How  did Facebook get its name? According to Wikipedia, “The name of the service stems from the colloquial name for the book given to students at the start of the academic year by university administrations in the United States to help students get to know each other better.”

For all of us Facebook is : a  social media network popular with all age groups, a semi personal diary meant for the public eye,  addictive, time-consuming, avenue for venting out, acceptable medium of showing off a lot of things – your vacation; your gifts; a new dress or a new hair cut; a new physique, a new solution to something. Anything. Great way to keep up with old flames. Oops! I mean friends.

Facebook is really, “ I can  read your face like a book”. Facebook  profile  of people tell us who they are, whether they work or they spend most of their time  posting on Facebook,  what they believe in – religion or politics or both or neither. The languages they can speak: I mean ‘publicly’, whether they are single or there is no chance of them being with somebody ever.

Facebook informs us of which restaurant your friend Suzie dined in on Friday night and what did John wear while mule riding at the Grand Canyon. When Trevor is tired of a long day or Tia is frustrated with the spouse not traveling this week. It tells us for whom  spring is in the air even in November and for whom July bring gloom. You get used to reading between the lines like in this case a visit from mom and mother-in-law respectively.

It also gives ideas as to how you can match an old top with a new skirt and have a new outfit for the day or promote a restaurant or debunk the myth that Molly Maids are the best cleaning service.
It tells us whose email id should be  casanova/7@lovemail.com and who has the gumption to acknowledge publicly that the last time somebody turned around to look at them was when they  wore their shirt inside out.

Once you create a Facebook account it is your solemn duty to visit the site frequently and comment on your friend’s change of profile picture or their accomplishments. After all, you don’t want to be an oddity. At best you have to hit the ‘LIKE’ button. This I feel, promotes  positivity. You can only say good things unlike in a completely personal diary.

Facebook is a big unifier. It makes you look at the posts and pictures of family, friends, foes, flirts and fibers with a keen interest. Whether you see eye to eye with these  people everyday or not, they are there in cyber space for you to COMMENT and LIKE them.