Facebook: Friend or Foe?

I have been a facebook member for probably at least 5 years now. I joined because a fellow mom from an MSN group I was a member of suggested it to all of us group members. I am definitely glad she recommended it.

I am normally quite protective of my privacy and the privacy of my family so I didn't even have my last name on it for a long while. Evetually the privacy settings were enhanced so I was comfortable enough to add more and more info as time went on.

I would have to say that I have not had any negative experiences with Facebook. I have only had one person attempt to contact me that I really wanted nothing to do with, so all I had to do was ignore their message and friend request and that was it.

I have many friends on my Facebook friends' list. Each and every person on my Facebook friend list is there for a reason and is appreciated. I have been lucky enough to find or be found by nearly every one I went to school with all through childhood! I have most of my cousins and second cousins that I rarely see anymore since I moved 11 years ago. I have J's family members that are near and far since he is not on Facebook. On my friends list, you will also find parents of some of my kids' classmates.

I also have friends from college, and former workplaces. I also have friends from my favourite website, www.babyheist.com, that I have met through their fanpage. I have penpals that I never seem to get the time to write to anymore, but now I can keep in touch with.

I have friends that I play Cityville and Farmville with. I even have a friend that I "met" playing Scrabble on Facebook at the other end of the world. I have a former neighbour that I grew up down the street from, and his wife, and his brother. I have very dear friends that I was only with a short time, but carry with me always. I have friends from all around the world from many different cultural, educational and religious backgrounds. I have fellow Maple Leaf fans, New Jersey Devil fans, Detroit and Philly fans, Habs fans and the dreaded Senators fans and gasp, even non-hockey fans. But every friend on my friend list is there for a reason, not to have a certain number on my account, or anything like that, they are all there because they are.... A friend :)