I just lost 200 friends...

Over the past two months I have lost about 200 friends. How in the world did I lose so many close companions you ask? I quit facebooking; that's how. I came to a point where it was actual work keeping up with so many other people's lives. Not even important stuff in their lives just the mundane facts of their days. My head was full of information regarding Susie Q's, that old college friend who I actually only talked to a few times, cat who just puked on her carpet. Or a man, who was once a boy in my 3rd grade class, who was driving in bumper to bumper traffic. Oh and let's not forget about everyone's political, religious, emotional, family and shop-a-holic opinions each day - 24 hours! I got a little consumed with too many non important facts about other people.

I admit I loved it for a time being. Well, a long time being. I was right there with them telling everyone how my middle child carried chicken bones in his pocket all day at school after eating fried chicken in the cafeteria. Or that I was cleaning up puke from the third person in my family who had the stomach bug! It was fun...but then it became work for me. I can see if you have more time on your hands to keep up with everyone all day then it would be tolerable. But I was becoming obsessed...I had to check it in the morning or in the afternoon, especially at night before I went to bed...just in case someone had something happen to them I needed to know about. Because you know when you have 200 friends they aren't going to take the time to call you; they are just going to post it on facebook.

People I knew, even some close friends who were facebook addicts as well, would say to me in 'real' conversations, "oh, you didn't know that? I posted it on facebook last week!" (I admit I did the same thing...often leading a conversation with someone for real by saying, "did you read when I.....already on facebook or do I need to tell you?") Now that is just annoying!

I agree that facebook has been awesome in reconnecting old friends who otherwise you would have no idea had four kids, just got married, or lived across the planet working for the peace corps! But then I had that many more people to keep up with. I enjoyed chatting it up with a friend I loved dearly my freshmen year of college and then she switched colleges and was never heard from again. But after a week or two of chatting it up then all I was left was keeping up with her daily activities, "just walked across the room" (that was actually a funny one that I had to reply..."and picked my nose.")

I'm sure when the kids get back in school and I'm bored out of my mind (wait...will that ever happen again...at least not in the next 4 years) I might start diligently following facebook again. But until then if you are a friend of mine do you mind terribly calling me (or texting) and telling me if you have a headache, just ate the best hamburger in town, or for Pete's sake just had your baby! Thanks!