A week into being on Facebook and I've already been contacted by 1) the girl who lived across the street from me when we were in kindergarten 2) someone I NEVER thought I'd get an interview with for a story and 3) a very surprising number of friends who have been on Facebook and I just didn't know.
Hurrah!
As for the "Friends" question -- I'd love to say I'll accept all loyal blog readers' friendship requests. But I suppose for my own safety, I should say send the request and I'll use my best judgment. I'm not trying to get myself killed.
Happy Oscar Night, everybody!
Sunday, February 24, 2008
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Facebook +1
OK. I can’t even believe I’m about to say this: I’m on Facebook.
My close friends (and even loyal blog readers) will know what a surprising development this is. I’m terrible at returning e-mails. Never forward those e-mail quizzes. I considered Match.com for about a half a second before deciding it was way too public in Small Milwaukee.
I’ve spent years ignoring invitations to join dear friends’ Linked In networks.
Ages complaining about how young MySpace seems.
So why, then, did I decide to join Facebook all of a sudden?
Well, for one, my new job made me.
It’s become such a natural way to track down people and get great details for stories, it almost seemed irresponsible of me, as a reporter, to not be able to log on quickly and start searching. All my co-workers have been encouraged to get on Facebook.
But I’m not going to blame this all on my profession.
Honest time, the other reason I broke down is because – despite all my resistance – I’ve seen some Facebook success stories.
Like my friend McConnell, who recently joined Facebook after similar resistance and found long lost friends from a college semester she spent in Ireland. McConnell said she’d been trying to find these friends for years, and even with Google and all the other Internet options, she never had any success.
After getting on Facebook, she found them, literally, in minutes.
I have some of those people I’d like to find. Like Anne Cligny, the girl whose family hosted me in Troyes, France for 18 days when I was in high school. We became fast friends during that stay, and swore we’d keep in touch when I returned to suburban Chicago.
Alas, we didn’t. I’m sure that was because of me.
I also now acknowledge that Facebook allows for more fun, quick contact than e-mail. There’s something much more playful about posting something on somebody’s wall and waiting to see how they respond.
So now my plan is to be on Facebook but not become an addict. I’m not going to be the girl who updates every two hours to say where I’m going, or what I ate for lunch, or what I rented at Blockbuster. I posted a random picture my sis happened to have on her camera.
Don't be mad if I forget about my profile/don't update for weeks.
In the meantime, I'll slowly feel my way through understanding all the Facebook options.
Like sending gifts (?!?)
And POKING (?!?)
Maybe one of my "Friends" will explain these to me.
My close friends (and even loyal blog readers) will know what a surprising development this is. I’m terrible at returning e-mails. Never forward those e-mail quizzes. I considered Match.com for about a half a second before deciding it was way too public in Small Milwaukee.
I’ve spent years ignoring invitations to join dear friends’ Linked In networks.
Ages complaining about how young MySpace seems.
So why, then, did I decide to join Facebook all of a sudden?
Well, for one, my new job made me.
It’s become such a natural way to track down people and get great details for stories, it almost seemed irresponsible of me, as a reporter, to not be able to log on quickly and start searching. All my co-workers have been encouraged to get on Facebook.
But I’m not going to blame this all on my profession.
Honest time, the other reason I broke down is because – despite all my resistance – I’ve seen some Facebook success stories.
Like my friend McConnell, who recently joined Facebook after similar resistance and found long lost friends from a college semester she spent in Ireland. McConnell said she’d been trying to find these friends for years, and even with Google and all the other Internet options, she never had any success.
After getting on Facebook, she found them, literally, in minutes.
I have some of those people I’d like to find. Like Anne Cligny, the girl whose family hosted me in Troyes, France for 18 days when I was in high school. We became fast friends during that stay, and swore we’d keep in touch when I returned to suburban Chicago.
Alas, we didn’t. I’m sure that was because of me.
I also now acknowledge that Facebook allows for more fun, quick contact than e-mail. There’s something much more playful about posting something on somebody’s wall and waiting to see how they respond.
