Facebook just had its 10 year anniversary.  I just had my 6 month.  It was just a half a year that I joined FB and I wrote about my trepidation(s).  I’m revisiting my decision and thought you’d like to know.  Know what?In addition to my face-to-face relationships, I embrace those that are glued together via electronics like emails, texts and phone calls (well not so many phone calls). I’m an early adopter.  I believe in building community and making connections.  I should have been a natural for Facebook.   But, I could not pull the trigger or punch the pixels or whatever metaphor you can imagine.  Until I did.  I got on. I’m still on.

Here were my concerns and my subsequent impressions:

Concern #1 –  It would be a time sucker.  Not so much.  I like to check mynewsfeed at night, in bed, phone or computer on lap.  It’s enjoyable.  People post generally interesting stuff.  I share it with my hubby and it can start conversations.  All good.

Concern #2 –  I’d have to hear when folks took a crap or what they had for breakfast.  This has not been my experience.  I’ve been able to see people on the slopes, cruise boats and Indian markets.  There has been no shortage of funny videos involving jumping cats and naughty kids.  I’ve never tired of Maureen’s dogs or Terry’s or Jan’s.  No crapping, no Cherrios.

Concern #3 – Facebook has been implicated in many a divorce.  I don’t monkey around online or off.  Future suffering is to be avoided (heyam duhkham anagatam for you Sanskrit types) is a good mantra to live by.

Concern #4 –  Everyone’s smart, successful and spiritually developed.  This is still a bit of an issue.  If you’re looking for reasons to feel lousy about your life, just spend some time on FB, with all the smiling faces and witty posts all coming from some super cool location.  Does anyone work?  Not that that’s a bad thing, you know.

I have a sweet collection of “friends.”  I have not tried to maximize my quantity of friends, which you could easily do.  I have not tried to connect with my grade school friends or my exes (see Concern #3).  Those that I follow and that follow me are a respectful group.  When I post something, many will offer encouragement or validation or just “like” to indicate they see me.  It feels warm and a bit fuzzy.

So, there. I’ve joined the masses.  I’m one of the 250 million people who sign in each day.  I have 122 interesting, thoughtful and seemingly reasonable FB friends.  That’s 8 below the average user.  Thumbs up for Facebook!