Let me be perfectly clear: it's not that I don't like any of the people I removed. I can honestly say I only removed one person because of ill will. The rest were people I have known throughout my life and truly enjoyed catching up with, but we're just not that close or we are not in touch on a regular basis. And I truly hate the term "unfriend." It's not that I don't want to be friends with any of the people I removed from my list. They're just not a regular part of my life and keeping them on my list seemed a misrepresentation of who I am.
I fought joining Facebook for years. I just didn't see the point. Once I joined I got waaaaaay too involved. I was going through a time where I was unemployed and I lived apart from Jim because of the military. I was lonely and Facebook filled the void. It was also right before my 20th high school reunion and a great tool to reconnect with friends before the big get together. It's been a few years now and I think I've shared way too much, have been way too opinionated, and have played way too many online games. I'm not sure I even need it anymore, but there are people with whom it is the easiest way for me to keep in touch. I will likely keep my account but I will also likely keep culling my list down to those who are truly a regular part of my life. Harsh? Maybe. True to me? Absolutely. Now if I could only get the nervous butterflies to stop fluttering away in anticipation of the repercussions...
3 comments:
Completely understood, Jayne (even if it includes me . . . sob!).
I have over 1000 facebook friends and it's a bit stupid. I have that many because I have so many former students and choir members from other choirs I've conducted, plus choral colleagues from around the world (yes, and family, too). However, I can't keep up with that many and wouldn't need to. I DO enjoy being able to occasionally keep up with former students and their lives.
But I also have "friends" that I don't really know personally--they're musical colleagues who've come across me on another friend's list. I say no to some, but not too often. I may need to do a cull with those folks and say, "sorry, it's nothing personal, but I don't friend anyone on FB unless I truly know them personally."
So, complete support from me! Dump as many as seems reasonable to get it down to people you care about!
You are on the NEVER EVER EVER delete list!!! How could I cull such a very important part of my life? With your page, I completely understand because of your professional life, why the number is so high. If you are serious though about thinning the herd, perhaps you should have a personal page and a professional page? I know you are busy so this would just be another headache for you but it might solve the personal/professional issue.
I agree! (This from the one who is still resisting FB! ha!). Actually, I'm thinking of finally joining ... not a professional page, but personal, and keeping it small, small, small ... so I can keep up with my nieces, sisters, close friends, etc.
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