Facebook Killed the Reunion

This past weekend S and I headed south for a bit of a college reunion.  Many of my college friends were meeting at a benefit party for one of our friend's sons.  The poor little guy has been in and out of the hospital and the benefit was to raise money for the family.  Our last reunion had been 3 years ago and so I was really looking forward to seeing everybody, especially those who didn't make it to the last reunion :) 

My stomach was filled with butterflies as we approached our destination.  I was having a pretty good hair day (I recently had it highlighted), was wearing a new sweater and was feeling pretty good except for the last of the baby weight hanging out on my belly.  I figured I would just strategically place the baby (yes we had to take her but the event was from 4-8) in front of my "pooch". 

The first person I ran into was my best friend L and her husband.  I see them often but it was so nice to walk into a big crowded room and see her beautiful, familiar face.  After greeting her, I put on my perma grin and got ready to make small talk.  Now I have to admit that I am pretty good at making small talk.  I hate silence and love to talk which means I can talk to just about anybody.  I ask about their lives, jobs, where they live, their kids if they have any etc.  They usually do the same and then once we are comfortable we chat about the "good old times".  I usually love these events.....except this time FACEBOOK RUINED EVERYTHING!!!!

Now this is our first reunion since we all jumped on facebook and I have to say, facebook made it really awkward for me.  FB has helped me to learn a lot about these people and the fact that they may or may not know information about me made small talk very unnatural.  Once I started talking, I realized that I didn't have too much to ask since I knew most of my usual questions but I wasn't yet comfortable to jump into the "good old times" so I floundered like an idiot!  I also didn't want to offer up any info about myself because what if they already knew??  I didn't want to bore them, but then again what if they didn't know anything because they don't really follow me on FB???  And then there was the problem that I have been away from FB for the last month because I gave it up for lent.  Many people were talking about things that they thought I should know about but didn't because I have been away.  It was all just socially awkward!!!!!!

At one point I sat down at the table with my BF and another friend and expressed how much I now hated small talk.  My face was bright red from the last embarrassing conversation I had just had and I decided not to pursue any other people alone.  There is, after all, safety in numbers :)

The entire way back to S's parents house, S and I talked about how facebook is taking the fun and gratification out of being social.  Facebook gives you all of the intelligence and knowledge of things that are going on in your "friends" lives (as if you were in the CIA) without ever having to sit down and talk with anyone.  Now don't get me wrong I have enjoyed my time on facebook, I like being able to reconnect with people and read about what is happening in peoples lives.  It is just unfortunate that I already know everything about people when I sit down to have a conversation with them.....sometimes I wish it were just like the old days.  What do you all think???  Are you on FB?  Have you run into similar problems?

BTW...my mom joined facebook over the weekend and after not even 48 hours realized that it wasn't for her and asked me to deactivate her account.  Have you ever deactivated a FB account??  It is pretty darn funny.  It is kind of like a drug dealer begging you not to stop using their services.  Try it sometime :)