“If you gaze into the abyss, the abyss gazes also into you..”

I find it funny going on Facebook, looking at old school friends and acquaintances, to see that everyone I knew either (like me) barely looks a day older, or they’re 6 stone heavier, red in the face and all their hair has fallen out. There doesn’t seem to be an inbetween, where people have just aged slightly at all.

Not interested in the slightest what they’re up to in general, if they’ve done well for themselves then hats off to them, and if not then commiserations, I’d not wish poor fortune on anyone.

But laughing at the poor bastards who’s hair has fallen out (I’m only 31) does me me feel good… Even if it’s only cos I’ve got a thick head full of hair (as does my Dad at 58, as did his Dad when he died at 75), and I’m about as fit and in shape as I’ve ever been! 8)

Good thread this; I can say I’ve experienced Elfins sentiments on many occasions when the opportunity to visit my past has arisen but found it surprisingly unsatisfying in reality.
Strangely I’m actually quite good friends now with a guy I used to have fist fights with every lunchtime at school, hindsight has made me realise alot of those I counted as ‘enemies’ in my youth were actually incredibly similar to me.

I have to say I’ve really enjoyed finding out how successful some folk have been as well.

This facebook thing.. ..When it started out a few of my mates joined and tried to get me to join in, I didn’t primarily for the fact that I simply don’t want others nosing in on my business. But a couple of years ago I did join in, for the only reason that I was organising very large windsurfing events and wanted to promote them. So with a page and group setup I slowly progressed into the world of viral marketing and it became very successful getting my message across and promoting the events all over the world. Surprising to me I had folks from years ago contact me and enquire about the stuff I was doing, folks from far and wide all over the world. My events became very well known and very well attended indeed.
This I found to be an excellent way of using the service. It’s unfortunate that I couldn’t (at the time) open a specific page for each event as they’re tagged and created in your own profile, but hey. But I’ve never added any personal information to it, nor do I intend to. It’s just a portal for event promotion. What I do get is constant requests for being “friends” with folks, that so annoys me, it’s the event that’s promoted, not me, but i do realise that it’s the only way of getting the message out there, the more friends you have the more he message gets across yadda yadda.
However I’m very pleased with the freedom of the site, the way you link and can link it to others and so on, seems this is a very easy and TBH cheap way of getting the word around. I dare say at some point we’ll get charged for this type of service. Has it happened yet?? More and more business moves into this arena to the point most companies that I know are already on it, if not they’re thinking strategies around it/in it.

I’m not going to detract from Elf’s post, just to say.. If used in a responsible way I think it can be very productive, but so too can it show too much of your own self importance.

I resolutely refuse to join twatttter.

I think it’s clear that lots of people peaked in life at the wrong time. Top of the food chain at school but turned out pretty mediocre in the long run. Most of the school bully’s turned out to be policemen funnily enough – enough said.

to see that everyone I knew either (like me) barely looks a day older

It must have been confusing at your school as to who was, or was not, a teacher? I assume they differentiated by uniform?