I could, I would, I really should.

Almost a year back, I ceremoniously closed down Facebook because it was too distracting.  I reopened it last month to track down a long-lost teacher.

Despite my guard, it seems I am being sucked again into it. 

When Vox kicked me out, I was in a quandary about where to put photos of my family with restricted access. Right now I have them in picassa.  Would it be better to have it on Facebook?

Perhaps not.  When my friends comment on my album, it would show up in THEIR Friends' FB, and so, people I don't know directly may still be able to see my pictures.

I discovered that my entire (well, almost) class from school are on FB, it seems great to get back in touch with them. Strangely, as active as they are on FB, they don't seem inclined to e-mail. 

And yes, FB IS distracting. Right now, it is ok, I am on an adrenalin-free time frame.  But soon enough that would change, and I can't afford FB distractions.

So, for the second time, I think I will close down facebook.  This time, I will follow dude's footsteps and shut down totally - meaning I will not be able to resurrect it again, at least not with my regular email id.  I will give it a couple of days, so that I can collect the email details of all the newly rediscovered friends.  Please leave me a message here at typepad or at facebook if you don't have my email id and would like to have it (please humour me by asking....)

Comments

[Rads]

Lakshmi,
I agree with the whole privacy issue. However, it is not the application, but ourselves that we need to pull back and use it to our advantage correct? I have very few pictures of my kids up there, I use FB just as a playground to have fun and get entertained and as a glorious address book, so I can get in touch with folks when I need to. It's the way of the land, since so many have warmed to it. No harm in keeping the a/c active and not load anything personal there?

That's my 2 cents, but whatever works for each you know? :)

Rads

[AK]

I'm FB free for almost a year now, and I don't think I am missing anything. I don't need to get in touch with people I have not being in touch with for more than 10 years (if I cared enough, I would have stayed in touch). I don't need to load any more pictures of my family to share with people. Those that are in the loop are in the loop, that is enough for me. I certainly do not need to waste endless minutes that become hours over who did what when. I guess I am not a cyber-social-butterfly, and you know what... I'm OK with that too. That being said, it really is up to you. How you use it makes a difference, I just don't have a use for it.

[LG]

AK, Amen.
I just permanently deleted my FB account. There is no way I am getting on to any more social networking sites anymore. Life is too precious to be spent cyber-networking.

[Rama]

I like this - "Life is too precious to be spent cyber-networking."