I’ve decided! Facebook is out.

Pebbles. Snow.

Good morning, friends and family!

I have decided.

It’s always good when a decision arrives.

Not one minute too early and not one minute too late.

Just like the snow. 

It obviously couldn’t arrive before yesterday–even though it usually tentatively visits in October here in our woods.  This year it went a’callin’ out east and New York City where our daughter lives before it graced us with its presence.  (We’re not complaining.  It was an especially good year for the snow to postpone its arrival.  Because of Barry’s ongoing knee challenges, we’ve needed the extra time to get ready for the Long Season.  And we just finished the day before yesterday! His second arthroscopic surgery is scheduled for the day before Thanksgiving.)

Snow and dried Queen Anne's Lace

So, you ask, what has Kathy decided now?

If you haven’t read yesterday’s blog about two indecisive issues in my life, do so now.  Or not. I’ll just tell you.  I have not been able to decide about whether to keep or close my Facebook account since the Middle Ages.

Seriously.  Back on May 21, 2010, I wrote a blog called “Facebook, we’ve got issues“.  It was published on the main page of WordPress called “Freshly Pressed“.  To date, it has 10,724 views and over two hundred comments.

People everywhere wrote to share their own frustrations and concerns and likes and dislikes about Facebook.  This popular social media site sparks more opinions than whether it’s going to snow tomorrow.

Icicles (OK, not from this year--yet)

Almost every week (and sometimes daily) for eighteen months I have pondered–sometimes loudly, often silently–whether to keep or delete my Facebook account.  It has positive and negative benefits–as do most things in our lives.  Everybody likes it or doesn’t like it for different reasons.

It helps us keep in touch with relatives and long-lost friends.  At least that’s what everyone says.  I thought so, at first.  But, as time went by, I saw the opposite happening.  It was perhaps easier to keep up with the surface happenings in another’s life.  But mostly it seemed that it had the opposite effect:  that relatives and long-lost friends grew more distant.  We didn’t talk as much.  Instead of bringing us closer together, it seemed to keep relationships on the surface or weaken them.

Not with everybody!  With some of my blogging friends and a few others, the relationships remained loving and rich and talkative.  But, hey, I can see you guys here, right?

Put away your outdoor furniture, will you?

So I’ve decided to de-activate my account.  Not delete it.  You just push the de-activate button and your profile disappears.  But it is not eaten by cyber-munchkins.  It can be re-activated at any moment. (Not so if you choose to delete.  Then the cyber-munchkins have a feast and munch on everything until it’s good & gone.)

Maybe someday I’ll open Facebook again.  To check on an address.  Or to make it into a living address book.  But not now.  It’s time to just make a decision and quit thinking about it.  I feel SO good about this decision.  (And that’s not to say anything against people who decide to keep their accounts.  That’s cool.  We all have to follow what our hearts are prompting–if and when we finally discern what our heart is prompting.)

Last night when the power went out I called my son on our one cord-connected land line.

“Chris, I’m quitting Facebook,” I said dramatically.

He sighed.

“Mom, why don’t you do what everybody else does?  Just quit posting statuses and use it when you want to get together with someone?” 

Because I can’t. 

There is a part that wants to simplify, simplify, simplify.  It tossed out Twitter ages ago.  It basically loves keeping things simple and uncomplicated.

Brrrr....

Guess we’ll have to email each other if we want to have coffee or lunch.  And I think the nieces and nephews might appreciate a good old-fashioned email with a photo attached for their birthday. Or what about–gasp!!–a snail-mail card?  Or–heaven forbid!–a phone call.  Or a Skype chat.  And the universe can decide–or Mom will tell me–when someone had a baby, got married, or lost their car keys.

Second decision…about blogging…no need to worry, anyone.  Actually, this is getting kind of long so I’ll tell you about my second decision on 11-11-11. Which is a very auspicious date, as many of you know.  And–it’s my mom’s birthday!!  How cool is that?

Happy birthday, Mom!  I love you so much…  (Glad we have a relationship outside of Facebook.)

OK, it's not THIS cold yet! LOL! Fooled ya, didn't I?