THE MARVELS OF FACEBOOK

Social media—again. . . .

OK. I admit it. I, too, am on the way to becoming—well—somewhat addicted to this social media thing. Most days (when the addition is more or less under control) I thank Sharon Wylie-Lamson and Joan Atkinson for dragging me kicking and screaming into this part of the world of technology. Other days, I curse myself for allowing them to do so.

I thought I was doing very well with email alone.

And I really deal with only two of those other venues: Facebook (thanks to Sharon), and my own website (thanks to Joan). People are always telling me I should be on Twitter or Pinterest or this or that other entity in cyberspace. Thank you, no. This is enough for me. I’m not running for public office.

I am on LinkedIn, too, but I never do anything with it because I lost my ID number with them and God knows I spend enough time with Facebook! And I don’t even spend time on any of those games (so, please, stop inviting me!) Facebook alone provides a great escape mechanism for procrastinators—and let’s face it (no pun intended): I AM the undisputed queen of that lot!

I joined Facebook because I was convinced it would be a good way to get the word out about my books. And it has been! But the best thing about Facebook for me has been that it puts me in touch with so many former students. I love to see those profile pictures that show me the now persons who developed from the teenagers I knew way back when. (However, in the interest of full disclosure, I often have to search the recesses to make the right connections. . . .)

It astonishes me that so many of them are grandparents. Some are even great-grandparents! So I scroll through my home page looking for names I recognize and marveling at the variety of former students’ interests and achievements.

Dawn Warren, once president of my Model United Nations group, copes with being the mother of three active little boys. Kirk Fertita, a student body president, has his own computer consulting business. Hannah Toon followed her father into the medical world, but her children and pets take a huge chunk of her time. Rob Engelbach is an avid reader whose comments I always appreciate. George Schneiderman is an aficionado of bar drinks—who’d a thunk it? Bret Paesel has been successful in both acting and writing and currently teaches writing classes. And she seems to be doing as good a job at parenting as her own parents did! The three Swan girls—Scarlett, Rita, and Fran are doing well. Ditto Brian Eisenach who married his classmate Debbie Davis. The two of them just sent their daughter to MIT. (Wasn’t it just yesterday that they were themselves in my high school English class?)

I could go on and on. Axel Borg is a college librarian; his brother Scott is a scientist. Patrick Higby is a military general. But I’m sure you get the picture: I love hearing these things. And I’m sure other teachers do too.

So—thank you, Sharon and Joan!