And so it begins....

I should start by saying that I am not an early adopter.  Despite my age and presumed-ability, I am not a technology junkie.  I place myself squarely in the middle-tier of the social networking hierarchy.  I had a Facebook account for years before I was told there was a shadowy, female-figure with my name underneath it collecting “Friends.”  But I embraced it and log my participation somewhere between becoming a “Fan of Breathing” and having a blank sheet as my profile.

Going online to “see” old classmates and get updates about extended family was a delightful addition to my lunchtime ritual.  But then it became a way for new people to get to know me.  Friends-of-friends and new co-workers would ask to join my social network and suddenly we were “Friends” before we were friends.

So what do these internet contacts mean?  What kind of real-life value do these cyber-relationships hold?  Would your 3rd grade homeroom buddy still trade their lunch with you?  Would they even meet you for lunch?  That’s what I intend to find out with, My Social Network Road Trip.