More on Facebook...My Babysitting Competitive Advantage

Last week, I was at a gathering with 8 adults and a 14 year old girl (the daughter of two of the adults.)

The conversation turned to Facebook (see previous post here) which all of the adults had heard of, but none used, save for me.

By the end of the evening, the 14 year old and I were trying to explain the value of the Facebook platform to everyone else...and I fear we were figthing a losing battle.

The girl impressed me with her knowledge, most so when asked "what is the difference between MySpace and Facebook?"

To which, she replied, "MySpace is for meeting new people, Facebook for keeping in touch with people you already know."

"You know," I said, "95% of the people at Microsoft probably couldn't explain it that well."

Eventually, I found out she's in the babysitting businesses and we "friended" each other on Facebook and, just tonight, for the first time ever, I contacted and booked a babysitter ENTIRELY via Facebook.

I also started a Babysitter's Group on Facebook. I view this as a competitive advantage over other parents.

And, in another Facebook story. I've blogged before about my friends status updates and today was no exception.

In an ironic twist, we had a friend over today for lunch, named Mike (a Michigan grad, wearing his Michigan yarmulke quite proudly).

I said, "hey, it's opening day," but then remembered that aside from Tenn-Cal, there were no BIG games. And he said, "yeah, they are playing Appalachian State, it's not even televised."

"That WOULD be embarrassing, wouldn't it be?" I commented and we left it at that.

Well, some of you know how this ends, but you don't know how. I logged on tonight and saw a Facebook status update from my cousin, Shelby, a proud Ohio State Buckeye who wrote only "Shelby is a huge Appalachain State fan!"

Hmmm....I thought. And went to ESPN [sort of sad how, in college football, your season is over on 9/1 with a loss like this, but hey, that's the breaks]. Needless to say, upset of all upsets, but how I found out is what made it for me.

The more I use Facebook (and the Net in general), the more I just realize it's so damn revolutionary. I am in the middle of the Cluetrain Manifesto (which I heard about 7 years ago and shame on me for not reading it then, but if you want to really GET why the Net is a paradigm shift of epic proportions, this is a MUST read for you)