friend (the verb)

My first installment on my love hate relationship with social networking. Let's face it. Grew up with it. Can't do without it. But kinda like school. It's fun to play with your friends. But the Queen Bee and her gang are out there, too. And there are people whom you'd still like to restrict from seeing photos of you at the beach or drinking (though both are not mutually exclusive)...or sharing you distaste for a lecturer in very colourful language.

Now here comes the latest bit of how social networking is encroaching, and in some ways making up for some bits that are lacking, in real life. I've yet to meet his family. Only his parents, they're the ones who live in the same state as me. But his brother, cousins and some of his friends don't. And in the time since he graduated and came back, I've been in school and so can't go anywhere with him. So apparently, in lieu of actually meeting me, they've decided they'll meet me online. By friending me. Fine with the brother...I have met him, even if it was a long long long time ago before I was even his brother's girlfriend. But the cousin....accepting this friend request basically breaks my number 1 rule of social networking - never friend anyone you've never actually met in person. While in some ways I find it nice that his family wants to get to know me whatever way they can for now (thank God the aunts haven't started), in other ways, it's just a bit....hmmm

Then again, the cousin might just need another neighbour to visit to earn points in games.