So now my plan is to be on Facebook but not become an addict. I’m not going to be the girl who updates every two hours to say where I’m going, or what I ate for lunch, or what I rented at Blockbuster. I posted a random picture my sis happened to have on her camera.
Don't be mad if I forget about my profile/don't update for weeks.
In the meantime, I'll slowly feel my way through understanding all the Facebook options.
Like sending gifts (?!?)
And POKING (?!?)
Maybe one of my "Friends" will explain these to me.
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
That Day Again
I find it telling that yesterday, when perusing the Valentine’s Day card selection at Walgreens, the only card that appeared to be sold out just a few days before the holiday was the card that belonged under the heading: “We’re Having Trouble, but I Still Love You.”
That said, single people near and far still dread the idea of Feb. 14. And so for those of you in Chicago looking for a way to get through the day, I offer up this event which arrived in my Inbox from a Chicago blog reader.
And for those of you not in Chicago and single, try to stay upbeat. I love ya, and I'm sure many others do as well!
xoxo
AT&T is hosting the "Video Valentines Speed Dating Event" this Valentine's Day, 2/14/08, for single-in-the-city Chicagoans looking for love. Here are the details:
* AT&T's Video Valentines Speed Dating Event is being held at the AT&T State Street (168 N. State St., Chicago, IL 60601) and AT&T Riverpoint (1730 W. Fullerton, Chicago, IL 60614) stores. Tech-savvy singles can text, chat and video share their way to a date at the free event. Singles also have a chance to win an AT&T phone.
* Like traditional speed dating, you exchange pleasantries in only a few minutes, and then you move onto the next number. But here's the twist: you can only speed date with singles at the other store. The only way you communicate is by phone. Thanks to AT&T's Video Share capabilities, you can share live one-way video.
* AT&T will provide the phones. All you do is contact any love connections after making your round of calls. Just for participating, you have a chance to win an AT&T and a gift certificate for a romantic restaurant.
We are asking interested folks to please RSVP via our Evite and list their preferred location (State Street or Riverpoint). The Evite URL is:
http://www.evite.com/r?iid=HAXCEBFPWYUVVLMUJUJM&li=iq&src=email
You can also read more about the event on its Facebook page:
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=7890367301
That said, single people near and far still dread the idea of Feb. 14. And so for those of you in Chicago looking for a way to get through the day, I offer up this event which arrived in my Inbox from a Chicago blog reader.
And for those of you not in Chicago and single, try to stay upbeat. I love ya, and I'm sure many others do as well!
xoxo
AT&T is hosting the "Video Valentines Speed Dating Event" this Valentine's Day, 2/14/08, for single-in-the-city Chicagoans looking for love. Here are the details:
* AT&T's Video Valentines Speed Dating Event is being held at the AT&T State Street (168 N. State St., Chicago, IL 60601) and AT&T Riverpoint (1730 W. Fullerton, Chicago, IL 60614) stores. Tech-savvy singles can text, chat and video share their way to a date at the free event. Singles also have a chance to win an AT&T phone.
* Like traditional speed dating, you exchange pleasantries in only a few minutes, and then you move onto the next number. But here's the twist: you can only speed date with singles at the other store. The only way you communicate is by phone. Thanks to AT&T's Video Share capabilities, you can share live one-way video.
* AT&T will provide the phones. All you do is contact any love connections after making your round of calls. Just for participating, you have a chance to win an AT&T and a gift certificate for a romantic restaurant.
We are asking interested folks to please RSVP via our Evite and list their preferred location (State Street or Riverpoint). The Evite URL is:
http://www.evite.com/r?iid=HAXCEBFPWYUVVLMUJUJM&li=iq&src=email
You can also read more about the event on its Facebook page:
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=7890367301
Saturday, February 9, 2008
Settling: A Good Thing
AHA! I finally discovered the magic editing tool in this blog software, and have used it to delete the entire The Number comment section! So please, people, let's consider this a fresh start. And remember, this Blog Administrator has a secret weapon and I'm not afraid to use it again!
On a totally different note, here's a really interesting article from The Atlantic in which the author makes a strong case for Settling instead of holding out for The One.
