Since it is Easter, I was prepared to blog all about today's visit with my crazy family. Unfortunately, the event was more mundane than usual; half of my family didn't show up today. However, when I got home, I found a blog topic that turned out to be perfect.
My 3G isn't very reliable in the country, where my family is located and where I grew up. Checking my Facebook account after arriving home this evening, I found that I received a new "friend" request. Normally, I would be excited about this; maybe it's one of the people I talk to or follow on Twitter, or at the Writer's Circle, I thought. I was soon very disappointed. No, this was someone I attended school with; a classmate. Someone who not only made fun of me because I wasn't one of the "popular" girls, but who seemingly had a mission to make sure I was miserable most days, at least for a moment or two. Granted, I was usually able to put her in her place verbally, but it's the idea. How could someone who tortured me from middle school to graduation have the audacity to ask to be my "friend"? More importantly, why would she think that I would even consider that request?
I know a lot of people ask to be Facebook "friends" with others they remotely know to increase their number of "friends". I'm almost positive that this is what this woman is doing. I am not one of those people. A majority of my Facebook friends are folks I enjoy chatting with, people I would like to get to know better, or classmates who were my fellow "outcasts" who I haven't seen forever. (I found out that one of my very good friends from high school is stationed in Germany! What's up, Tank Girl?) I'm not snobby. I'm just very selective about the people I share information about my life with; there are a few aspects of it that aren't and shouldn't be publicized. Is it really any of her business that I write about vampires, or that I write at all? She's a special ed teacher. I respect that; my day job isn't quite that rewarding or important. Will I ever let her know that? Probably not. Should I let bygones be bygones? Normally, yes. My answer, in this case, is no. I don't want her to be my 'friend'. She sure wasn't asking for that in junior high.
Is this anyone else's pet peeve? Do you have people giving you "friend" requests who, quite frankly, you'd like to tell to go to Hell? I was extremely reluctant to even have one Facebook account, let alone two, for this very reason. I'm a shy, private person, and hate divulging information about myself unless I feel completely comfortable. Unless I'm writing; somehow, I'm perfectly okay with sharing with the world anything I type on a Word document.
4 comments:
That's a toughie. I would probably say no as well. BUT, one funny thing is that while I was bullied and picked (or otherwise ignored) by the so-called "popular" group in high school, after my 20 year high school reunion with these same gals, I ended up with a lot of friend requests. I did choose to say yes. The reunion was so-so, but I chose to give them the benefit of the doubt. Now, there is one particular woman who I would NEVER accept a friend invitation from. years later and she still hasn't grown up--amazing. Nope. Heck no. I'm not interested in her friendship.
You have to do what you feel is best for you.
That is a hard one...
On the one hand it is always better to forgive and forget, but on the other hand, why take the risk of opening yourself up to more negative feelings...especially if there is a chance this person has not grown up yet, as in the case of Angela's friend.
By the way, at my 20 year reunion, I came to realize that about 90% of the "kids" had not grown up yet! :P
Angela and Sharon: Thanks for the comments! As of right now, I'm ignoring her request. What amazes me is that people that are friends of mine have her as a 'friend'. These are people that she did the same thing to, and in some cases she treated them worse than she treated me! Maybe they're more forgiving. Our 15-year reunion is coming up. I didn't attend my 10-year, probably won't go to this one either. It just floored me that she would ask in the first place! I've seen her FB page; doesn't look as though she has "grown up" yet. Some people never learn.
HA!!!!! This post is awesomely funny.
Luckily for me, I don't have this issue because I have the power of the pen name. No one knows who I am so I don't get requests from people I know personally. The reason I'm publishing with a pen name is to avoid situations like this. I think friendship is important and not something to joke around with, even in the cyber world. I also like to be friends with people on social networking sites that I actually want to talk to and I can actually LEARN things from, so I don't really befriend people just for the sake of numbers. But if you are befriending me just for the numbers, I don't really care. But I will say, I will avoid being in contact with people that I especially don't like. I also will say that there is some small satisfaction in finding out a person that used to torment you will most likely wind up buying your book and becoming a fan. Makes you want to scream "IN YOUR FACE!!!!!"
LOL
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