My love-hate relationship with the book of face

Dear Facebook,

I know I curse you almost daily and I wonder why you change as often as you do, but I should probably take a moment or ten to thank you periodically.

Without you, I wouldn't know who just checked in at the grocery store. Maybe one day I'll work up the nerve to ask that person to bring me a loaf of bread.

Without you, I wouldn't know who just got dumped by whom before the dumpee finds out. Wait, do I really want to know that?

Without you, I wouldn't have the opportunity to see seventy-four almost identical shots of a friend of mine and a friend of theirs, posing in front of something.

Without you, I might forget my sisters' birthdays, my wedding anniversary and my name. If I used my real name.

Without you, the hits on my blog would be slightly higher and my real mail box would be happier more days of the year.

Without you, I would have more hours in my week because that two second log on to see if something was happening that turns into two hours of mindless clicking? Yeah, that wouldn't happen.

But in all fairness, I do have some things to sincerely thank you for.

Without you, I wouldn't have a clue how to track down a few very important people in my life who regularly move and never let their friends or family know (before Facebook, I think they thought we could find them telepathically?)

Without you, I wouldn't have had the opportunity to reconnect with a few very good friends from long ago who I had lost touch with somewhere along the way. It's so good to have them back in my life and even though most of them are far away, it's nice to know they're there...

Without you, I would have gone crazy in my first 18 months as a mommy. But when things went sideways, I could post it on Facebook (and annoy the crap out of half of my friends...sorry) and I'd have eighteen suggestions, reassurances or answers in about six minutes.

Without you, our family reunion would have been over in 24 hours. But it started two months ago and it's still going.

Without you, I'd never hear from some very important people in my life who apparently never learned to dial long distance or to use the post office. I'm okay with that. Because they're awesome at Facebooking.

Without you, I'd have a hard time keeping up with my friends from my days living in other countries. I wrote lots of letters when I lived in the village in the Alps. Because the village had maybe 1500 people and I only spoke English and you can't really ski in the dark. So I wrote lots of letters. But now I have things to do. Other than write letters.

Without you, I'd never get to see my cousin's pictures from the family reunion because he lives in another town or my dear friend's amazing pictures of her trip because she lives in another country or my other friend's beautiful children because they live in far away now.

So, while you annoy me and I threaten to get rid of you, regularly, I really do appreciate you.

Thank you for keeping me connected...