Facebookin' it

Facebook brings us closer together.

I'm a big advocate of it.  I suck at email.  I never call.  I do however, sit there wondering how all my old friends and family members are doing (I do talk to immediate family...I'm not that bad...yet).

So Facebook allows me to see status updates and interact with people that I haven't seen or heard from in ages, check out what pictures they've posted, and feel a little more a part of their lives.

Now, I'll be honest.  I've friended people who I was NOT on good terms with.  I've gotten these friend requests and looked at them and said to myself, "Didn't we hate each other?"  And then that sick side of me kicks in and I have to say, "I wonder what a train-wreck their lives have become." So I usually end up accepting the request.

Now I don't WANT people to have sucky lives, but there is that part of me that wonders if karma ever took over.  Usually I've been delighted to discover that the majority of these people have pulled their heads out of their behinds and have fixed themselves.  Once or twice I have realized that there just ain't no fixin'!


But the real joy in Facebook is when you find those people that meant so terribly much to you in your life and somehow you lost touch.  My platoon sergeant in Hawaii (there's no way I could begin to say how much he meant to me and my family.  He touched everyone he ever met!).  My old friend/boyfriend from college (you know the guy you promise that you'll marry if you're both still single at 27?).  Those close friends from high school and college that just pop into your mind and you wonder "what ever happened to...?"

I've had those wonderful moments where I've found someone or been contacted by someone and it quite literally made my entire day.  It's a wonderful feeling.  I thought I was getting ready for another one of those days this week.  A friend of mine from high school sent me a "friend suggestion".  He found an old friend of ours from senior year.  Someone who I looked for, but couldn't find.  He just joined Facebook.

I went to the prom with him...no romance...no NEVER, but he was a friend.  I went on high alert and sent "friend suggestions" out to the rest of our senior clan.  Slowly I saw them all have their friend requests accepted, as was mine.  Then I got talking to him.

We made some talk about what we liked about Facebook and how glad I was that he joined.  What was he up to, what I'd been up to.  I told him about some of the most surprising requests I'd had and commented that it was nice to see that some of the people that really needed to had matured over time, but joked that there isn't a lot to be said for maturity sometimes.  Just a light passing comment.  His response surprised and kind of pissed me off.

"Speak for yourself. I've only gotten less mature over time. But maybe some of us were a little too mature to begin with. Maybe uptight would be a better word..."

I reread my email to him to make sure that I was in no way inferring that he had been one of those people I was referring to...nope...I was pretty clear on that.  It really angered me.  Instead of responding "in kind" I let it go completely.

I guess part of me was offended because part of me knows that I was always a bit more mature than other kids, and no doubt some could interpret it as being uptight.  Maybe it was offensive because I didn't want it to be true.

I've spent some time over the past few days looking back at my senior year of high school.  Was I uptight.  I guess I was compared to many of the kids that went to my high school, but I don't regret it in any way shape or form.  The other aspect of my reflection was, that this dude hung out with me.  He went to the prom with me.  We had a group of 6 that did most everything together in school.  So if I was so uptight why did you hang out with me?


I can't fathom that this is why the 20-year-late insult, but who knows.  I guess I can sit back and take consolation in the fact that he never procreated.  That he looks like shit, and is apparently as childish as he ever was.

Ah well, next friend request please....