I recent decided to give Facebook a shot after years of avoiding social networking. I found it useful in keeping track of friends that you don't have to opportunity to see often.
However, I find Facebook use to be a high maintenance job. It seems you have to really tweak the settings to jet the right amount of privacy without blocking out anyone who would be trying to find you. Make sure you don't have any plugins running you don't really use. Those things seem to be able to get at your personal information and information on people you know. It sucks to find a friend you haven't seen in 10 years only to unintentionally spam him and ruin a renewed friendship...

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Japan touring information

I'm currently on the road, and have been for 6.5 months. 3-3.5 more to go.

I've been holed up in Southern Ecuador having had a recent run-in with a drunk pedestrian.


Facebook seems to have an application for nearly everyone. It is a good tool for many people for many different reasons.

I know many people that upload whole photo albums to Facebook, with hundreds and even thousands of photos. I limit my photos to my favorite choices.

I know others that update their status regularly, and I have since UNSUBSCRIBED to that particular person.

I know people with over a thousand friends. I make it a point to do a "spring cleaning" every so often.

I know people that link to their blogs, and their ride reports, and their favorite activities. I limit most of my updates to my status where I am currently traveling, or links to my RR both here on the HUBB and over on ADV.

When I am sitting in an Internet Cafe, or on my netbook, especially the past 3 weeks, I enjoy chatting via the FaceBook chat window with my friends all over the world. At 11pm here, I can chat with my friends in Australia in the late morning, and in Taiwan in the early morning. Or with my friends in the States/Canada in the late evening. Hell, I've chatted with 4 continents at the same time.

I have since learned to use FaceBook as a directory service. I have "categorized" my friends, and can easily find them based on this. If you ride an adventure motorcyclist or are an overland traveler, you're in my Adventure Motorcycle list. If I met you while traveling, and we hit it off, you go into my Travel Companions list. If we went to High School or College/University together, that's the list you are in. If you are one of my best/close friends, you are in my Close Friends list, or likewise if your an acquaintance, you're in my acquaintances list.

I "subscribe" only to my closest friends, and enjoy reading what they are up too. All of my friends are thousands of miles away from me now, reaching them on Skype isn't always viable, and when I just want to tell my girl friend Kristi, or best friends Kevin or Tom that I miss them cause they are awesome, well, I can send a message.

I've turned FaceBook into a resource and a tool for myself, and it serves it's function nicely. I've made friends in over 40 countries (easily) and now have a way to contact them easily. I'm limited the feedback I receive to come from only intended audiences/groups/people.

Social networking is NOT to be considered lightly. It is a valuable tool for many, and a considerable weapon for others, especially in the every shrinking world that we live in today.

To neglect the value of such a tool, whether it be Facebook or otherwise, it equivalent to limiting your outside exposure and presence in the virtual marketplace. People you meet WILL want to use FaceBook to contact you, and when they can't find you, it can be a shame! I can't say how many times I've lost an email or phone number, and all I can remember is their full name and where they are from. That is usually enough to find my new friend, and remain in contact with them on Facebook.

For those of us that are young and upcoming, and interested in flowing well with the current socialistic paths that have found their way into our lives, it is a natural step to welcome it.

For those of us that are naturally secure in their position, with ample friends, a positive network, and an enjoyable workplace, these paths/networks/FaceBook applications are secondary to standard procedure and can be treated as such.

It's all based on perspective, and how you wish to interpret it!

That's my "whack" at it.

--Alex
No Jobs, No Responsibilities, No Better Time than Now

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NJ, NR, NBTTN

its hard to use social networks in an effective way, company's spend thousands of dollars in schooling on how you should use facebook in an company positive way. But it works and pays off! I know of company's who have people on there payroll just monitoring social networking sites and guiding there company true the digital jungle.

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NordKapp Rally 2011
Iceland 2012