The One Account You Need

Whenever I start talking to someone about joining a new community, the first response tends to be a dramatic gasp followed by an exacerbated roll of the eyes.

"Another account? Why do I want to open another account when I barely keep up with the networks I'm on?"

Good question. Why would you open a Facebook account when you've only just reigned in your MySpace addiction? (I'm taking a deep breath now because, bless your heart, you may still be on MySpace). The truth is that, unless you are a musician, you can now safely migrate from MySpace to Facebook and not worry you're going to miss anything. Musicians still need to maintain a presence on MySpace, but that is a soapbox for another day.While I may spend a fair amount of energy methodically taking down MySpace, this post is intentionally forward-looking, and as such will be focused on the cocktail party over at Facebook and why you want to show up and work the room a little.

I've successfully convinced my two best friends, 40% of my office, my sister, and my mother (who in turn recruited my grandmother) to Facebook over the past six months. They all now happily enjoy connecting with each other and their respective social and professional circles. This influence has put me on a strange sort of power trip- you'd think I was selling time-shares in the Poconos- but it's not just the surge of vanity I get upon a new friend request from a loved one worn into tech-submission, I love hearing over the following weeks how it impacts their lives.

"I found my best friend from the eighth grade!"

"I just got a Friend Request from my high school sweetheart."

"That chick used to beat me up after theater practice!"

Okay, well maybe you don't feel the need to find everyone you've ever known, but they are probably there should you so fancy making amends. I must say watching Facebook move to mainstream popularity has been fascinating as the nodes of my life have filtered back, steadily creating this beautiful kaleidoscope of the people came into my life at one point and naturally grew distant until recently when we reunited online.

Now I can keep up with some of my favorite co-workers from jobs gone by and keep tabs on old high school rivals. That dreaded high school reunion is now obsolete as I have found most everyone I got along with ten years ago without the awkward former bully run-in. Though one day Facebook did blithely suggest I "May Know" no less than three people that had spent a concerted amount of energy shoving me into gym lockers during the mid-Nineties. I simply unchecked them from the automatically-generated list from the safety of my laptop, lunch money and remaining dignity unscathed.

Here's the thing: Facebook is not just a way to keep tabs on old flames and distant relatives (though it does the trick for the occasional snoopy-poopy streak) it enhances previously established relationships. Social media is an entirely new dimension of social interaction, and Facebook is the gateway of this heightened communication.

To meet an old friend in a distant country is like the delight of rain after a long drought.

-Chinese Proverb

As I mentioned in my previous post, the expanse of social networks can be overwhelming. It is like a river, and if you don't know where to step you can lose your balance and get swept away. Fortunately for you, I've spent enough time underwater I can help you navigate your way across to where everyone is waiting for you. Yes, opening accounts and remembering passwords is a bit of a pain sometimes (the necessity of additional networks varies depending on your personal/professional objectives and I will delve into this further next time). These are largely uncharted waters, but we've had enough time here that bridges are starting to go up to take you to the people that can enrich your life and maybe even make it a little easier.

So tell me, who do you want to connect with? Is there a particular network you've thought about trying or an account you opened but don't know what to do next? Please feel free to leave a comment, I'm here to answer your questions about social media and help make your world a bit better you can easily reach me at sarahcrisman@gmail.com.