So Here's the Thing About Facebook...

I'm Stubborn. Yes, Stubborn with a capital S. For those of you who don't know me that well, I will just relate one small story. When I interviewed for my first teaching job, my principal told me that he called someone to get a little more information about me. That is totally normal, in fact, it is the precise reason we make personal and professional reference lists. He said he called the one person who probably knows me better than anyone else. I said "You called my mother." Affirmative. The question he asked her was about my greatest strength and my greatest weakness. Mom said that I have one personality trait that is actually both. You guessed it, I am Stubborn. So you may be wondering how this relates to Facebook. I will never join Facebook. It is not because I think Facebook is stupid. I think it is a great tool for finding old friends and getting in touch and sharing stories, events, etc. It is not that I think that people on Facebook are stupid. Most of the people I know with Facebook profiles really enjoy the contact it brings them with friends, family, acquaintances (and apparently, random strangers...maybe it is the random stranger thing that makes me a little stubborn.) One of the arguments people have used to convince me to join is that you can find old friends, people you haven't seen since high school! The thing is, I didn't have that many friends in high school, and if I can find them, they can find me! I don't want to be found...I am on Goodreads and I have a blog. That is as "out" as I want to be. My friends at work keep telling me they will get me on there by the end of the year. That statement alone ensures it will never happen. (Remember that Stubborn thing I mentioned earlier?) Then the stories they tell! Holy Cow! I won't share them here, but truly, if you are trying to convince me to join, you probably shouldn't share all the humiliating and embarrassing things that happen to you on Facebook! Now I'm feeling a little like it is '1984' and I will be examined by the Ministry of Truth...I may go and make my Goodreads profile and blog private....aaahhhh.....

So here's the thing about Facebook...if you invite me to be your friend, I will ignore your request. Don't equate ignoring a "friend request" with actually ignoring a friend. I probably love you and have no intention to hurt your feelings, (you were probably just being nice and don't really care if I accept your friend request anyway) but I am not going to join Facebook. Most of you have blogs or Goodreads accounts. You all have phones and e-mail addresses. I pretty much keep in touch directly, indirectly, or vicariously (i.e. my brothers-in-law and cousins-in-law via my sisters and cousins...) with everyone I love and want to be in touch with. I am not going to join Facebook. LOVE YOU ALL!!!