Each to It's Own Purpose, Everything in It's Right Place

Lately they seem to be crawling out of the woodwork. "They" being old friends from my past. People I haven't spoken to or thought of in over ten years at the minimum. I moved across the country after graduating college, and I am definitely not the best person at keeping in touch via phone. Ask my best friends, including the ones in town. :)

With each connection, a new memory is ignited. Riding bikes down the street as a child, being chased by my friend's little brother. Sleepovers and riding my bike to the pool. Dance routines and being scared to death of Nightmare on Elm Street. Fast forward... driving around with my friends looking for stuff to do, U2 blaring. Biology lab, Homecoming, English class, walking to school, parties, crushes and spring break in Cancun. Fast forward again... autumn leaves, red brick, libraries, rushing, and disco dancing at 11am before a football game in full costume, more than a little tailgating tipsy. More dances and parties, and some dancing on tables...I think.

Why this sudden reconnection with the past? Social networks, of course. LinkedIn is great for the professional world, networking with current and former colleagues, highlighting your talents, link building, and in my husbands case, finding good job candidates. I use FriendFeed much the way I used to Twitter (although I just can't seem to quit you)- to stay on top of the the latest and greatest from those early adopters and techies I don't quite know, yet love. More linkbait there. I still use social bookmarking sites occasionally.. to bookmark. (Del.icio.us I'm looking at you). My husband uses MySpace in his avid, continual hunt for the latest band that doesn't exist yet. However, I am busier these days, and less promiscuous in my tendency to jump on the latest network bandwagon. Case in point: I lasted on Plurk exactly one day.

Networks are only as strong as their user base. Most people I know in real life are not the FriendFeed type. This may be because I live in Tampa, not the Silicon Valley. When I talk about Twittering, they think I am talking dirty. I use these tools each for their specific purposes. But Facebook... to me you are a tool for professional networking, as well as a window into my life both past and present, ages 6 and up.