Friday, April 17, 2009

social networking

During our chat at my support group's banquet last month, my friend Jamie Dailey suggested that I join Facebook.

For the uninitiated, Facebook, according to Wikipedia, "is a free-access social networking website that is operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. Users can join networks organized by city, workplace, school, and region to connect and interact with other people. People can also add friends and send them messages, and update their personal profiles to notify friends about themselves."

I have been avoiding social networking because (1) I thought it might be addictive and (2) if I was correct about (1), I was worried I would be spending even more time on the Internet.

I was correct; after I joined, I spent a lot more time online for about a week. But after that initial week of exploration, my time on Facebook diminished to the point now thatI log on once every day or two and only spend a few minutes catching up.

*Just when I thought I was out... they pull me back in."*

A couple of days ago, I read Chloe Prince’s blog, Pink Thoughts, in which she announced the news about her new Web site, a transgendered social network called PinkEssence. According to Chloe, PinkEssence "has many of the bells and whistles of FaceBook, but without all the clutter of FaceBook."

It sounded interesting, so I joined up.

I am no Facebook expert, but after poking around PinkEssence for awhile, it seems to be a lot like Facebook with a definite transgendered bend. I guess you can call it "Facebook en femme."

For what it's worth, I have spent a lot more time on PinkEssence than Facebook the last few days. It is definitely a cool Web site, so check it out.

* So says Michael Corleone in Godfather III

4 comments:

  1. Pink Essence is a part of the NING social networking system but it's self encapsulated so you definitely feel at home. I know Chloe reads this blog when she can and I want to encourage people to check it out too. There's a lot more coming from the new group...trust me :)

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  2. Lori - I look forward to what's coming.

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  3. Hi Staci, I am glad you are enjoying the site. As Lori has already pointed out, PinkEssence is utilizing the NING network to build PinkEssence upon, however, we are subscribing (paying) for server space and an ad free site. We have customized it with out own "feel" to make the M2F community feel right at home.

    The 3 most important aspects I try to stick with is:

    Elegance
    Simplicity
    Community

    I believe we have found that balance here, and hope to provide a useful social network that will that is rich in community, experience and support.

    Since Yahoo 360 went down, many TG's have scrambled to the different sites. We have been left with out Blogs, or retreating into Face Book or Myspace. While these sites are nice and rich with features, they dilute our common thread and strength of unity.

    Many people have worked to make PinkEssence a name known in the community, but we needed a platform to stand it upon. The new site has filled that need.

    I invite you to check it out at: http://www.PinkEssence.com

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  4. Chloe --- I checked it out and joined.

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