I totally hear you! There are so many places to be, see, and be seen...what's a girl to do? And that's just in our virtual lives! I say choose the place that reprsents you and what you want to do, and make the most of it. I've been invited to "join my friends...here, there, and everywhere" and here I am on BlogHer making new ones! It's all about choices. www.intentionalwinning.blogspot.com

Intentional Winning in Life is victory by design: Creating the journey and the outcome for every aspect of your life by participating in the process.

Yr objections to Facebook are so 90s! Cute -- LOL :P 

green LA girl

I quite agree, and there is more to life than being a "celebrity" for 5 seconds.

I rejected facebook for a while. For the same reasons.  It seems too popular and somehow generic to be cool and I'm still in that camp.  The thing is, it has soo many people that I like having it.  I see photos of my sister-in-law's DIY project, photos of my old coworkers children.  These aren't things I would write an email to get, but are nice to see. And Yes, I have alot of friends from high school that I don't really communicate with on there. I do get your point completely. 

I went on a trip through Europe in May and many of the people on the tour "friend-ed up" on facebook to share photos.  So I have to admit, it has it's usefulness.  I see it as a voluntary 411. 

I still don't get all the applications, etc.. and I rarily participate in them. I think it's widely enough used that you can just take what you want from it. 

I do have one, I kind of prefer it to myspace, but it seems like they are pretty similar to me.  However I am so over getting more social networking sites, 2 is enough.  (Those just happen to be the first two I joined.)  I do enjoy catching up and finding out what ithe people from my past and present are up to.

I blog at whitehotmagik.blogspot.com

Kathy - Seriously, how many is too many? Do other people just join and join and join?

Greenlagirl - OMG I hang my head in shame! LOL

KLinnea - Yes, that's my biggest fear about Facebook. The instant celebrity. ;)

Katie - I know, more peeps are on Facebook - It seems like *everyone's* on Facebook. People who would never join MySpace back in the day are on Facebook. Why do I resist??? Stubborn, I guess.

Leucantha - Absolutely. I do really enjoy finding people from my past and people finding me. I guess I just need to stand in this place for a while before I open another online door. I mean, you say "2 is enough," but what happens when there's the next big thing and everyone migrates? I feel like Facebook is asking me to migrate, and I kinda like the old country, you know? lol

Liz Rizzo

I blog at Everyday Goddess.

I originally got on there because a lot of food bloggers were there. Now I kind of like seeing what my 20-something nieces and nephews are up to. But please people, stop sending me stuff! I AM NOT ADDING ANY APPLICATIONS! Really mean it.

Kalyn Denny
Kalyn's Kitchen

I had joined MySpace because some people I know who blogged moved their blogs over there and I had to join in order to read and comment. I loathed MySpace. I found it obnoxious and young and just not my style. At the time Facebook was just for University students and I had this one friend who would rave about it. When the opened it up to anyone I joined and then reconnected with a lot of people from my past that I had lost touch with.

Facebook was a huge thing in Canada and not so huge in the US. Vice versa for MySpace. I find more Canadians balk at MySpace and are all about Facebook.

The introduction of all these stupid applications on FB was almost enough to have me give up on loggin in and checking messages every day. But then I learned how to block the applications and it gives me little moments of gleee! when I do. Heh.

Although Facebook has been the best way for me to stay in touch with family across the province, and I am still there because of that. Tiny little messages to each other and looking at photos is sadly easier than the random long winded email.

Cat :)

Beyond Elsewhere and Beyond Books

Funny because I am the opposite. I HATE being on MySpace, but refuse to delete it because a different group of friends is on there. And I love all the amazing slightly stalker features of Facebook. Keeping up with all the social networking sights can be a full time job.

Before I moved from Winnipeg, Canada to Madrid, Spain for what I knew would be an indefinite amount of time, I hooked myself up with Myspace. Then I began to blog for the first time. I had a group of "Myspace friends" and when I was out of my mind with fear and frustration and despair, I blogged into a network where I knew someone would be listening. It was a lifesaver at the time.

