Social Networking

What has the world come to...or more specifically...what is Social Networking doing to the world...

One of my BFs celebrated her 30th birthday this week...guess how I wished her a happy birthday...via Facebook (I did send a card in the mail). You got it, I did not pick up the phone and give her a call or even send a personal email. I wished her HB on Facebook....Really people...this is not me. This girl (woman) is one of the best friends a girl can have. We have shared so many things in our 13 years of friendship. Bad boyfriends, jobs, college, good boyfriends, getting Masters while working, weddings, puppies....you got the picture right...we've shared A LOT!

So this got me thinking about the whole social networking thing....while its nice, nothing takes the place of a phone call and hearing someone's voice on the other line or a card in the mail. I find myself communicating with people via facebook or email and not picking up the phone as often anymore. In fact, my attention span on a phone call has gotten progressively shorter. And I don't feel good about it. This is part of the reason I do not have a twitter account....plus I don't have a blackberry or a fancy phone that will let me on the internet anywhere I am...If I have something to say, its going to be here or on facebook.

So, what are we (I mean - what am I) going to do about this? I think I will try each week to call 1 special person (in addition to family members) just to say hi. Maybe that will bring back my ability to reach out and talk to those people who mean a lot to me and remind them of that. Sometimes facebook and email just aren't enough. What do you all think???

** Oh another wonderful bad use of social networking....I found out my friend was engaged via a Facebook update by her brother...yes, that's what the world has come to.