My Anti-Facebook Life

Recently The Early Show on CBS did a story on "Facebook Envy." Apparently people are looking at their friends' Facebook profiles and feeling bad about themselves in comparison. I thought most people knew that only the best parts of life - the vacations, the new homes, the marriages, the births etc. - are shown on Facebook. I very much doubt there is anyone who posts pictures of Divorce proceeding or job firings on their Facebook profile!

In the days before Facebook, there were class reunions and Christmas cards. I admit there is a part of me who likes to present myself as more important than I am to the outside world. I guess I can sort of relate to the people who need to show-off a little bit. And these things satisfy my natural curiosity about old-friends - I admit I've Googled random people - come on everybody does that sometimes. And I know I'm only seeing the partial truth.

I'm actually very impressed with the old friends with little presence online, the ones without a Facebook, Twitter or Linkedin profile. There is a mystique surrounding these people, and my imagination takes over, suspecting that these social network avoidance people are like gadzillionaires, and don't want to be too easily found by "old-friends" looking for money.

Rob's not on Facebook. He says he doesn't care what some old High School friend had for breakfast on any given morning. Sometimes I wish he was on Facebook, but then I ask myself why. Honestly, because most spouses are on Facebook together. But it's not like I need Facebook to keep in touch with my own husband! I admit the only reason I wish he was on Facebook is so I can link his profile next to my relationship status and tag him in my photo albums!

And then I think about my web presence, and wonder if I should tone it down a bit. I have a Facebook profile, a Classmates account, which is becoming obsolete with Facebook, and I joined Linkedin at the invitation of my boss about 3 years ago, and I haven't been very active there. And then I have this blog. I wonder if I'm overexposing myself, and if anyone really cares to know that much about me anyway.

The purpose of this blog is to show my Anti-Facebook life, within reason of course. These are my raw unedited inner thoughts. For some strange reason, I'm proud of my mistakes and scars. Oddly enough, I think I'll share it on my Facebook profile!