Mid-Life Obsession

A year ago I was fine. I was your normal, mature mom, chastising my teenagers for spending so much time on the computer. Specifically on their, MyFace, Spacebook, whatever. Then I decided I probably needed to see what they were up to. But I was not a member. Fine. I will become a Facebook member just so I can see my kids pages. And that is all she wrote. Less than a year later I have over 250 "friends" and a daily habit of seeing what those friends are up to. I feel more like a 14 yr old than I did when I was 14!

I love looking at peoples pictures, seeing what they are up to on a daily basis, and commenting on their lives.  It keeps me connected to "adults" during the day and helps me to see my life is  not much different than everyone else.  I especially love finding "old" friends.  Searching for people is the FB equivalent of drunk dialing.  Finding old boyfriends and high school buddies is easier when you are really tired and slap happy and feel you have nothing to lose. You see their face and think, will they remember me?  You make a comment before requesting them as a friend, just in case.  No one wants a friend rejection, even at age 42. You exchange pleasantries at first and catch up on the last 20 years then, nothing.  But that's okay because they are now your "friend" and you know how to find them!  

Then there are my die hard FB friends that I see on a daily basis in cyberspace.  They are all from such different times and places in my life.   But they all "get" me  and we enjoy our FB friendships. Sarcasm, humor, disappointments and achievements can all be "virtually" felt.  I actually feel more connected to my family and friends because I know what is going on in their lives.  It keeps me from having to call 20 to 30 people a week  and I can wish a happy birthday without having to go to a Hallmark store.  

And yes I can check in on my kids.  But, I am discovering, they can also check up on me!