A few years back I became a reluctant convert to the whole idea of social networking. Mainly, I had a hard time seeing the point of posting pictures and information about yourself for any and everyone to see. After a few months of occasionally checking my MySpace page and changing my profile song to appear cooler than I actually was - I gave up the page in favor of Facebook because apparently, that's what all the cool kids were doing. Now, 2 years later, almost everyone in my family (including my grandfather!) has a Facebook page. If you want to be GranStan's friend, let me know and I'll hook you up.
Facebook makes me happy for two reasons:
1. No profile song needed
2. All the cool kids really do have Facebook pages
Re-connecting with all the cool kids has been a blast for me because I didn't grow up in one town, one state or even one country. I don't run into girls I made friendship bracelets with at the grocery store and didn't pledge the sorority my best friend from kindergarten was pledging. (I didn't pledge a sorority at all in fact, bad example. But I did make some mean friendship bracelets growing up.)
My dad's job kept our family constantly on the move when I was growing up. I was born in Jacksonville, Florida and the longest I lived anywhere until college was 5 years.
Here's a picture of me outside our home in Jacksonville. I'm 18 months old and this is the 3rd home I'd lived in already.
Moving around every couple of years in the days before Facebook and email required letters or long-distance phone calls - basically a level of effort beyond my years. Consequently I lost touch with friends I would have loved to have kept up with through high school and college...which brings me to the topic of today's post. -Phew-
My forever BFF from Orlando, Florida (I lived there through the fads of neon clothing and NKOTB - and yes I did see them in concert. I still have a Joey doll somewhere) messaged me on Facebook last week to say she was driving through Atlanta on her way to visit a friend and did I have time to get together? DID I?? Of course I did!
Lauren and I became BFFs when our mothers ran into each other registering us for the first day of school at Wekiva Elementary. They both had daughters going into the 1st and 3rd grades and were both new to town...naturally their girls should become best friends.
Halfway through 3rd grade my family moved away and I think the last time I saw Lauren was in the early 90s. It was completely surreal to see her pull into my driveway with her husband.
Here's a picture taken just last week - thanks Derek!
Looking back now, maybe I'd be better off if I always let my mom pick out my friends.
Awww...you have done an admirable job of surrounding yourself with good friends during the years however, our Orlando friends certainly were/are amongst the best.
ReplyDeleteKatie, how fun and special that you were able to catch up with your childhood friend. Your blog was so heartwarming. Thanks for sharing the pics! :)
ReplyDeleteI cannot believe you just posted this because a)I had no idea you moved around as much as I did growing up - we had lived in 9 houses by the time I was 16 and the longest I'd lived anywhere before college was 7 years. It's still hard for me to belive my parents have been in GA, let alone the same house, for 13 years now! And b) just this past weekend, I had lunch up in Chicago with my bff from 6-9th grade who I hadn't seen in over 10 years! So surreal, but wonderful!!! Good to know that FB is good for soemthing :)
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