Why I'm Still Not on Facebook

Disclaimer: I used to be on Facebook for a short period of time.  

I remember joining during a Christmas break when we were visiting Phil's family and I figured "why not?"  I started finding and requesting friends and was having lots of fun until I saw my ex-boyfriend's name on another friend's list.  I thought to myself, well, I'll be mature about this and ask to be friends and maybe the guilt I still carry from breaking off that 3 year relationship can finally go away.  When I requested his friendship on Facebook, he replied "you've got to be kidding me."  Ouch.  

But life went on and I was discovering so many of my old high school friends, and I loved seeing what they were up to and reconnecting.  I was spending a lot of time on Facebook, but it was Christmas break after all and I had nothing much else to do.

Soon those fun and friendly findings turned into a nosy and voyeuristic temptation.  I secretly delighted in seeing that the mean popular girls from high school had turned out to be not the happiest of people (shocker!) and that the sweet little wallflowers seemed happily married with children.  I would see pictures from someone's home or vacation and find myself feeling jealous that they were living it up.  I was constantly trying to raise the number of friends I had and spent time searching people out.  So much time.

I realize this makes me sound like a crazy person.  But maybe you can relate a little too.  Facebook just isn't good for me.  My personality and my insecurities and my temptation to be nosy and spend too much time worrying about people who don't care about me led me to actually walk away from FB feeling pretty miserable each time I used it.  Phil has never cared for Facebook at all.  He sees his students getting so wrapped up in their online status that they aren't enjoying real life and living in the moment.  A lot of divorces have occurred in which Facebook was cited in the divorce petition.  He would tell me that life does happen even if we don't proclaim every action to the Internet.  

So I quit.  And I never looked back.

This shirt would make things a lot easier.

Now, I know that so many people can use Facebook and Twitter and blogging and Instagram and whatever else is out there and handle it well.  These social medias actually improve their life and allow them to converse with friends and keep in touch with relatives.  I just know that for me, Facebook and the like are a major waste of time and play up all my temptations and vices.  Blogging is the one social media tool that actually makes me feel so good when I use it.  It's cathartic for me to write, and I love reading what's going on with the blogger friends I have.  Sometimes I can even get too wrapped up in the blogworld and spend to much time there, and I have to refocus my priorities.  

Besides my own personal problems with using the social media, Facebook has other problems as well.  So, although there are many times where I feel I probably miss out on a good announcement, or sale, or giveaway, or birthday reminder by not being on FB, I know that for me, the happiness I have from staying away far outweighs those perks.