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| Me(TX) and Michael (FL) visiting my brother Brian (CO) |
My husband recently gave me an article that was posted on the front page of USA Today with the headline that read something like: "We Don't Talk Anymore" --essentially commenting on the Twitter, Facebook, email, Linked In, Blogger and texting world that surrounds us--also, all of the simple pleasures I happen to enjoy on my laptop! While I will admit my kids tend to text versus call, they do communicate. The article had a good point about person-to-person communication skills being effected by the techno media bombardment...however, personally I feel blessed that my kids are personable. I have seen them handle tough conversations in person, and monitor one-another on blog and Facebook postings--or so I've heard. But for ME this whole social networking world is fun.
It's been over a year since I first signed onto Facebook. I caught a lot of SERIOUS flack from my youngest daughter for being on this social media outlet--primarily because she couldn't wait to be a college student to be able to be on Facebook. But by the time she entered college this social network opened up to the entire world to join...including 50 year old moms! To answer your question you may be pondering right now...no, we are not friends on Facebook, I am also not friends on Facebook with my son...it's some kind of code of conduct for parents and their kids...so I'm told by my twenty-somethings. My married daughter has "friend-ed" me though, so I don't feel like a complete goober.
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| Quaker Valley High School home of the Quaker Valley Quakers...yes Quakers! |
I was skeptical at first about my desire to step out and be somewhat of a voyeur into my Facebook friends lives...but the unexpected joy came when out of the blue I discovered people, old friends that I have not heard, nor seen since I left high school. Very cool.
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| The Sewickley Bridge |
The other interesting part is the individuals I dialog with many are friends that I didn't really know that well in high school. I am not sure if it's the social media aspect or the mere fact that we grew up in a wonderful little town together. But there is something about growing up and living in a great little town like Sewickley, Pennsylvania that has a strong thread of family, culture--or just the very pride in recognizing where we all came from from...
Many of us have left Sewickley--heck, many have left Pennsylvania, but with each friend I have "friend-ed" on Facebook, or Linked In with--the "Burgh" is there, in their heart! They may be in another part of the country, but the roots of Pittsburgh are still imprinted, firmly planted in the very being of who they are...
The last few football seasons have been especially exciting, because while my FB friends are all over the country, the Steelers bring out the closeness, the unity, the "Burgh" in all of us. I have four brothers and one sister...we are all in a different state, but we all bleed Black and Gold. Facebook has allowed us to show our spirit in a big way. It has nurtured friendships that would otherwise would be nonexistent.
The rally cry of the Steelers, the terrible towels postings, the play-by-play for those of us who didn't get the game in our city...all posted on Facebook by high school friends.
I don't know if the Steelers will win the AFC Championship on Sunday, and win an opportunity to win Super Bowl XLV on February 6th in the city I live now...Dallas...but I know the black and gold will wave, the spirit will splash the walls of Facebook from those whom I have reconnected with through this thing called Facebook--and win or lose...the Pittsburgh Steelers fans will lift their terrible towel and their favorite team with a great deal of love and pride!
GO STEELERS!
Lasso a WIN against the Jets!
Lasso a WIN against the Jets!
