Facebook

'tis the Facebook Season

On the 12th Day of Christmas, my Facebook gave to me:

12 folk I'm blocking,
11 friends just watching,
10 corny topics,
9 busted barbies,
8 friends complaining,
7 stalkers stalking,
6 party invites,
Fiiiiiiiiiiiiive Drama Queeeensssss,
4 game requests,
3 photo tags,
2 friends-a-pokin &
.......a creep who won't stop inboxing me.....

Twitter Ye.....?

The Internet has changed our lives  - some say for the better, some not. The Internet and email undoubtedly makes communication far easier and more instantaneous than it was in days of old. As a boy growing up in Cumbernauld and then Aberdeen forty years ago, if I wanted to communicate with anyone I would have to go round and see them in person, send them a letter or speak to them by telephone. And as we didn't have a telephone until the mid 1970s that was a tad problematic...

Today it's a different ball game. I discovered on Wednesday evening that my eight month old grand-daughter Ava has chicken pox. I didn't get a phone call or a visit from my daughter Laura - I found out by logging on to Facebook. My other daughter Michaela posted a comment wishing her niece a speedy recovery but didn't think to mention anything to me when I saw her earlier that evening. I duly phoned Laura who whose defence was she had no credit on her mobile phone and there was nothing I could do in any case. Fair points, I concede but I still felt uncomfortable that the world wide web knew about my grand-daughter's illness before I did.

Facebook has become something of a phenomenon  - and a highly addictive one at that. I have a Facebook account and look on the site fairly regularly - although I'm making a conscious effort to do this less and less. Some of my 'friends' seem to record everything they do on there. As well as Facebook there is Twitter. I also have a Twitter account -  and of the two social network sites, this is my preferred option. Twitter limits comments to 140 characters so messages are brief and to the point. What I've found fascinating about Twitter is it has become an outlet for famous people to get their views across without them being twisted into something entirely different by the media. I have a few followers on Twitter and I am quite proud to list the likes of Nicola Sturgeon the Scottish National Party Deputy Leader and Scottish Health Secretary, the broadcaster Nicky Campbell and STV's John Mackay and Raman Bhardwaj among them. I've also had the odd 'tweet' from the radio legend that is Tony Blackburn but I won't go into that...

I've embraced Twitter on the basis that if you can't beat 'em, join 'em. So if anyone fancies joining me you're more than welcome to do so at www.twitter.com/Mike1874

I'm logging off now in order that I can go and do something really old fashioned - I'm going to visit baby Ava and Jack and Hannah in person. Now if I find Jack has a Facebook page I really will despair....

The Facebook Phenomenon

I spent the afternoon of Easter Sunday in the company of my family. What I had done to deserve this, I'm not sure, but I've been assured the bruises and swelling will clear in a day or two...

Afterwards, daughter Laura confirmed me as a 'friend' on the social networking website Facebook. My other daughter, Michaela, already has me as a 'friend'. I'm not sure whether to be pleased or desperately saddened by this.

Facebook has become a world wide phenomenon. It can also be quite addictive. When I use the term 'social networking', it can in many ways be described as anti-social networking. The other day Michaela sent me a message on Facebook, to which I responded fairly quickly. You may ask what is wrong with this - the fact we were in the same house at the same time should answer that question.

There's something about the idea of Facebook and its ilk (Bebo and MySpace being other like sites) that doesn't sit right with me (and I'm not talking about these ill-fitting trousers I'm wearing...) Jeannie Bloggs posts that's she's making chicken casserole for supper. Whoop de doo. Then Fred Smith posts that 'he likes this' with a thumbs up sign. Now the whole world knows what Jeannie is having for supper and can comment if they wish (providing, of course, they're 'friends' of Jeannie...) Fred is suitably impressed to tell the world he's very happy at this turn of events...

As I type this I have received a message from Laura which says 'she has listed me as her Dad'. To confirm this 'family request' I have to follow the link on the message. Hmm. What if I don't confirm this 'family request'? Does this mean I'm no longer father to my elder daughter? Has Facebook taken over the world to the extent I have to confirm my relationship with my family members on the site?

Of course, by joining Facebook I'm well aware I am contributing to this sad, almost geeky state of affairs. Laura and Michaela wouldn't hesitate to tell you they think I'm the world's biggest geek in any case. As I say, Facebook can become addictive and there are those who go on the site several times a day, every day. On the plus side, I have made contact with some people I haven't heard from in years - although some of them won't make 'real' contact by phone or email, they'll continue to do so via Facebook. Which makes me think, are they real friends or are they just keen to impress the world with how many people they know?

Perhaps I'm being cynical. Which is unlike me, I know. However, when I was a small child in the late 1960s, I used to have an imaginary friend. Now more than forty years later, I'm on Facebook -and I have more than sixty of them...