FINALLY ON FACEBOOK!

“Having many things to write unto you, I would not write with paper and ink: but I trust to come unto you, and speak face to face, that our joy may be full.” (2 John 12)

The news is out: Matt Zuckerberg is Time Magazine’s “Person of the Year”. It seems a lot of the reason for the choice is the success of the film, “The Social Network”. My late father was very reluctant to jump on bandwagons. When it came to what was popular, he was quite a contrarian. When virtually every male between the ages of 16 and 60 began growing long sideburns around 1969, he was determined his sideburns would stay exactly as they’d always been, and they did. Dad had absolutely no interest in cable T.V. “Why pay for television when it came through the airwaves for free?” was his attitude. He had no interest in watching some crazy channels called “CNN” or “HBO”. And, his telephones were operated with 1950s style rotary dials, not push buttons.

Yes, I admit that’s where I get it from. I tend to be late to jump on-board with new trends and technological changes. I did not use a computer at all until 1993, and was frankly reluctant to give up my electronic typewriter. In those days, it was not unusual for your computer to be self-contained and NOT on-line. I did not go on-line until 1996. (I was talked into it by others and had little interest in it.) I did not get a cell phone until late 1999 and it was a gift from someone. I know Facebook’s been around since 2006, and before that the big thing was “My Space” and I know there was some big thing before that (but I honestly forget what it was called). The earlier social networks were almost exclusively used by 13 to 25-year-olds. Virtually nobody over thirty was interested in them. THAT was until Facebook, which was originally intended as a social networking tool for college-age young adults.

For me, my blog, my e-mail, my web surfing, and my (occasional) instant messaging were quite enough. I just couldn’t see why I needed to get involved in one more on-line activity. As it is, some friends were telling me I was spending way too much time on-line, especially working on the blog, so I couldn’t see HOW I would find the time for Facebook. AND, there was that thinking very much like my father’s: Just because EVERYBODY else was on Facebook, why did I HAVE to be? I got all sorts of requests to go on Facebook and be various people’s friends, and I always just ignored them. (That also goes for Linkedin or Linkin or whatever it is!) It’s a good thing I don’t bet, because I’d have been willing to bet I would never join Facebook, and I would have lost the bet.

You know, I guess Zuckerberg DID deserve to be person of the year. It was the recent piece about Zuckerberg on “60 Minutes” that got me seriously thinking about jumping onto Facebook for the first time ever. Monday night was the local Assemblies of God ministers’ Christmas dinner. (It was held at the Southern New England District’s ministry headquarters facility out on Route 20 on the Charlton/Sturbridge line.) I usually go, and this year Mary Ann and I each attended. I had a good time, but it was also a little bit surreal. There are what used to be all my peers...Assemblies of God pastors and their spouses from central Massachusetts. I used to be one of those. Well, I’m still an officially Ordained Assemblies of God minister, but I’m kind of a minister-at-large these days. Pastors talk about “pastor stuff”...problems with the local building officials, families the church has gained and lost, a great new Christian Ed. DVD series that the adults love, and a horrible one they all hated; the pros and cons of oil heat “locked in” contracts; the pros and cons of parsonages versus housing allowances...all that kind of stuff. It was a very nice social night, and I did enjoy myself, but it hit me as I drove home that I was not going to wake up on Tuesday morning and go into my church office.

I came home “keyed up” and just did not want to sleep. It was around 11, but I was as wide awake as if it were 11 a.m. You may not believe this, but I’ve never taken a digital photograph and I’ve never added a photo to the computer. My wife is an outstanding amateur photographer and literally has put hundreds of photos on the computer. I began looking through all those photos until I could find some of me, and I settled on one of me from 2007 standing by a harbor. I THINK that one was taken at Boothbay Harbor, Maine. [EDITING NOTE, Dec. 19, '10- I've checked and that photo was actually taken in 2008 at Rockport, Mass.!] I “fiddled” with the software to “lift” that photo and “paste” it into the “photo” think on Facebook... I walked through the steps to join Facebook, and “voila”!

No kidding, I woke up on Tuesday morning thinking, “Did I REALLY join Facebook?” It almost seemed like a dream. For just a second, I wondered if I should have gone through with it and if I’d made a mistake. But, guess what? For the past couple of days, Facebook has been like a new toy...like an early Christmas present. I’m really enjoying it...connecting with all sorts of folks, writing various comments, and wondering WHY I was so resistant to this.

So, miracles really DO happen- I’m finally on Facebook!