I have come to enjoy certain things about Facebook. I resisted “joining” Zuckerberg’s Nexus for a long time. But now I’ve been using it (loosely) for about 3 years.

As with any communication device or media outlet… it has its advantages and its drawbacks.

I use it mostly to post my daily writing installations and photos. Sometimes I comment on others’ posts… but that is about the extent of it for me.

There is a lot happening at Facebook that I do not understand. I am not saying is either good, bad, right or wrong…. it is just out of my grasp… out of my ability to comprehend.

I am sure there are a lot of people out there who “happen” across my daily post and say the exact same thing….  “Holy Macaroons.  I can’t figure out what the heck that Kronenberger-Chick is yacking about now!”

But nonetheless…. it is a social network. An online community. People coming and going… and being just who they are.  A big cyber-city.   We don’t have to like all of it. And in many cases… I could give a hill of beans either way.

The truth of the matter is… for A LOT of us… a whole LOT of us… … well….. we like it because it makes it easy to by nosy… snoopy… perhaps… inquisitive.  Peeping Toms. Gladys Kravitz’s.  Seinfeld’s Kramer.

It is reminiscent of going to someone’s house and opening the drawers… or peeking behind their shower curtain… oh c’mon…. you know it happens…. WE have become our mothers….

Yes….  somehow it is fun to eavesdrop without being rude. It is the standard. Many will say… “Oh. It is great for keeping up with my friends and family.” So true. It is a wonderful “keeper-upper” tool.

Yet, it also affords us the time and resources to “drop in unexpectedly” on a whole lot of other people too.

Again, I think it is ALL equally okay… it is a community event. People are entitled to do what they may… one of our afforded freedoms here.   But amidst that polite assessment… There are a few “posts” that I JUST do not understand… which then leads me to invent stories about why some people do the things they do in the world of Facebook.

A couple that come to mind: The updated “status” phenomenon. There are some people who write things like: “I’m tired. Going to bed now.” OR “Boy I am hungry. I think I’ll eat lunch.” OR “I’m headed out the door to the mall.”

My invented story: They have a pact with a family tribe, or a small band of people. They have an agreement to keep each other informed about each and every life activity… no matter how large or small. Thankfully, I am now privy to this riveting update… and my day can move forward from this point on.  A celebration may even be called for.

Another one that is a mystery to me is the photograph of a handwritten message on loose leaf paper. These are becoming quite popular and are numerous. Most of the transcriptions are supposed to have a profound life message on them. Some do. And some… are just pretty darn hokey.  My invented story:  People are looking for LARs.  Life Altering Revelations.  They want the answers.

So I have decided from time to time, to make my own little handwritten notes… with my secret discoveries about life and the universe written on them. And like a good neighbor….   I will share them whenever I can.

…. and by the way…  “I’m tired.  I’m going to bed now.”  Stop the presses.