What We Did Before Social Networking December 21, 2009

What did we do with-out social networking? We lost touch with friends. Long distance phoning was expensive and people moved. We tried to stay in touch with old friends but after a few moves, decades, and name changes, old friends became lost. Enter the phenomena of social networking via FaceBook, Twitter, Myspace, LinkedIn and others, and it is no surprise that the over 50 year old female demographic is the fastest growing group in social networking. We are all finding each other and catching up! Those of us over 50 are very excited to be able to rekindle friendships. We can easily share pictures of ourselves, our kids, our pets, our homes, or our grand children with a touch of a button. Some of us are even able to scan in old photos of a sweet sixteen party, a prom, or a wedding. It is so easy to get caught up, that it can feel like time never passed. Young women today are in constant contact with friends and family. They can text, email, and Skype all the time. No bad date or bad haircut is not reported and talked about with several friends via cyberspace. It will be interesting if attrition holds true for them too. For those of us over 50 a new set of problems has arrived with social networking. Today the way to get rid of someone who turns out not to be a real friend, or we remember we never did like them, is filled with tasks: not returning their texts, emails, calls, de-friending them, or even sending an email that their social networking friendship is not for you!

On Line Community Goes Live November 12, 2008

     Ever wonder what bloggers really look like from your favorite social net work sites? I am not talking about the posed picture they have next to their name, if that truly is their name, but a picture of what they look like when they are blogging. Many bloggers hit their favorite sites early in the morning or late at night, and don’t use their web cam for a reason!

 

     One of my favorite social networking sites is Women Etcetera, www.womenetcetera.com.

This site is geared for the woman over 50. It is a voice with topics on health, business, ‘Today in Herstory’, articles and of course blogs. This on line community is a wonderful group of women “embracing transitions and change”. They use their real names and write from their hearts. They are also brave enough to have a picture of themselves blogging.

 

     Like other online communities, Women Etcetera members want to meet each other in the flesh. They want to meet the other women that they now call friends. The first Women Etcetera conference was recently held in Pittsburgh, PA. It was so successful that the second full day conference will be November 15, 2008 in Raleigh, North Carolina.

If you can’t make it, check out the web site and join this wonderful virtual community.