networking websites.....

....myspace, facebook, cafe moms, etc...Are you a member?

I have a facebook. I joined up on there about 6 months ago after much resistance. I had had a myspace page for years and years until recently. I canceled my myspace because I was sick of all the spamming and application requests. It was annoying.

Anyway....I resisted facebook for years and once I was on, well I was hooked. Primarily because I found several people from my past that are very important to me. Some I have resumed contact with, gotten together, spoken on the phone, begun hanging out with...others are just good to know that they are alive and I can "check" on them occasionally.

My two very best friends from my childhood through teen years I have reconnected with. One lives in the same town as me, Kelly, I've mentioned her before...and the other, Jessie, lives out in Idaho. I lost contact with both many years ago and through face book we found each other again. It's funny how different from each other we are now. When we were younger we were inseparable and now we can hold a conversation for a decent period of time, but then we just run out of topics. But I am still thrilled to be back in touch. Even if it is just for a phone conversation once a month and a card on birthdays. They are two great connections that I am glad to have again.

But then there are the other ones...one in particular. I have a childhood friend, for the sake of her privacy, we'll call her Liz. She is also on facebook. She is someone I have no desire reconnecting with, however I think about her almost daily and always wonder where she is and if she is ok. You see she is an addict. Heroin to be specific. She claims to be clean, but honestly I have no faith in her word. For her sake, for her family's sake, I hope she is clean, but I don't believe her. It's sad really. I wish I could. Several years ago she stole from me. Stole money. That's just not cool. Then after me confronting her, pressing charges against her, cutting her out of my life, she finally admitted that yes she had stolen the money.

For the next few years she would call me on Christmas or my birthday. Always with the same story...She was clean...had been for XX months....was looking to make amends....and each time I thanked her for her call and as nicely as I could advised her that I did not want her in my life. She did the same thing this year on my Birthday, but via facebook. I never responded, I haven't responded, I don't think I will be.

What I have been grateful for is seeing that she is alive, and I don't have to check the obituaries daily looking for her name. That's what I have done for the past 13 or so years, looked for her name daily.

Facebook is as close to her as I would like to get.....it may sound rude, but I have been wronged by her far too many times. The money thing was the final straw.

So...do you have a facebook? A Myspace? A cafe Mom? Any other? Have you found people from your past that you were thrilled about? Anyone that you wished you didn't find?