Facebook

I know lots of you are shivering in cold areas of the US right now so here's hoping some BIG sunshine comes out soon!

Not a whole lot has been going on here. Well, that's not quite true! Sarah and I started Facebook accounts and have been spending quite a bit of time online with it. It's been about a week since we started our accounts and EVERY night since Sarah has been chatting online through Facebook with one friend or another.

Facebook is GREAT for her English so we encourage her to chat whenever she wants just like we are so happy when she text messages people on her cell phone. Yes, I guess that kind of makes us weird parents! We're like, "Yeah! Go text! Go chat with someone on Facebook!" (So I know that sound rather flip but trust me she is encouraged but supervised!)

When I first heard about Facebook eons ago I kind of imaged it like an online yearbook where you posted a bit about yourself and then waited to see if you heard from others from high school or college. It's actually so much more than that and quite addictive! At Christmas my sister-in-law had said she was ADDICTED to Facebook. She actually said "addicted." I remember thinking "what in the heck could there to be addicted to!?!?" She was right. It's addicting.

To those who don't know about Facebook, you set up a free account, tell some things about yourself, upload photos and can join groups and such. You can even plant a cyber garden to help save the rain forest. Or send animated stickers to friends. Or keep track of birthdays. Or make cartoon pictures of yourself. All this in addition to finding lost friends and keeping in touch with current friends. I "found" a long lost friend who I haven't actually chatted with in about 13 years!

In order for anyone to view your information they have to send you a "friend" request which you can approve or deny. If you approve a friend then the two of you are linked and can view each other's information and chat. You can even "poke" or "super poke" your friends.

Sarah is very selective about approving friend requests. Quite honestly, if you're over 18 don't even think about it! (Well, unless there are special circumstances which she takes on a case-by-case basis! And I think there is bribery involved!) She wants it basically to be kids from school which I totally get. If I were her that's what I would want to. I'm just waiting for her to rescind the friend link she has with me!

Me, on the other hand, I just like to chat. So if you'd like to chat with me, send me a friend request. Then again, for those friends who have read this blog for so long but who I haven't actually "met", you'll need my name in order to find me. So let me introduce myself -- I'm Debbi Hoepner Bracker. Hope to see you on Facebook!