Social Networking...

For those who read my previous post about phones and how much I hate them, it might come as something of a surprise to note that I am a relatively avid social networker.

The difference, I think is the difference between passive and active control. One doesn't control a telephone. When it rings, a phone demands attention right now. On some level, I think most of us find a ringing telephone at least a little inconvenient much of the time. But I can check and update my Facebook page totally at my convenience. Because I think it's convenient and because I actively control when I use it (and also because I'm kind of curious as to what other people are doing), I actually check in on a fairly regular basis.

I got started on Facebook a couple of years ago. I probably wouldn't have jumped on the bandwagon nearly as quickly if I still lived in the area where I grew up simply because I would have been in regular contact with most of my friends and family. As Melissa will attest, I am kind of absent minded a good deal of the time. I originally started my personal page as a way to avoid having to endlessly re-email pictures and updates to family and friends who didn't get included on emails they should have been in on because yours truly forgot to include them in the first place. It worked a treat and it saved me a lot of awkward embarrassment in the process. Even more convenient ! I've also enjoyed getting re-acquainted with a whole bunch of people with whom I'd long ago lost touch.

About a year ago, we designed a Paradigm Farms FB page for our horse business as another (convenient) way of maintaining contact with our clients, many of whom were already on FB. Much to our surprise, our page seems to have attracted a broad following that stretches far beyond our friends and clients and as an added bonus, by cross referencing our blog to our FB page we've gleaned a considerable blog following as well. At the end of the day, getting and keeping the word out there is what it's all about, and doubly so if it can be done in a convenient manner !