Addictions. Stalking. Stupid Applications.

I remember when MySpace became the new popular adolescent tool to keep in touch with friends, meet new people and make a defining personal statement. I think it must have been hard for the older generation to understand why an online social network could ever make such an impact among so many people worldwide... but it did... and it still does... well, at least for many anyway... but not for me. No. I have always rejected the MySpace fad.

But then there was the "F-book," more commonly known as Facebook.

Since then, all bets have been off. I have jumped headfirst into the depths of Facebook and it has become an addicting force... a force worth reckoning with. In fact, the "original" Facebook was amazing. Simple. Easy. Awesome.

But now that Facebook has been around for a while there are several things that cause me to reconsider the amazingness that has always been Facebook.

For example:

• What is with all the new "applications" that are now available? Like, what is Jetman and who would want it on their profile anyway?
• I don't like it when people poke me in real life so why would I want someone to "poke" me or even "super poke" me over the F-book? Who does that?
• What's the purpose of the News Feed? I must be so cool that the world truly does want to stalk my every move. That must be it.. Alas, I am forced to stalk my friends due to the News Feed... but just for the record, I really don't care when anyone else writes on someone else's wall, or who is now friends with who, or whether anyone I know became a fan of "Mastodon" or not.
• And then there's status updates... I will be the first to admit that I change my "status" throughout the week from "Dawn wishes it was Friday already" to "Dawn is excited that is it finally the weekend" but do I really need to know if "____ can't stand immature teenagers" or if "_____ is santa clause" or that "____ is thinking of fund raising ideas"? Hmm...o
• The new "Chat" feature... remind you of IM anyone??
  

While there are definitely things about Facebook that I do not appreciate, it is still my day-time addiction that helps me get through the day in my office as piles of work stack up. When I need a little break, it gives me the opportunity to reminisce about that amazing camping trip I went on with some of my favorite friends as I peruse posted pictures... or write a little comment on my friend's wall telling her she's awesome. Creating events are also an amazing part of Facebook... not to mention the birthday updates, funny notes to read and personalized profiles. Because of these things, Facebook will always be near and dear to my heart... a way to keep in touch with those friends that you really don't want to see, and a way to remind your super close friends that you are here to stay as a central part of their lives...whether they like it or not :)

Thank you Facebook. An addiction you are. A means of stalking others and to be stalked by others... good and stupid applications included.

It couldn't be better.