Later, I joined Facebook, stopped blogging but started posting my photos instead. Facebook is full of people I know from all over the world. Long lost family, friends, grade school mean girls... They all seem to be there. At first it blew my mind - these blasts from the better forgotten past but I later came to enjoy the memories that were dredged up. both good and nasty. Now FB is a network where I can play scrabble with my friends in Canada, share videos, look at photos of other people's adventures and show off my own. The near instant response from friends about my photos are as gratifying as comments on my blogs. I feel plugged in and less isolated. This is, afterall, one of the reasons we build communities. virtual or otherwise.

Shehani @ Mock Moons

For keeping in touch with people that you don't see on a regular basis and for networking.

I don't think you're missing out on anything by not having a Facebook account. I don't think having one will change your life in any way. It's just another online tool for socializing. I mentally place it in the “nice to have” category, but it’s definitely not essential.

Vered DeLeeuw

http://momgrind.com/

I resisted facebook for a long time, too. And then I got a job at a university and realized that communicating with students and being on their wavelength meant using their medium: facebook. So I signed up and now I love playing scrabble and seeing pictures. Its a good way to be able to check up on a people that you don't get a chance to talk to very often. (Part of my job is checking up on how students are doing mentally/emotionally.) But I do find it ridiculous how many people I'm "friends" with on facebook that I was never truly friends with in real life. People that were too cool for me or maybe knew my first name, but suddenly we're friends. Every now and then I purge my friend list. People who get deleted don't get notified so unless they were avidly checking my profile every day, they'll never know! ha.  

In Between Words

http://jessicaschafer.wordpress.com

I have a Facebook profile but the only time I ever login is if someone I know sends me an Add request. I keep it open "just in case," but I never use it for anything. I don't like those applications/games either, and always reject the request when I get them.

Personal blog: Keep Up With Me
BlogHer blog: Singles/Fitness

I resisted facebook for a long time, too, but was encouraged by my PR friends to join, as a networking tool for work. Then, it became useful for sharing photos with captions with my family and far-away friends. Then, I was invited to join a little humour-poetry group, where I was eventually introduced to "Mr. England".

A best friend introduced us, but on Facebook, and in 14 days, I'm headed to Heathrow to see if he really IS as amazing as I think he might be. I can't really make excuses for myself. I'm embarassed that romance can have anything to do with Facebook, but maybe, if it works out, I won't be so embarrrased anymore:

You might as well hear it from me – I met a man on the internet. I just said that out loud, didn't I?

from

All Over the Place (Montreal)

I laughed out loud to read because the sentiments are shared!

Or Were....

What I love most about facebook is that "seven degrees of seperation" something it adds to my life. Of course I was always the girl who had to make friends, go to a new school and then get settled only to move again, so I love re-connecting with people I have not seen in so many years.

I've had some great reunions, and I've actually loved the updates and photos and seeing what my friends are reading and watching... I've got two kids and so it's hard to keep up otherwise and lets face it, the last time I bought a book of stamps I was twelve years old.  I've also set up a fan page for my business and linked my blogs in and so I love the ability to personalize your business in a different way.

In any case...once you do join ( because it's just a matter of time) look me up :-)

Monica

I've had a MySpace page for a while and was kinda resistant to FB because I felt like one social networking site was really enough. I eventually broke down and got a page though and now it's almost completely replaced MySpace for me. I'm hardly ever on MySpace now, but I check FB everyday. I love that I'm reconnected with so many friends and co-workers and people I've met through networking. Long live FB!!
http://loveisdope.wordpress.com 

I once registered at the behest of a friend;and immediately unregistered. Why in bloody hell do I wish my identity to accumulate whatever it is shows up there?

As one who adjudicates unemployment bennies for a living, having an actual identity out there is not a very healthy thing.

nelle

&

llhaesa

Love it. Love my ability to add or not (because you don't have to accept if they do), find people or not, check in with my friends from school...Love it. Can't help it.

I'm as socially networked as one can get, but it's just fun for me. And as far as the applications go, I just take them as part of the game; I ignore the ones that really seem stupid and add the ones that I think are funny or interesting (You can always take them off the wall if you want.) And it's good to know that a lot of times people aren't asking me (or anyone) to add applications INTENTIONALLY. If I want to know the answers to my quiz about what being left-handed says about me, I have to invite people. They can totally decline. I do. ;)

I'm just really light-hearted about Facebook for some reason. Playing Scramble with my sis in California is fun. Chatting with my friend Karen in Michigan is fun. It's a low-stress space for me.

