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Online Social Networking? Uhh..ookay...

When I was in university, calling home was a major undertaking.  I had to make sure I had dinner before setting out in search of a phone booth.  My pockets jingled with coins and I dragged friends along (who knows if the queueing got too long and one had to go to a toilet).  Without a friend, one could easily lose a place in a line.  Then once we made the call, we had to talk super fast cos the coins were jingling super fast into the bottomless maw of the telecommunications company.  Keeping in touch with friends meant letters, movies and treks out to a meeting place.  And if one lost touch with a friend, one prayed some miracle or twist of fate connected friends again.

But now... NOW.. the Internet has turned the world of social networking onto its head.  When I learned about emailing, I thought "Wow.." but I had to know people's email addresses.  It had to be correct right down to each dot.  Then my sister badgered me to try out Friendster.  Eyeww, I thought.  Social networking.  I wasn't in the market for sly smiles and flirty giggles.

Until I had to look for a friend and turned to Friendster as one of the avenues of hope.  Then I got Ringo.  Then Facebook.  It was an uncontrollable slide into the world of online social networking.

Then I found old friends, former students... it was amazing.

I found Juraidah, ex-coursemate and long time friend.  They used to call us the 'twins' cos we looked similar.
I found Francis, ex-student.  He was in New Zealand and on his way to London for a brandnew adventure!
I found Warren + Marilyn, cousins long lost in the wilds of Kuala Lumpur.  Uh, okay, calling Uncle Thasius would've yielded up phone numbers but that's not the point!

Trying to find Shahnaz Mat Daud and Melor Ismail next.  This networking is gonna do the job...I can feel it.
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