The Social Network and Me These Days

I can lose an hour easily on Facebook. Check in on the Profile page,  go to Home, post something, check out new posts, pictures, write on someone's wall, you name it.  Thank God this site is not accessible from my place of work, otherwise I would have some serious problems with efficiency, not to mention employment. But it feeds my ADD nicely.

In the past few days, I have experienced the phenomenon many have discussed about Facebook: connecting with people from the past. And while I feel no desire to strike up adult friendships with third-grade classmates, I am enjoying memories I have not accessed for decades. There are many facets to this interest, the most obvious one being the social network that facilitates the communication. Another is that I grew up in a city and because of changing demographics (See "white flight") no one from my childhood has lived in the old neighborhood for years. It's not like we go back to the family home for the holidays and drive passed the old school, the park, the candy store, or the town hall ---- an experience oft depicted in stories from America's heartland--- to which I cannot relate. Now, we can return virtually, and the Incarnation Class of 1973 has begun to trickle homeward.

I amazed myself earlier today when I was able to "tag" without hesitation at least 25 out of the 50 kids in my third grade class-- overwhelmingly boys, not girls, but that's for another post. I retrieved from long-term storage first and last names of people I have not seen or thought about in 40 years. Of course, I still cannot remember where I put my glasses 20 minutes ago. Yes, the joys of 50.