But I can see how it'd get on your nerves if you just weren't down with it. ;)

laurie

"People who would never join MySpace back in the day are on Facebook."

LOL-I am one of those people!  I resisted, and resisted MySpace.  I resisted, and resisted Facebook until I couldn't resist anymore.  I feel like a sell out.  Actually, a big reason why I joined facebook is because a lot of my family (who are spread out across the world) are on it, and it's a great way to "check-in" on them, see photos, etc.

Because my sisters made me!
It makes a lot more sense when you realise that I'm on the wrong side of the country from most of my family, and my sisters are both on the other side of the world.
I found out my brother split up with his girlfriend - via face book.
I saw my sister's birthday photo's - on facebook. I saw some pictures of my MUM, from the last wedding she attended.

I'm a bit selective about who i add as friends. if we aren't friends in real life, or from my blog, then you're probably not in my friends list. and i don't add applications.

I think I have a recipe for that...

... but I prefer it to myspace.  My younger siblings coerced (forced) me onto Facebook.  I actually use it as my "real personal" social networking site (family & close friends). I also like the picture & video sharing features on Facebook.  I prefer the user interface to myspace; for some reason I get headaches if I stare at myspace pages longer than 10 seconds.  :)  I think the social networking sites can be fun ... and perhaps helpful as well if you can manage them properly.  I select the few that I like and I stick with those.  There are literally thousands out there.  It's kinda difficult (impossible) to become engaged in an online community if you're a member of all of them.  IMO.    - Kishau  

WEB: http://www.websmithgroup.com

BLOG: http://www.websmithgroup.com/blog

But Facebook assimilation seems near...

Awesome comments! Rock!

Liz Rizzo

I blog at Everyday Goddess.

I have profiles on Facebook and Myspace, plus the business sites and the Mom sites.  I have a friend or two on each who convinced me to join.  If they ever come up with a application where you can update your profile in one place and have it update all your other profiles, then maybe I would use them and wouldn't be so overwhelmed.

Tina

Web: http://www.luvemorleavem.com

Blog: http://www.luvemorleavem.com/blog_read.cfm

I dated a guy once who begged me to get on facebook while i was in college. begged. pleaded. And finally i was all, "fine, sure" So i join. and three months later he breaks up with me over FACEBOOK.  It was tragic.  The End.

Although I do laugh whenever anyone says "we go way back, we're facebook friends" insta-giggle.

 www.decoybetty.com

AdviceMaven - I have so many MySpace friends like that! They join and then they never come back. I have to admit, I wish that some of my friends who aren't on it were on it. If I heard that they joined Facebook, that would tip the scale for me.

Decoybetty - OMG, AWESOME Facebook story. LOL

Liz Rizzo

I blog at Everyday Goddess.

I think Hi5 was the first social network I joined. I've visited maybe five times in that many years (it seems). I joined Myspace a few years ago and I find it more user friendly and entertaining. It stuck and I'll visit it once a week to keep up on friends and comments.

A few months ago I joined Facebook out of peer pressure and quite frankly I don't care for it. If I get one more fairy, fruitloop or tadpool request I might burst. Yesterday, again because of peer pressure, I joined Linked in. I'm so impressionable!

Moe
Big Girl Blue, M.E. Wood lens, Large and Lovely

"Women are going to form a chain, a greater sisterhood than the world has ever known." ~Nellie McClung, 1916

Ehh, no judgment over somebody choosing not to join Facebook, however I very much enjoy it. Through it I've been able to keep in touch with people I never would have been able to without it (or at least I would have had a hard time), I've found a number of people for networking purposes, and I've been able to easier organize people in my area when something needs to be done.

I view a lot of what is done on Facebook to be childish, but I just don't participate and voila, there you go. Turned off the requests for applications I don't want, for example, and now it doesn't bother me.

-- Jack Scheerer
Queer Liberation! - Queer Trans-Feminist Essays