy Scouts Should Really Be a Dad-Son Thing. Unless Mom Wants In.
Apr 20, 2009 @ 3:17 pm
Stacey
I’m curious as to who dragged you back in??
(NukeDad) Eric Mulville. The bastard.
Apr 20, 2009 @ 6:23 pm
WeaselMomma
I played with the facebook thing, but rarely play with it. I caught up with a handful of people, most of whom turned out to be trainwrecks. No wonder I never kept in touch to begin with.
And you mean to tell me that with all of those individuals you have made contact with, not one of them is a famous blogger?
(NukeDad) Just you, but you ignored my friend request! Just kidding; actually, one of them IS a famous blogger: Mrs. Melisa (with 1 s) Wells. So there.
WeaselMommas last blog post..Diary Of A Captive
Apr 20, 2009 @ 8:06 pm
Eric
Why haven’t you found me yet?
I’m hurt dude… hurt.
-lol
-Eric
(NukeDad) I know where to find you; in the baby’s room changing diapers or in the kitchen warming up a bottle. Where else would a new Dad be?
Apr 22, 2009 @ 9:03 am
Children's Bedroom Furniture
My wife and I have been really enjoying Facebook for the past year. We’ve been reconnecting with the good aspects of our past.
Our 18 year old son is into it as well.
Totally harmless fun!
(NukeDad) It is; until you get that 1 friend request from the bad aspect of your past!
Apr 22, 2009 @ 9:27 am
Karen
I got sucked back into that evil time stealer too! The suggested friends are computer generated, at least the ones I get, they just find people based on mutual friends and if they went to the same school at some point in the past century or so, lol. I ignore 99.9% of those stupid application things, after a few hundred built up from my friends who have way too much time on their hands I stopped clicking that section. I mainly just harass people with status update comments and look at their pics.
(NukeDad) I hear you, there are a few applications that I’ve done, but not a big fan of sending them on to others. I like how the IQ test keeps coming up telling you that your friends are all smarter than you and that they are challenging you.
Karens last blog post..I’m a huge McFan of McMommy!
Apr 26, 2009 @ 10:18 pm