Friday 6 February 2009

ON SOCIAL NETWORKING


Obviously, one of the many wonders of the Internet is for us to search long lost friends, relatives, classmates etc... To some, hunting(joke-joke hehehe) old boyfriends, girlfriends, crushes or past admirers. It also connects us to our family, never met relatives and even our enemies. Wonder of wonders too when we gain new friends boundlessly across the mountains and the seas.

Taking Friendster for example, a social networking site where most Pinoys gaily post their pictures and have their acquaintances have a peep on their lives. According to Wikipedia, it has 19 billion page view per month, 90 million members and still counting. Mountain View, CA, USA may be the main office of this site but most of the members are Asians. And yes, Philippines is on top of them.

Every time I see old friends, classmates and relatives, I'm like an excited teenager who would not hesitate to let them know I'm happy to see them after a looongg time. Of which to some, its an awkward thing to do.

Many funny as well as sad stories that we can count just by joining this social networking alone. There's that jealousy when past lovers suddenly send a message to your spouse and sometimes would brew up arguments which I think is a normal reaction. Normal, I said, not to justify jealousy but for it as a natural response to the given situation. It would be hypocrite if we deny the pang when exes are concern.

There's also that joy it gives to families far from each other. Even though just with pictures, they see their love ones all happy and well. Specially to grandparents who watch their 'apos' grow through the images they see on their computer screens.

Sometimes upon signing up and you see your old friends, it will make you realize that years had pass and how powerful time is to change every one's looks. It would even make you squint and place that face you seem don't know but you're sure you've seen somewhere else. After a a long look and thought, he/she was a group mate and a very close friend in college.

Meeting NEW friends and relatives too as I've said is magical, Just like my cousins Miss Buguias and Janice. Maybe we've bump into each other many times back home in Benguet-Baguio but it took us to join Friendsters, them in Arizona and Canada and us here in Italy, before we've known we're related.

I have to include this, through Friendster, my sons received a book signed by Mr. Paul Sr. himself of the Orange County Choppers courtesy of Nikki, a mother of three from New York whom I've never met in person.
Dylan, my second child, is always thankful to all the gifts from Ninang Marjh, another found friend thru the net. We hope to meet her if we'll be lucky to visit Austria.

I could go on and write what I am thankful of with signing up to all these social networking. All I wanted to point out is its the new trend of keeping in touch and its going to stay. It may be just in a virtual world but since you're at it, cope with the technology with out losing the proper way to extend comoraderie.

You added an old friend who is actually impossible to locate because you had no idea where in the world he/she is. She/he is then ecstatic to leave your page a comment of appreciation, have the courtesy to say, "thank you", at least. Not only that its the proper thing to do but its what social networking is all about. Otherwise, what's the point? You're merely parading your photos?

As long as you've got no bad intention or ruining any body's life, its okay to say ciao, nice to see you, your family looks great and thank you. That's what I've learned (the hard way) after 3 years of joining the cyberspace craze! For the newbies, take your time, we understand hehehe....



10 comments:

Anonymous

The only thing that's keeping me from deleting my friendster account are my friends way back from high school. I prefer facebook because its more interactive.

Cyber networking is really an ingenious way of bridging the distance among friends. When I see my old friends online and get a chance to view their photos, I actually feel young again. Naalala ko lahat ng kabaliwan nung mga inosente pa kami. wihihihi.

lovelyn

Ciao Izma,

I have my account at Facebook too. I was able to see people we used to be with back in our Malta days. Hayyss, yung mga bata e di na bata, which means da-matans na kami.

raqgold

oh, we found more than 150 high school friends there. and now we are planning for our silver anniversary, ang tanda na namin, hahaha

Anonymous

Hi Lovelyn,

While there are great things from social networking, there are also dangers that everyone has to be aware of.

exes are exes for a reason ;) ... and others have become stalkers..that's why I don't put anything much on my Friendster. I wouldn't even publish my name on my blog due to security risks. Identity theft is a huge concern specially here in the US. All it takes is a name and it's easy to find where they live and their phone number. Basta hindi TnT ha.

You might think I'm too paranoid, first hand experience have already taught me.

There are also weirdos out there thus not advisable that when you post the pictures of children, you should not identify them by their real names.

Anonymous

I deleted my friendster twice. I joined facebook but its getting annoying with people updating what their doing every minute. I mean if people really wanted to get in touch with you at least save your email address somewhere. Thats all you need.

westcoast choppers and choppers inc are better than OCC. hehehe

lovelyn

Ciao Raq,

Talagang bilang mo ha! Wow, silver anniversary na. Gosh ang bilis ng 25 years!
_________________________________

Ciao Tina,

I understand and that's not being paranoid. You're just being catious, specially being said that you have an experience with it. I remember you've mentioned why you're not posting much on friendsters, I hope that won't happen to me. Sabagay ala naman kasi akong EX e hahaha....
__________________________________

Ciao Rubba,

I'm still figuring how facebook works. I tried to log-in this morning and I got through but when I was grabbing a photo from the only friend on my list of friends, it all got crazy. I can't log-in anymore. You think my PC was shut off from the site cause I was "stealing pix"?

Hahaha, you know what, Boogs asked me who are the OCC and I told him about the show. He really don't know them. If Boogs will watch the it, he'll probably mock me of watching it. Their works are superb but men, acting and scripted stuff is not for them hehehe...

Anonymous

Yea facebook dont like you, best delete your account. OCC must be doing something good because when the show started it was a small garage now they moved in a huge building with a showroom and a rollercoaster and a pool, I dont know.

Anyhoo they fabricate their bikes slightly, sometimes it comes out really cheesy. Jesse James from west coast actually bends and makes his frame and tins and tank by hand. Thats something OCC rarely practices.

OCC and friendster. I know the deal LOL

lovelyn

Ciao Rubba,

Sussshh!

OCC is making REEALLYY BIG, I guess. I've seen Paul Sr's collection of cars, its HUGE man! Yeah, saw it at Friendsters lol.

Delete Face book? Too soon. I only have 2 friends there. Just joined to see our former "alaga's" back when we were in Malta. My they've grown like fungus!

Anonymous

Facebook, friendster, youtube and others - not sure how they work but I'm just lucky to be making comments and rants thru blogging, hehe....

Am sociable but not to the extent of cyberspace - don't even attend the many invitations for REUNIONS.
It's just a "showtime" gathering of those who are successful in life. I have yet to see a Janitor coordinating a class reunion and I have to wonder how many will attend, but I will if it happens realistically.

lovelyn

Ciao TruBlue,

My late uncle Alex too had those reason why he never went to any of their class reunion.

My dad never went too when his Boys High classmates organize such events. Once, his old classmate Tony told him that Dad was the topic of the boys when they had their recent reunion. Everyone was curious what had become of my Dad.

One of their classmate from Canada read an article from the net about my Dad and he convinced 2 of his old friends to go search my father. It was a big surprise and a little reunion when they came knocking on my DAd's door and again, they talked about their reunion and everyone's curiosity about Danny. Well, Dad just said, "Kastoy a, lumakayen, haanen nga hero".

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