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Facebook as Connection Tool

There are plenty of reasons to maintain a healthy annoyance at Facebook. Things like, your privacy settings getting reset every time they change something you just got used to. Definitely a good reason to stay annoyed.

But there’s a really neat reason not to drop Facebook like a container of wriggling spiders.

Reconnecting and staying connected.

In my case, I’ve reconnected with family.

My parents moved us away from Rhode Island just before my 16th birthday. Which, for the record, was … a long time ago. Some of my cousins weren’t even born when we moved and I’ve maybe seen them once in all this time.

Thanks to Facebook though, we’ve managed to connect (and in some cases, reconnect) and I’m getting to know these really cool people. All without the awkward silences that come from say, family reunions, where relatives introduce you to someone you once met when you were an infant.

“Honey, you remember your cousin Karen, right? You were four months old the last time you saw her. She wrestles cheetahs or something now.”

Facebook lets you avoid the nervous smile and wave that usually accompanies that kind of re-introduction. (And I wrestle with a Cheetos addiction… not with actual cheetahs.)

One of the neatest parts is getting to live and travel vicariously through my family members as they post pictures of their time in places like New Zealand or Italy. And I’m learning that majoring in medicine is not for the faint of heart or weak of mind.

By extension, I’ve reconnected with their parents as well. And my aunts and uncles, I do remember. And miss. Yes, there are phone calls, emails, and letters. But Facebook is so immediate. On busy days, when life has me by the throat and is shaking me like a gator with prey, I can keep up with my family in real-time, with a glance at my phone.

Facebook may have its quirks when it comes to privacy and user experience (Timeline, anyone?), but with keeping you connected, it’s pretty awesome.

Now I’m curious about how to use this connection epiphany for business as well as personal. How can I use this real-time interaction with people to expand a business?

How have you used Facebook to a business advantage? And has Facebook helped you reconnect and stay connected to family or friends that you haven’t seen in years?

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Three Ways to Forget it’s the Most Romantic Day of the Year

Cupid holding two hearts. Royalty-free image from office.microsoft.comLet’s be honest. For one reason or another, Valentine’s Day just sucks some years.

Maybe your significant other stands you up to spend the evening with two other women (or men).

Or your husband is less than thoughtful and buys you a FryDaddy instead of that sparkly object you’ve dropped not so subtle hints about since Christmas.

Or maybe you’re single and you hate seeing all of those sappy couples flooding the restaurants.

Whatever the reason, the most romantic day of the year can be downright depressing for some.

There are plenty of articles and websites that give great advice on how to feel better about yourself or your lot in life on Valentine’s Day. So I’m not going to revisit well-tread ground.

Instead, I’m going to suggest ways to distract yourself in the event Cupid’s Arrow hit you in the butt instead of the heart on the most romantic (depressing?) day of the year.

Karen’s Surefire Ways to Forget It’s Valentine’s Day

  1. Go out and volunteer

    Let’s face it. There are people around us whose situations are a lot more dire than just being single or having a thoughtless significant other on Valentine’s Day. So take the focus off of what day it is by focusing on someone else.

    Volunteer at a homeless shelter, a battered women’s shelter, a nursing home or the pediatric wing of a hospital. Spend some quality time helping those who need it. Talk to and listen to the people there and let their lives and stories inspire your own life.

    I always found that focusing my attention on others made it pretty hard to feel sorry for myself.

  2. File your taxes.

    No joke.  What better way to take your mind off of Cupid’s crappy aim than by wrestling with that unwanted suitor that also makes a yearly visit; the IRS.

    If, at the end of your annual struggle with the United States Tax Code, you find yourself getting a refund then you have something to celebrate. Yay! Money! What to spend it on?

    If you owe the tax man some silver, well, you won’t dwell on the fact that your mate is about as thoughtful as a toilet brush.

  3. Throw a Party

    Misery loves company, right? And chances are, there are other people in your social circle who are either in your same lovelorn rowboat or would just rather avoid the public display of affection-fest going on around town.

    So Invite one or more of your fellow hearts and flowers haters over to eat, imbibe and watch movies. Not romantic ones though. We’re trying to forget what day it is, remember? My core party group is partial to really stupid horror movies like “Killer Clowns from Outer Space” or anything from the “Mystery Science Theater 3000” franchise.

    Distraction by dropping IQ points works almost as well as Distraction by Government.

There they are. My tips for distracting yourself if you need to. The day doesn’t have to be depressing. If all else fails just remember that it’s over in 24 hours!

For my male readers, I didn’t forget you but my lack of testosterone means I don’t know what you go through when it comes to Valentine’s Day.  I’m sure some of you have your own reasons for hating “I heart you” day so please feel free to share those reasons in the comments below.

And don’t forget to share your favorite distraction techniques in the comments!