Challenge

Last night, while hanging out with two friends, we got onto the discussion about Facebook and how we are addicts. I find myself on there quite a bit but nowdays I spend less time looking at peoples profiles and more at using the ‘wall’ and ‘messages’ for another form of communication. As we were discussing it and one friend (who was currently logged into the site) was gasping at new found information I felt …. uncomfortable. Is our generation that lazy and removed from friendships that we now only use things like Facebook and MySpace to connect?

Not only has that happened but it also goes with cell phones and Blackberry’s (a.k.a crackberrys). I have so many friends who don’t use their cell phones to talk. Instead they communicate almost solely through text messaging. Now don’t get me wrong – I like the idea that you can send a quick text to someone when you are in a place that the reception is horrible or too loud for one to understand what you’re trying to say. But it’s those who use it to have complete conversations. Really….pick up the stupid phone and talk to the person; so much more can be accomplished in less time.

My favorite are the people, and trust me there are too many, who will be out to dinner with you and right in the middle of a conversation they are checking their Blackberry and sending off e-mails. Trust me. No friend of mine is THAT important that they HAVE to send an e-mail immediately. It’s downright rude.

After going through this little upsetting moment last night I declared that I would like to stop my Facebook account. Needless to say, both friends laughed and said it could never happen. And, at least for now, that is true. I do rely on it too often for information because I was not diligent enough to plan ahead or take the time to write down notes of birthdays, contact information and so on. But I am going to try something……

Starting today I’m going to go an entire week without Facebook.

I know there is no way to monitor this, seeing it doesn’t tell you the last time I logged in. But I will announce if I made it or broke my pledge.

And so…the countdown begins!