I never though much of these social networking sites which seem to be popping up with greater and greater frequency.
There is Twitter, MySpace, and FaceBook to name some of the most popular. I pretty much looked at these as things for the kids to play with back and forth with one another.
But I've noticed that more and more businesses are carving out profiles for themselves on these sites, using them to draw attention, communicate, market, increase traffic to their own sites, and better their results in search engines.
So I figured I should check things out.
Recently Barb and I both joined FaceBook. I've been surprised by the opportunities.
I've always said that someday everyone will be their own publisher. It's coming. It's here.
I fully recommend that everyone sign up for a site like FaceBook. Your daughter can update you on how her pregnancy is going with a report everyday. Your son in Iraq can report each day on how he is doing. You can connect with people who have similar interests. You can generate interest in the arts and crafts you're making and selling.
It is your own personal publishing center, write stories, share pictures or movies, just about anything.
And it has tremendous potential.
Right now we are not a Democracy. We are a Republic. We vote for representatives who then vote for us. But a true Democracy is getting closer. Just imagine, every day we could sign on to Facebook and vote on today's legislation. We won't need corrupt politicians to represent us anymore. We can represent ourselves in a true Democracy.
I've been poor throughout my life at maintaining relationships. When I left Philly I left all my friends behind and made little attempt to keep up with them. When I left the Lebanon Daily News I did the same. I did it again, and again, and again.
I was constantly moving forward without keeping the solid foundations I had already built in the past. Facebook has allowed me to try to rebuild some of those foundations.
I've been able to connect with the man who first hired me at the paper in Philadelphia, and the photographer I worked with there. I've been able to connect 20-plus years later with a girl I babysat when she was five. I've been able to reconnect with buddies I played basketball with, and old friends I went to college with too.
It's been special.
I didn't expect it to be such a valuable asset, such a nice tool. But then I was never the brightest crayon in the box.
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2 comments:
I'm still an active blog follower of yours to see how you've been doing and how your dad has been doing too. And I've been keeping you on my prayer list at church - but I had to comment on this blog entry. It is soo true Jimmy. I also am on Facebook. For a long time everyone I talked to would say - are you on Facebook? are you on Facebook? I mean people from work, people I've met from the breast cancer 3 day, people from highschool - and I would always say what is so great about FB? I already email people. What do I need to be on there for? Finally though, I checked it out and I love it. People actually answer a message on FB (or instant chat) before they reply to their emails - it's crazy. Anyway, I live in Cleveland, my mom and sister Suzanne live in Michigan, as you know - and my other sister, Kim lives in Florida. We keep tabs on each other just about daily through FB. I never thought I'd see the day when my mom was on there - and she is. She talks to her sister-in-law in California, her friend from when she used to work at Michigan Bell when she was 18, as well as my 13 year old neice Riley and 12 year old nephew Connor in Florida (her grandchildren) . . . and I'm sure she would like to talk to you too - you should surprise her and befriend her. :) Anyway, she too was surprised how cool FB is. You need to get your mom on there now so she can talk with my mom more frequently. My mom would so love that. :)
Anyway - gotta go. Talk to you later. and hey - we'll have to befriend each other too :)
Hope you are doing good!!
Talk to you later,
Aimee Sullivan
Aimee, it's so good to hear from you. I know you understand the "language" I'm speaking sometimes. Thanks for all the continued prayers and well-wishes. I'll look for you on facebook. My Mom recently signed on to FB too. We'll have to make sure the Moms find one another.
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