Facebook It

I am really fortunate to work for a really wonderful company, and have a job that I love, and people who I love to work with. I work for the Marketing Department at Holiday Retirement in Salem, Oregon. Without exception, each person that I work with in Marketing is either Super Smart, Super Attractive, Super Nice or Super Creative (and more). They also let me work there. Here is the thing though, over half of them are also Super Young. Remembering myself at 22-28, I know I was not nearly as together and accomplished as these awesome people are, and it makes me feel Super Old. Not "You kids get off my lawn" old, but more like "Def Leppard is not an OLDIES band" old.

Recently I took a trip with some of my co workers, and in an effort to impress them with how Young and Hip I still am (or not); I was telling them how I recently discovered the wonders of Facebook.

I was turned on to Facebook by my 18 year old niece, and my younger sister. For the uninitiated, Facebook bills itself as a “Social Networking” site. My 34 year old brain wants to ask “What does that even MEAN??” My 34 year old brain needs to shush. I have to admit, Facebook is fun and addictive, plus I can play scrabble online with my sister who lives in Michigan!!!

Anyway, back to my trip. Amy, one of my awesome co workers, who by the way fits into every single category listed above (and is also Super Awesome), explained to me that for her generation, Face Book and My Space (Facebook’s Rebellious Older Sister) are the fact finding tools they use to prove out the latest rumor or gossip. Apparently it goes something like this:

“Did you hear “Gabe” and “Cindi” broke up?”
“Shut UP, they did not”
“They totally did – Facebook it”

After getting my Free Cakes for Kids Website and this blog up and running, my next step is to connect with the dozens of people across the country that are also starting Free Cakes chapters. One way we are able to connect is through the original Free Cakes website. I decided to find out if any of my fellow bakers had started a Facebook Group. I also got very curious to see how many people are using Facebook to drive traffic to a certain charity or cause. My search came up with over 500 such groups. I found groups for hunger aid, AIDS research, racial and gender equality, environmentalism, child advocacy and so many more.

It’s true that many young people are obsessed with Lauren and Heidi and what’s going on in “The Hills”. I tried watching it once. It was 23 minutes of my life I will never have back! I couldn't relate, not even a little. When it comes down to it, though, I have a lot in common with the "Facebook Generation". We share the same goals- to find the place in the world that has a need we can fill and fill it. To find a hand that needs held and hold it. To find a person whose life we can help to change, and in the process find ourselves fundamentaly altered. These young men and women are interested in making their corner of the world a better place to live.

They totally will – “Facebook It”