Facebook

Okay, so I caved.

After bad mouthing facebook (I believe the words were, "It makes you dumber."), I caved and set up an account.

I set it up with my classes in mind. I have a feeling we'll be able to use blogs on a regular basis sooner rather than later in our classes, so I thought, what the heck I already know how to do the blog thing, but maybe I can use facebook for class too.

I don't know if I'll go that far since there likely will be a lot that I could learn about my students if I were to add them as friends on facebook that I just would rather live without ever knowing.

But I'm keeping my mind open to using it in class.

I have learned, though, a couple things from facebook.

First, people should refrain from airing their dirty laundry via facebook. Kristie hates this one. IN fact, she just removed a 'friend' because of her blatant white trash rant about living with someone who was not going to give all of her stuff back or something like that. The point of the rant got lost among the expletives. Another example was a divorced couple who were blasting each other.

Second, those damn status updates. Well, I should say those updates where people use cliche songs to imply something important - something that the reader doesn't get. Or in some cases the song is just too cliche to do any status update justice (especially if it's a country song on Nickelback lyric).

Another horrible idea for status updates are those pseudo-intellectual quotes that are just awful. Something like "Life is a repetition, learn to change the pattern... What goes unsaid, shows results of misunderstandin'."

What the hell does that mean? Or are we just mental midgets and total unable to comprehend this blather?

Now, on to the positives.

I have amassed a list of friends that I have not seen or spoken to in years. I've also met some of my former students with whom I have not spoken in a long time.

It's a great way to get information out and stay in contact, especially since my BlackBerry works very well with facebook.

Who knows, maybe I'll be able to create a To Kill a Mockingbird facebook account and use it as homework later in the semester. Now that would be cool. No lyrics or pseudo-intellectual conundrums allowed!