I joined Facebook because I wanted to see what it was about, but didn't expect to use it. However when my daughter was overseas, most days she would do a status update, and regularly uploaded photos, which was great to follow. Also if she was on at the same time, we could have a (written) conversation. The other great thing about it is that I get to see pictures of their friends - lots of these were regulars at our house when they were young, but as my kids are now 28 and 30 and married, we no longer see most of their friends. I find it great to catch up with what they are doing now, and see pictures of them.
I now open my facebook page every time I go on the computer, but only rarely post something myself.
We also upload a travel blog, with photos, of trips we do. I try to keep up-to-date with technology. I've seen people in business who refused to have anything to do with these new-fangled things like computers etc etc. with the result that their skills are no longer wanted in the workplace - draughtsmen, graphic designers, engineers, book-keepers. Technology is moving so fast, no-one has any idea what will happen next.
Congrats on the imminent grandkids! Those who have them tell me your priorities do bend towards the little ones when the arrive. Not so eager to be away from home for months and months. I am looking forward to that phase of my life when it comes ...someday :)
You are right about keeping up with the kids' friends through facebook. I opened a facebook page just to see what it was all about, explore the possibilities. To make it work I needed some "friends" so I asked my boys and their ladies and they complied. So that led to their friends seeing my posting and in the months since then I've been delighted to get friends requests in my email every week or so from their friends - kids (now adults) who spent lots of time in our home during their growing up years. So I reply and visit their pages and thoroughly enjoy looking at their photos of weddings and babies and trips and homes. It's really nice to catch up with them this way.
I agree with you about keeping up with whatever is current. No, I don't have to spend 3 hours a day on facebook or twitter or lonely planet for that matter. But they are all communications tools with their own pluses and minuses. It is just as ignorant to put them down as it would have been for my grandparent to put down the telephone as a useless time wasting device.
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