Getting to Facebook

I’m now officially on Facebook.
I tried to resist for so long (Sunny invited me to join, and then countless others). Mainly because I was on too many social networking sites and they’re taking up too much of my time. They’re fun though.
But Facebook is a recent phenomenon for me. I joined out of sheer reluctance but now that I am on Facebook, I am thinking, not bad lah.
For one, I’ve been meeting up with my old USM coursemates. That’s always a good thing as I had not kept in touch with any of them (save for a few close pals) since we took off after 1998.
It’s always comforting to find out the latest about friends who’ve gone to uni with me. Many have done supremely well for themselves and I can safely say that many of my pals whom I keep in touch with are in the TV or film industry now. But it’s strange that I haven’t really kept up with those who majored Journalism with me.
I found my cousin Trish (who’s in Boston) on Facebook. I asked if HER parents (my aunt and uncle) were on Facebook as well. She went, Oh god, thank god no. I see her maybe once a year when she comes to Penang and all of a sudden we’re sending hello’s on Facebook.
Wouldn’t it be weird if I saw my uncle or aunt on Facebook? Would I rate them as “Hot Friends”? Haha. That would be totally strange.
For all its good intentions, Facebook is a fun but trivial pastime. It’s also a fad, the newest flavour of the season. I get “poked”. I get served virtual tequilas. I get hugs and bears and what-nots. I get asked questions all the time and of course I ask some inane ones back.
But really, are we communicating? I don’t know. Seriously, it’s like child’s play. You have oodles of fun in Facebook doing really silly things which I wouldn’t do in real life. And I did read in the newspaper somewhere that Facebook is Facebook, don’t go about expecting solid relationships in that sphere.
You have to be a friend first before you connect there so it’s like flirting a bit. And Facebook is American so I get a bit put off when it asks things like “How do you know (your friend)? You can choose from a number of options and then it asks: “And it went down in (choose the year).” Maybe it’s me but I don’t like thinking that it “went down” although I know it means “it happened in (what year)”. Doesn’t sound so optimistic right? OK, OK, I am nitpicking.
I don’t think Facebook will do much for friendships except put them on a sillier level. It’s hard to grow a friendship when all you do is “poke” each other and send hugs and all those things. Or ya, writing on each other’s wall – ha, that’s graffiti by another name, right?
But I did watch a funny a cappella video on YouTube by Miami Uni students who sang about Facebook. It’s terribly funny because I know I am part of that crazy crowd of people who hang about Facebook.
Go and humour yourself with this video: http://youtube.com/watch?v=2b-fJxzpK7s
I don’t know how long I’ll be able to sustain myself on Facebook though. Let’s see.

11 thoughts on “Getting to Facebook”

  1. You can add me on Facebook! It’s my e-mail address but substitute the gmail with hotmail and you should be able to see a pic of my son & me.
    I blame my brother for getting me into it…

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  2. Actually, I’m getting tired of Facebook already even though I’ve only joined a couple months ago or less. Tiap hari login, sure got a long line of things to approve wan. And I’ve only got time (and interest) to approve friends, drinks and some quizzes. The rest…a bit redundant lah. It’s too virtual to my liking.
    But yeah, I get to keep in touch with my ol-ol friends more la…

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  3. Hi Vern: Yeah, it is tiresome isn’t it? Even on Xing or Ecademy, which I am on, I still find it horrendous to keep track of everyone who wants to be my friend etc. I just want to keep in touch with old pals. 😉 Ya, a bit selfish la but old pals are the ones I trust anyway. New ones — hmm, never know what they’re up to. Maybe MLM haha!

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  4. Madam, i do frequent your page. Love to hear what you have to say. Only just heard about FB from your site, although i’ve had some invitations. Sad to say, I’m hooked.Or what’s the word…trapped?!!!!

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  5. Hi ailee: Hello dear! It’s good to hear from you, you friendly lurker. Ah, yes, Facebook. The bane of our modern lives these days. We’re tossing kisses virtually all day. I feel like some fairy godmother some days. Other days I want to tear my hair out – so many things to approve and install on Facebook!

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  6. Hear! Hear! What a waste of precious time!!!!! Hahaha! But hey, i just got a black eye from my cuz, maybe i go in one more time and shuz her a little before I quit FB. ; )
    hey, 8th Dec – Christmas lunch and women gathering – make yourself free!!

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