It is a social networking website. You establish your account, then post anything you wish--pictures, what you have been doing or or planning to do, your interests, opinions, picture of your new dress, you were sick with the flu, just anything. You can allow certain people to access your Facebook page to keep up on what you are doing. You can also go to the Facebook pages of friends and family to see their pictures and find out what they are doing.

I don't know how this part works--after you join Facebook then starts to ask you if you want to be "friends" with different people they think you might know. You can "friend" them or not. I did not like this because I don't want to be friends with so many people. And it creeped me out that Facebook knew who I might like to be friends with. (The lady who watched my cat 2 years ago????What??) Then people you know start contacting you to ask if you want to be friends. Friends means you can access each other's information.

Some love Facebook, I did not and unjoined. I'm sure this description is lacking, but it gives you a start as to what it's all about.

It's a way to keep in touch with people you may not have time to keep touch with. To me that doesn't mean I don't want to keep in touch with them, it really means at this point in my life, I just can't through traditional methods. It's a way to tell a lot of people a lot of stuff.

I mean, I love my best friends from grade school and high school but I really don't have time to keep up with them through other means than facebook. I am close to most of my relatives... but I still may not hear that my niece got a math award or my nephew came in first at the swim meet. I also generally don't get to see my college friend's vacation picks or read an article about them if they are in the newspaper. I may not have known my next store neighbor had 6 kids, that my hairdressers husband was just diagnosed with cancer or that my cousin just got a new dog. If you're on facebook, you hear and see this stuff.

If you have time and your friends and relatives have time to keep in touch with each other about everything, then facebook probably isn't for you. Or, if your friends aren't on facebook, then why bother. Or, if you don't care to hear stuff like this about people in your past or casual friends.

But, from a social aspect, facebook kind of reminds me of some of the social aspects here... people tell you when they are sick, if they need prayers, they post pictures of their vacations, kids, and newly remodled kitchens... the only difference you probably know your facebook friends in real life a little more, and on facebook you choose who specifically gets to know your business unstead of posting it openly for anyone to see.

You can be as involved or uninvolved on facebook as you want. You can even "x" out "friends" you are getting tired or hearing from --can't do that here ;-) You can share everything going on in your life or nothing, and just read about others.

I enjoy hearing about my friends even some of the goffy comments. Plus you kind of get an added impression of what people are really like... That mom you see everyday and you say hi when you pick up the kids... she's hysterical- and your old college room mate, she's a party animal- who knew!

I use Facebook to keep in touch with my family, which is spread out all over the country. I've never met many of them in person, but now I feel like I know them because we interact with each other every day on Facebook.

We share pictures, talk about our activities, kids, whatever happens to be interesting to any of us. We tell jokes, share online sites that we find interesting. We can talk privately in chat on Facebook as well, which means no phone bill for phone calls.

When my brother passed away earlier this year, all the family was able to comfort his daughter using Facebook, helping her get through it, giving her support. It was like we were all together in one room...but on Facebook.

You have control of your privacy settings and don't have to "friend" anyone you don't want to. It's best to spend some time familiarizing yourself with the settings to get them the want you want them.

I also use Facebook to keep in contact with my online coworkers, and I keep them separate from my family so they don't see my family-type posts.

I love it.

When our kids were growing up, we had 15 kids in our neighborhood. Now these kids are all over the US, and they are having their own families. With FB, we are able to keep up with the kids...and see their kids! =) I LOVE it! We are also 300+ miles from any of our family...so we get to see pics of neices, nephews and their babies too.

You make it what YOU want! I don't play ANY of the games, have all those blocked. Just like any place else on the WWW....you have to be careful to what link you click on!! I very rarely...if ever, click on direct links. I have "de-friended" people that always use foul language, or are Very political....I am not on there for those things.

My DD posts a lot of my DGS on there, as the other grandparents live farther away, and she only has to post them once, and everyone that she wants to see the pics, sees them.

Again...it is what YOU make it and want it. I would hate to lose FaceBook!!

Minnie, you've received good answers. Let me just add to them by describing what I did on FB so far today:

I posted a picture I took this weekend of a deer and groundhog in my back yard.

I read comments some of my FB friends left about the picture, and I saw who simply clicked the Like button, indicating that they liked the picture. I responded to some of the comments.

I looked at a picture my cousin posted of a Washington sunset, and commented on that.

I enjoyed two pictures Ron posted of his new grandson, and commented on them.

I watched a short video Czech Chick posted--a tribute to NYC rescue workers, and left a comment.

I wrote a post about a doe I observed yesterday running after her twin fawns.

I sent my granddaughter and a friend private messages via Facebook.

I commented on a couple of other friends' posts, and read several that I didn't comment on.

Hope this helps.

Its a huge social media network. It started for just college students to stay in touch (almost like a virtual "bulletin board") and grew from there.

It is not only for keeping in touch with family and friends but you can also network through common interests, regional areas, set up your own groups or just have fun with the many gaming applications.

The great thing about FB is that YOU manage your account. Unlike social message boards like this one where the admins control the site.

Sounds like you all are having a good time. Those I'd like to keep in touch with dont even have computers I'll think about it!! Thanks so much for all the good comments

I joined initially to see pictures of my great-grandkids. Soon I was being "friended" by ex-students of our high school that knew me as the secretary. What fun that was to see what they are all doing, even though I find that some are grandparents themselves. I do enjoy FB, and never play the games, etc.

When you post something does the whole world see it ? or just your friends?

You choose who sees your posts. You can choose your friends only, everyone, or choose only certain of your friends...it's up to you.

I'm enjoying Facebook since I'm on a high speed computer now. Tried it with the old dialup and that just wasn't going to work.

Wanted to join initially so I could see pics of the kids and grands...I'm a long distance Gran.

Question y'all...where do I find the KT group on Facebook? I was thinking there was a specially named group for us.

My only grandson told me to join so I could see his pictures on Facebook. It's been fun to see him and his friends. He's 16 now and in FL and we are in Hawaii. I've friended a niece in NV and can her kids and a couple of my DD's friends from high school for the same reason. I keep mine private so no one can see anything I post unless I want them to.

Lan....at the top of a "home" page,there is a search engine..type in Kitchen Table..it'll pop right up

The best use of FB for me now is I had a group of over 100 people who had cancer the same time I did. They were at my chemo etc. I sarted a biking group for us to keep our oxygen levels up and to share info about ourself and our doctors and just "share" feelings. This special group comes to my place with their families every Christmas day. Through FB we can make sure we are supportive of those who are in crisis.
My other group is about 28 friends who show pictures of their kids and we have what we think is witty repartee. Some people on FB are looking for numbers of people. I know some that have 500 friends. That is not for me. It gives out too much information and realistically those people are asking people whom they wouldn't have to their house or be invited to their house to become their friend. Seems boring. I don't friend people who invade my privacy and the privacy of my friends. It is rude to ask, I think.

Thanks Ron! :)

Thanks again for all the info. I think I'll stick to KT and afew boards for my social networking for now