Do You?

Yesterday was fun. I got to meet a few of the new FSOs (and even better, some of the new blogger FSOs!) while they were standing in the Exhibit Hall in the never-ending badge line (and you thought the waiting part was done once you started A-100!).

While I was down there, I had a discussion with one person about Facebook. He was contemplating deleting his FB account. Apparently they hit the new folks with the DS "blogging/social networking is bad" lecture on day one now...but they couple it with the HR "blogging/social networking is awesome" lecture. Mixed message much?

Anyway, I later had a similar discussion with a colleague in my office later in the day. She is a self-avoided FB/blog/Twitter/Link-In hater. She refuses to do any of it.

You might have gathered, I feel quite the opposite. I am not sure I am a first adopter, but I am pretty darned close (though I am just NOT getting an iPad. Not doing it. Even if the videos of the cats playing piano on it make it look pretty cool). Obviously I blog. I also FB, Tweet (both personally (as Digger) and for GLIFAA) and have a linked-in account (I don't use it much but I see the value of using it as a PD officer at post). I even have a myspace account...but I never use it. But blogs and FB, it would be pretty safe to say I am an addict. Wonder how I found all those blogs on my blogroll? I search the blogosphere every day, usually twice.

There is probably a twelve-step program for this somewhere.

In my defense, at least where FB is concerned, it really is a great tool for those of us with friends around the world to stay in touch. My good friend from Jerusalem who is now in Afghanistan? I don't have to worry when something blows up there because she will put up a status update saying she is okay.

Anyway, I am curious. Which forms of social media do you use? Are you a casual user or an addict? What do you like/hate about them? And for those who are recent to the FS, what are your thoughts in terms of keeping/ditching your accounts. With the one person who was considering deleting his, I argued for him keeping it...because how else am I going to follow him as he goes around the world?!