The Facebook Craze

I consider myself to be pretty tech savvy. Do I know more than everyone..no. Do I know less than everyone...no. So, two years ago when I gave in and made a profile on MySpace (which was strictly to spy on my younger siblings) I was surprised to find out that I liked it. I got in contact with a LOT of old friends that I hadn't talked to since high school and even some that I had not talked to since elementary school. It was nice to kinda keep up on other peoples lives and to see how they were doing and avoid that awkward moment at the grocery store. So, at the beginning of November I was out talking to my neighbor (who I also went to high school with) and she was asking about someones status change on Facebook. I told her that I had no idea, I didn't get on Facebook, so I really wasn't sure how any of it worked. She said, "Oh..you have to get on Facebook it's so much better than MySpace!"

So, I did it..I gave in and joined Facebook. And, within the first day of having it I had like 70 friends and she was right. I did think it was WAY better than MySpace. And, since I'm home on maternity leave I have the option to check my Facebook a million times a day, so it's became my new little obsession. I do the same thing that I'm sure many Facebook users do. They really pay attention to that infamous "status change".

"Oh my gosh, Suzie and so and so are having a baby." or "Oh that stinks, Jason lost his job." blah blah blah. But, I didn't know how much I had really started paying attention to the "status change" until Wednesday night when I'm checking my Facebook and I see this:

Rachael ***** and Nathan ***** have ended their relationship

Rachael is my 19 year old sister and Nathan (Nate) is her boyfriend of over a year and a half. We love him...he is the nicest guy she has ever dated (not that there is a lot considering she is still a teenager technically.) But, we love him..he is the best. He is nice, super sweet to her, deals with her crazy family (I'm not included in that of course) and loves Parker. And, Parker loves him. Actually he loves him so much that he told us the other day that he loves Nate more than me, Scott and grandma. We wouldn't have thought much of it until he said that he loves Nate more than his grandma....that is huge. Parker doesn't love anyone more than grandma, but apparently Nate has broken the mold and Parker has a whole new love for his Uncle Nate that none of us will ever top!

So, I panic over this whole "Rachael and Nate have ended their relationship" status change. It's like 11:45pm mind you, Scott is getting ready to head up to bed and that was my next stop as well..oh..but not now. I yell at Scott "Hand me the phone" He looks at me like I'm nuts because I'm in a full on panic. "Why?" he asks trowing me the phone. "Rachael's Facebook status says that her and Nate have ended their relationship....what the HELL is going on?!?!?" Now, Scott is so not on the whole MySpace/Facebook craze. One, he is a teacher and he wants his students to have no possible way of finding out anything more about him, especially over the internet. He makes fun of me for being on either one of these websites telling me that it's the stupidest thing he has ever seen! I tell him if he just got on there he would be hooked!

So, I grab the phone and call my mom's house. They are like me there..total night-owls. They don't go to bed until super late either so I never feel bad about calling them late at night because I know that they are awake. I get my sister Andrea. Here is how the conversation goes:

Me: Andrea..it's me. Where is Rachael??

Andrea: Oh my God, you totally seen her Facebook status change didn't you?!?

Me: YES!!! WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED?

Andrea: I have no idea. She has been at work so I have no talked to her, but I know that Nate has been talking about her being the one that he could see himself marrying and she just totally flipped out.

Me: What? Of course he seen himself marrying her....they are totally meant to be together!"

Andrea:: Call her cell phone. I would ask her what is wrong, but she hates me so she won't talk to me about it.

Right then Rachael comes in the door, see's Andrea on the phone and the first words out of her mouth are "Thats Nicki isn't it?" (my family calls me Nicki..my nickname my entire life).

Rachael calls me a couple of minutes later and tells me that they are on a "break" Like their names are Rachel Green and Ross Gellar or something. I ask her why, everything seems to be going so good, they are so cute together and they were just over here Saturday night to babysit the boys (and Nate brought Parker Christmas movies to watch..which just adds another reason to the list of why I love him and why Parker loves him so much). And, she tells me that he doesn't like her being friends with boys and that they just need a break for him to come to his senses about being so silly about some things and she doesn't think that it will last very long at all. She loves him very much but she doesn't want to keep going until it get's too out of hand and they are even further into their relationship and she never voiced her concerns with how he acts when she is out with her guy friends. Now, to be fair on both sides, Rachael is one of those girls who happens to get along with guys a lot better than she gets along with girls and these guy friends are friends that she had pre-Nate. But, to take Nate's side, I can see where this makes him a little uncomfortable.

Anyways...moving on. I just hope that they can work things out because honestly...I see them getting married. I know that it is strange to think of them getting married when they are only 19 and 20 years old, but it's one of those things where you just know. You know he is the one for her and she is the one for him. So, it's sad to see them taking a Ross and Rachel break. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that they get back together soon and that it only lasts a couple of days.

So, the funniest part of this whole deal is that she put this on Facebook almost immediately after they decided on taking the break. He told her that he would prefer that she didn't put it on Facebook because he thought that it was nobody's business. And, she tells him yes. It would be a good thing for people to know.

I find this hysterical that now when people want you to know about their life that they put it on Facebook for the whole world to see. It's like anything important they want you to know goes on there...screw calling your friends and family..just put it on Facebook!

So, here is to keeping our fingers crossed that Rachael and Nate have the same wonderful , reunion that Ross and Rachel did...but that it doesn't take years for it to happen! Oh and for Parker's sake. I mean, the kid loves him more than he loves his Grandma! Now that my friends, is love.