If you're holing up in your apartment this weekend hiding from the cold, it's worth the read.
Still trying to decide how I feel about it. Will let it marinade and come back with my thoughts next week.
Have a great weekend everybody!
On a totally different note, here's a really interesting article from The Atlantic in which the author makes a strong case for Settling instead of holding out for The One.
If you're holing up in your apartment this weekend hiding from the cold, it's worth the read.
Still trying to decide how I feel about it. Will let it marinade and come back with my thoughts next week.
Have a great weekend everybody!
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
Permission to Third Wheel
Before heading to the polls yesterday, I got into a lively online debate with my friends Lucy and Kevin.
Both of them were coming at me with their opinions on the presidential race, and while I appreciated both of their views, I also appreciated something else about the situation.
Lucy and Kevin are a married couple, but I consider them both my friends.
They're one of those couples that are fun to hang out with, even if it means technically being the Third Wheel.
I would feel perfectly comfortable tagging along with them to a movie, to a bar or for dinner at their house. And I could hang with either of them independently as well.
Now that I'm thinking about it, I realize I have many couple friends that fit that same description.
But then I definitely have other Coupled-up-friends that I've never agreed to be a Third Wheel with, and probably never will.
The difference, I think, is that some couples are good with singles and some are not.
Good Couples:
-- Still go out and socialize, and are still able/willing to hang
--Are both equally interested in you, even if you started off as one person's friend
--Aren't too lovey-dovey-touchy-feely with each other. Or if they are, will let you poke fun at them
--Aren't trying to fix you up with every single person they know
--Don't consider your single life entertainment
On the flip side...
Bad Couples:
--Stop going out and always complain that they're "too old."
--Have one person who is your friend, the other who just pretends to be interested.
-- Get lost in each other and stop caring about others
-- Feel sorry for you that you haven't found "The One" yet
-- Get a kick out of your single stories and say things like "Thank God we're done with that."
Breaking all this down makes me wonder why anyone would ever allow themselves to be part of a Bad Couple. I hope that when I'm hooked up, I'm still able to hang with my single friends.
Then again, maybe there's another side to all of this. For all I know, Couples are sitting around blogging right now about Good Single and Bad Single friends.
Thanks for all the good comments/policing of the blog, you guys. Jac, you're right, I do need to figure out how to watch over the comments a little better. Going to explore blogger options now... stay tuned.
Both of them were coming at me with their opinions on the presidential race, and while I appreciated both of their views, I also appreciated something else about the situation.
Lucy and Kevin are a married couple, but I consider them both my friends.
They're one of those couples that are fun to hang out with, even if it means technically being the Third Wheel.
I would feel perfectly comfortable tagging along with them to a movie, to a bar or for dinner at their house. And I could hang with either of them independently as well.
Now that I'm thinking about it, I realize I have many couple friends that fit that same description.
But then I definitely have other Coupled-up-friends that I've never agreed to be a Third Wheel with, and probably never will.
The difference, I think, is that some couples are good with singles and some are not.
Good Couples:
-- Still go out and socialize, and are still able/willing to hang
--Are both equally interested in you, even if you started off as one person's friend
--Aren't too lovey-dovey-touchy-feely with each other. Or if they are, will let you poke fun at them
--Aren't trying to fix you up with every single person they know
--Don't consider your single life entertainment
On the flip side...
Bad Couples:
--Stop going out and always complain that they're "too old."
--Have one person who is your friend, the other who just pretends to be interested.
-- Get lost in each other and stop caring about others
-- Feel sorry for you that you haven't found "The One" yet
-- Get a kick out of your single stories and say things like "Thank God we're done with that."
Breaking all this down makes me wonder why anyone would ever allow themselves to be part of a Bad Couple. I hope that when I'm hooked up, I'm still able to hang with my single friends.
Then again, maybe there's another side to all of this. For all I know, Couples are sitting around blogging right now about Good Single and Bad Single friends.
Thanks for all the good comments/policing of the blog, you guys. Jac, you're right, I do need to figure out how to watch over the comments a little better. Going to explore blogger options now... stay tuned.
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