Keeping the Generation Gap Ajar: Part I

I love the Internet. It's my means of entertainment, communication, information and to some degree, my livelihood. I'd guestimate that ninety-five percent of my work relies on the speed and reliability of the Internet. Take, for instance, my email account. Currently I have four email aliases (each representing a company that represents anywhere from one to five of its own clients) set up to funnel into my one main account. So in theory, I have a total of five email addresses! As of today, I have close to 4,000 emails in my inbox, 600 of which are unread. In addition to the hours I spend communicating for work and for personal reasons via email, I also rely on the trusty World Wide Web for research and to access a handful of Internet-based databases. Before, during and after my work projects, I also spend a great deal of time communicating with old and new friends on this social networking site called Facebook.

Facebook has been one of the most interesting social networks I've participated in to date. It's connected me to next-door neighbors from when I was seven, to family friends who I use to think were so much older than I because back in the day, while I was still admiring Hello Kitty and afraid of KISS posters, they were sweet 16, driving around, throwing cool house parties (before I knew what those were) and unknowingly exposing me to all sorts of music and trends.

Flash forward to today, and the age gap has closed. Despite our age differences, which range anywhere between 4 to 10 years my senior, we seem to have landed on the same page. What's retro to them, is also retro for me. The term "back in the day" has become synonymous for us all, regardless of whether you were six, nine or 16 years old at the time.

The virtual reunions through Facebook have been a joyous experience. It's amazing what you can learn about your friends on Facebook just through their status updates. Ironically, it's been the best way for me to feel connected to the people from the past and present, without being in their face.