Saturday, October 13, 2007

Facebook Consumption

Okay, I haven't been earnestly putting up small, frequent posts like Ambrosia as I intended. I have been regularly checking and updating my Facebook page. Yeah, the ol' Bishop is on Facebook.

I remember a couple years ago when I was on the Stake High Council, the teenagers in our stake were getting into trouble on MySpace and on Facebook. The High Council members would talk to Bishoprics about the problems and tout the horrors of teenagers online. We also told parents to check up on their kids and get rid of their Facebook and MySpace accounts. Hahahah.

So hear that MySpace is not as "good" as Facebook. By "good" I mean safe. Of course, as Darrin Stevens, I did have a MySpace account for a little while, but I didn't really do anything with it, and never explored MySpace.

Facebook, I see, is fun. I found that many of my student ward members were on Facebook. So with Ammon-like optimism (Alma 17:27-30), I saw this as an opportunity. I opened an account (but did nothing for 2 months.)

Then I went back online, started my page, and invited some friends. Actually, I started my page previously when the wife of the first counselor in our Stake Presidency invited me to join as one of her friends. She's a GRANDMA, for heaven's sakes, and SHE is on Facebook! I searched for members of my ward and other students that I know at our Institute.

Once I started adding some "friends", I saw "Facebook Groups" and got an idea. I started a Facebook group, named it after my ward, and invited the members of my ward I could find. Lots of fun and ward unity! We are having a good time. Well, I am having a good time.

Of course, some people seem a little out of control. My 16-year-old niece keeps asking questions and inviting me to add ridiculous Facebook applications. My son, DJ, has started campaigning to run for President of the United States in 2028. I've joined his group in total support. But what's with "Invisible Children at...", "Worthy Priesthood Holders Who Love Rum Cake", "Awkward Turtle", and all the other crazy groups?

To add to my own amusement, I have decided that I know all my friends from very strange and/or unusual circumstances, like from a "Bulgarian orphanage", the "Stop Global Chilling" science team", we "lived on a desert island together from 1966 to 1971", or "we were tag-team thumb wrestling partners." I am not very creative, but I have come up with some that are pretty funny, at least to me.

2 comments:

ambrosia ananas said...

Sounds fun. I bet the kids in your ward enjoy having such a with-it bishop. Probably also makes them more willing to listen when you give talks about being careful on the Internet. It's always nice when those are about something besides just Internet = evil.

JB said...

Interesting. I noticed you and Samantha in another blogger's facebook friends list and wanted to add you (well, her because I read her blog a lot and you because you sound like a really cool guy based on what she says about you), but I'm very "me" on facebook and I need my online persona to be separate. In any case, I'm dying to see your profiles! lol