The First Time I Used Facebook (Published feb 15, 2021)

This is the story of my first-time using Facebook. While most people may not remember their first time using it, I remember it clearly. Before I retired, I had an employee who was in the military reserves and was called up for his annual two weeks of training. The two weeks ended, and I get a call that the duty has been extended for another month. While it seemed out of the ordinary my employer, the State of California, was one that allowed all military leave requests. I told him to stay safe and that I would see him when he returned. A few days later, one of his coworkers in passing talks about this person having a wonderful honeymoon. I did not pick up on what person they were talking about, just that this somebody was off on this wonderful boat excursion on the Mississippi River. Several days pass and I hear another story about this same honeymooner. Until I hear it a third time do I figure out that the person on this fantastic honeymoon is no other than the employee who is supposed to be on training duty in the Reserves. I ask, “how do you know all about this honeymoon?” “My son, who is friends with his son, saw it on Facebook was the reply. At the time I had only casually heard of Facebook. When I got home that evening, I opened Facebook, and with ease was able to find my Reserve Duty employee. At the time there were not all of the pictures that go with the Facebook posting today. It was just text. I printed the text and had it nicely arranged in a binder upon his return to the office a few weeks later. As many who know me know, I am one of those people who loves posting on Facebook. But as my wife likes to remind me over and over after recalling this story, there are times where it is really not wise to post. This was one of them.