Facebook: More Than Just Justin Bieber Sightings

About two years ago I was out with some of my girlfriends having a birthday dinner at Salt Creek Grill. My friend Trisha was extolling the virtues of Facebook. I pooh-poohed the whole idea as a silly waste of time. "You have to to try it," she insisted with great enthusiasm.

A few days later, my curiosity got the best of me, and, I'll admit, I'm hooked!

But so, it seems, is everyone else, and that has never become clearer to me than it has over the past few weeks.

Sure, I knew businesses were using Facebook as a marketing tool, as well as every other organization, institution and celebrity that I could think of. The use of Facebook to organize the protests in Egypt was nothing short of amazing when one considers the outcome. This weekend was a reminder of how Facebook connects my family and friends, moment by moment throughout our daily lives.

By the way, you can follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/missionviejopatch.

I just happened to pick up my iPad Saturday evening and saw that my niece, who lives in Pasadena, posted on her Facebook page that she was just interviewed by a reporter from CBS and was going to be on television. She went to Altadena to see the snow with her friends, and they wound up on the 6 o'clock news. I turned on the television and we saw her! We all squealed with excitement!

I immediately called my sister, Lisa, to get more details. She hadn't heard, since she wasn't home (no access to FB in her car—what a bummer). Lisa wanted to know how the heck we found out about it. "Well, she posted it on her Facebook page, of course," was my response.

A few minutes later, Gabrielle saw that all her friends were posting Justin Bieber sightings on Facebook. Apparently he was seen at the Kaleidoscope, The Shops at Mission Viejo, Aliso Viejo Town Center and also at the St. Regis. My friend Katy posted that she was out and about hunting the elusive Bieber for her daughter, and did anyone have the latest Bieber 411? No doubt, countless moms were dragged from their couches on that cold Saturday evening to go Bieber hunting with their titillated teenagers, thanks to Facebook.

The story later wound up in the Orange County Register.

I think I will post this story on my Facebook page.