@Monika, I hear you. I think there are lots of different kinds of people. I am sentimental and nostalgic. If I had a chance to live a day in the future or a day in the past, I’d choose the past.

Thanks for your perspective. Bobby is probably more like you and wants to keep the past in the past.

I am the type of person who does not like these socia networks. I am not the member of any. But still some old friends and relations find me. I do not reject them, but we could hardly speak about anything else but the past. And maybe you tell them what happened to you in the last couple of years you have not seen each other. Somehow I always feel that they belong to a time that is over. The circumstances are different now, old friends has changed, I have changed. I have new realtions, new friends, new city to live. I do not insist maintaining my past.
I wonder if it helps you to understand.
Good Luck!
.-= Monika´s last blog ..How does Blu-ray technology work? =-.

I’ve had similar experiences with finding old friends via Facebook but nothing that severe! Geez dude! Get some manners! (Maybe he’s just in bad place in his life…)

I went to a small private school for junior high. 23 people in our 8th grade class. Then went to a large high school. So I had closer bonds with kids from junior high than high school. For years I looked for my 2 best friends. Found one online about 5 years ago because she’s a documentary film producer. Had a nice chat – online – and suggested a visit since she’s just “up the road” in Vancouver BC. Nothin…

Then about a month ago I found the other BFF of Facebook. I was thrilled! I’ve been looking for her for years. Her parents and my parents were sailing buddies. We had many sleep-overs and shared birthday parties because our birthday’s are a week apart. We even had matching baseball jerseys we wore roller skating every Saturday. (Remember the baseball jerseys you could get customized with iron on transfers? If not. It was hot in 1980.) Well, 2 weeks after my second “I think I know you…” message, she replied with something along the lines of “So great to hear from you! How are you?” I sent her a condensed version of my life. And…nothing. She’s posted a few replies to the group from our old junior high days but nothing personal.

I’d hate for a reader to come away with the notion that I lose sleep over this. I don’t. I just wanted to connect with people I really cared about and would love to stay in touch with. So why aren’t they glad to hear from up? Perhaps the relationship that was important to us was less important to them? Perhaps they see our profiles and decide their lives don’t measure up? Perhaps they’re just too busy for one more relationship? Perhaps they hate this whole social networking thing? Who knows?

I do know that this whole social networking thing is stretching the bounds of polite social behavior. Hmmm… sounds like another online guide along the lines of Wired Magazine’s recent article “How to Behave: New Rules for Highly Evolved Humans” on how to handle the social web http://budurl.com/z9jd

I also firmly believe that it’s always a good thing to reach out with an attitude of “Hey! Our relationships was important to my life.” What else is the social web for if not CONNECTING in a meaningful way?