I spent a few hours spiffing up my Facebook page, making requests to add friends, uploading some personal photos and linking to this project (New Routes) as well as some of my other work and hobby activities. I enjoyed catching up with a few "lost" friends. And even exchanged emails with a pal and colleague who moved home to Ha Noi to take care of his ailing mother away from this busy, busy American lifestyle. I feel...more connected. I didn't even want to type that. But in just a few hours, I said hi to some good friends and looked at their baby pics. Now, we'll see what it can do for social change. Because as lovely as reconnecting with friends online is, I don't conduct my day to day relationships there, yet. My co-worker Gale Petersen is tempting me to try Twitter now. It's in the top 10 things you can do to move into the Web 2.0 world at work. Hmmm. Oh and by the way, having a fast Internet connection makes a lot of difference on these sites. It takes forever for me to upload photos from my rural satellite dish. Double hmmm. Catherine Stifter Media & Technology Co-Director

I hear you my friend. I have an account in Facebook but is completely restricted to everyone, including my friends. So, there isn't much networking or sharing going on. I am just not sure how I want to use this virtual place and how comfortable I feel doing so. One thing I can tell you is that many of my friends young and not so much are on it. Lately, I have felt as an outsider in many conversations because it seems that everyone is on Facebook. And like a "secret society" they won't share anything that happens on Facebook. What happens in Facebook stays in Facebook. Well not everything.... I am going to give it a try... Brenda González New Routes Deputy Director