I was introduced to social networking about four years ago. A friend of mine convinced me to get an account on Facebook and within a couple months of setting up my profile, I had an acceptable number of “friends” to call my own. 
 
Facebook is truly an amazing tool. Through Facebook, I have not only gotten reacquainted with long lost friends from college and high school, but with classmates from my elementary school years as well. Not only that, but with the mere click of a few keys on my keyboard, I can be brought instantly up to date with my friends’ political affiliation, sexual orientation and favorite movies and books. All without picking up the phone or, heaven forbid, meeting in person.
 
But as amazing and entertaining as Facebook is, it has raised a few questions in my mind. Small matters, granted, but things I do ponder occasionally during my allotted Facebook time, which just happens to coincide with my “waiting in the pick-up line at my kids’ school” time. Because really, there’s not much else to do during that wait time other than look at Facebook news updates. I’ve tried actually being productive, but I find I’m too easily distracted by the frantic ladies on the sidewalk “urging” me to keep moving my vehicle forward. But I digress.
 
In any event, one of the questions that has come up during my daily Facebook news perusals is this – why is it that a certain long-lost friend from high school apparently has nothing better to do with her time than play Facebook games all day? We’re talking about a grown woman with a good job. I remember her as being nice, smart and mentally stable. Yet apparently, at least according to the Facebook news updates, this individual plays Facebook games during every free waking moment. 
 
Now I have nothing against Facebook games. I’m sure they’re quite fun and entertaining, at least as these things go. I don’t know. I’ve never played them myself. But every couple of hours throughout the entire day? 24 minutes ago, 2 hours ago, 4 hours ago, 5 hours ago – the times on the news feeds read. That seems a bit excessive to me. And the thing is, if you are going to be addicted to some stupid game and waste your entire life playing it, why would you want everyone to know about it? Choose something like computer solitaire or Playstation and nary a soul will know the truth. They may think you’re an obsessive workaholic or lazy loaf with no social life to speak of, but at least let them speculate instead of providing hard and fast data.   
 
Also, why is it that people feel it necessary to tell the Facebook world that they are having lasagna for dinner? Or that they are now going to bed? Or that they are happy or irritated or annoyed? I mean, seriously, if you have nothing interesting to post, and trust me, lasagna and your bedtime and your current moment-by-moment emotional state are not interesting, then perhaps you shouldn’t post anything at all. Just a thought.
 
And while we’re on the topic of what you should and should not post, let’s talk about vacations. Think about this seriously for a moment. Do you really think it’s wise to notify hundreds of people that you are on vacation? “Hey everybody! I’m on vacation this week at a very remote location far away from my house. In other words, my house is currently unoccupied. Yup, and my very loud and vicious guard dog is at the kennel all week since there is no one, absolutely no one, at my house to feed him. So if you, or anyone you might know, would like a very easy house to burglarize, I’ve got one for you! Yes, my house! No one will bother you there. So go for it. I won’t be back for six more days.”
 
Here’s another thought to ponder – do we really need to notify everyone EVERY time we set foot into a restaurant or retail establishment? We all know that everybody eats and shops. It’s a great thing, eating and shopping. But posting to the world that you’ve just entered a Pottery Barn store and then 35 minutes later have settled down to dine at The Cheesecake Factory? Maybe it’s just me, but that seems like just a wee bit more information than we really need.
 
On the topic of too much information, let’s all remember too that it is possible to communicate with people privately through Facebook. So when you decide to have that very long, drawn-out, personal and even graphic discussion with your mother about your decision to call in sick to work due to your nasty stomach ailment, perhaps consider that the discussion chain may not be . . . oh, how shall I put this . .. Facebook-wall-appropriate. Maybe the private communication option would be more appropriate. Perhaps even a phone call.
 
Oh, and another thing. If we never said two words to each other during the entire four years that we happened to attend the same high school with something like 1200 other teenagers, and we have not said two words to each other since, then odds are, I don’t want you looking at the pictures I post of my kids. It’s a little creepy. If I have to look you up in the school yearbook and even then, don’t have any recollection of ever laying eyes on you, then no, surprising as it might be, I do not want to be your Facebook friend. Good rule of thumb – if someone does not want to be your real life friend, they probably don’t want to be your Facebook friend either.
 
So there, in a nutshell, are my thoughts about Facebook. I love it and it’s a great way to re-connect and communicate with people you like. It’s a fantastic method of spreading news and keeping up-to-date with your friends’ activities in this busy world. But it should be used with discretion.
 
Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to go an update my own Facebook news feed by telling all 126 of my closest friends that I have just completed not only my column, but a Diet Coke and the remainder of a bag of popcorn. I’ll probably also add that I am still affiliated with the Republican party and the Catholic religion, that I watched the series finale of Entourage tonight, that I’m already tired of making school lunches and that I think I’m going to turn in for the night, but not before taking a shower first. 
 
I’m sure my friends are all waiting with bated breath.