You Know You Have a Problem When... #3

You Know You Have a Problem, When ... You get up an extra 20 minutes early; just so you'll have time to check your Facebook account. LOL

OK, now to some this might not seem like a problem; but my extra 20 minutes occurs at 410AM. Now, I'm not complaining; I'm just reporting on the ridiculous; (as usual,) observational humorist that I am. So, on Sunday my brother called and informed me that I was addicted to Facebook. Well, he's not telling me something that I didn't already know. I am addicted and I admit it. "Hello, my name is Paige and I'm a Facebook addict." I'm addicted to how good it feels to re-connect with old friends and remembering times gone by. Oh yes, I am the Queen of KEEPING IN TOUCH; but sometimes friendships fade away, even when you don't mean for them to. So for me ESPECIALLY - Queen of MAINTAINING FRIENDSHIPS; Facebook has been ideal. I have found not just people that I knew - but friends. People that I cared about, and many, of them who knew my mom; which you know is just HUGE for me. So yes; I'm addicted; but it's not like I'm on Facebook instead of making my kid's lunch for school. I'm inconveniencing no one, but myself.

Now I'll admit, there are a lot of applications on Facebook, and I have fallen pray to some of them. First there is the status. Now, I tried to only update people on things that I thought were valuable (just can't get away from that Greater Good - can I?) So I thought that it would be a good idea to post when I was going for my mammogram; this way others would know I was going and hopefully be encouraged to go themselves - and I thought it was a good idea to post my status when I was writing a new blog; because I was (as always,) hoping to increase my readership; but perhaps I didn't need to post when I was waking the kids or getting my hair cut. Then again, for those who you are reconnecting with; the status gives you a glimpse into the every day lives of those who's lives you haven't been in every day for awhile. Nonetheless, I have resolved that unless it is REALLY important (inclusive of new blog notices ) or freakin funny as heck - I'm not going to be reporting my status from now on. Second, as with most addictions, there is some element of shame involved and so in the "I am feeling ashamed category" - I give you the accepting and giving of gifts. OY! the gifts. There is something for everyone on Facebook. Just so far alone I have been given: Starbucks, Drinks, Cupcakes, Pumpkins, Halloween Candy, Halloween Treats, Christmas Trees, Christmas Ornaments, Christmas Decorations, Christmas Stockings, Christmas Presents, Snow Globes, Smiles, Plants for my Lil green patch (which I love,) Sea animals for a little blue cove, Farm animals, Endangered Animals, Pokes up the wazoo, Baby Muppets, Dunkin Donuts, Ben and Jerry's ice cream, Flair (which I love), Good Karma (which I love), quizzes, quizzes and more quizzes, Animated Gifts, Italian gifts (whatever those are,) Louis Vuitton gifts, Girly girl gifts, Fly Fashionista gear, Baby seals, a dog, and a 3-D puppy (which my kids love). I have been asked to play Duck, Duck Goose, Go bowling, add a visual book shelf, and I've been kidnapped And I KNOW that there are a bazillion more applications that I have yet to discover (and possibly enjoy;) but who can keep up with it all? It's fun; but what I see happening is, that you get all of these gift requests from friends; they send you something so you feel like you should send it back; but due to time factors (at least for me) you wind up stockpiling them and when you finally find the time to take a look at them and start sending some back it looks like you're some crazed Santa Claus going gift crazy and sending everything and anything to everyone you know AND their mother; and I don't feel good about that. All of your friends can see every time you've sent something and I'm not feeling comfortable with this; so from here on out; people can send me whatever they want to send me; because I am MOST appreciative for the thought, but other than Lil green patch items, Good Karma and some Starbucks; I don't really plan on sending things back. I can't resist an endangered animal, so yes, if I get one, I will send one back and my kids are in LOVE with my 3-D puppy - Tootsie; so we will be taking care of her and if I see that your puppy needs to be cared for; of course I'll throw your dog a bone; no pun intended. Oh, OK, who am I kidding - of course there was a pun intended. LOL I think (like with anything) it takes time to get your bearings straight when you try something new. And now that I know what I want from Facebook; (My friends and a lovely Lil green patch;)I am all set to start a new.

Now for those of you who are not on Facebook; it must either sound like I'm speaking a foreign language; or I've totally convinced you not to get on it; but let me say again - I LOVE it! I LOVE FACEBOOK and I'm thankful for it. Facebook has brought some wonderful, old friends back into my life - friends who challenge and stimulate me; friends who inspire and delight me; friends who remind me how good the old times were. Facebook allows me to keep up with all of my partners in crime (Past and Present) and gives me a place that I can post pictures of me and my family so that I don't have to email them every time I've got a new photo. Facebook allows me to join my past and my present so that I can enjoy my friends who remind me of where I come from and my friends who remind me of where I'm going. Yes, Friends are such a blessing and are so very important to me; so MAYBE it's not that I'm addicted to Facebook; but I'm addicted to my friends; and FACEBOOK is just my means to an end. I thank everyone for their love and friendship over the years; and look forward to all that we have yet to share.

Till next time...

Queen of EVERYTHING

Artwork courtesy of Lyndzi Ramos (age - Almost 7)