One of the daily stops on my highly exclusive internet routine.

In 2006 I returned from an internet/media hiatus of two years I came to discover there were new words like "blog", "myspace" and "facebook." Huh?

A friend of mine explained that facebook was an exclusive networking communication site for college students only. It sounded cool so I joined up and started reconnecting and looking up old friends, some of whom I would never have thought about again.

A very uncomfortable phenomenon that I had to come to terms with was that my nicely partitioned world of relationships were smashing together as I saw how friends of mine in different groups were interconnected. "How could he know her!?" This uncomfortable phenomenon resurfaced when my friend's mom joined facebook, then my dad, and so on. Again, I learned to accept it and be alright.

Still uncomfortable is the fact that what I put on facebook will be looked up by future potential employers. Also uncomfortable is the fact that the marketing engines in facebook know the musical artists I like, the region in which I live, my age, gender, etc. and all are geared to target me. I really do not like to be categorized and that is what it tries to do. Let me also mention that I hate ads that try to appeal to 24 year old single males.

Another uncomfortable scenario:

"Hey buddy, I have been on a few dates with this girl. I think she likes me but I am not sure. I really like her though." I may want to tell a friend.

"Oh yeah, do you have a picture?" He would respond.

"No...oh wait, yeah check her facebook page. Log in as me and you can see her pictures." Really, who has not done that? Creeps. :)

Lastly, it is so uncomfortable to read when someone has a status update that is personal. Whether happy or sad, introspective or depressed; there has got to be a better place to share the emotionally sensitive and personal things in my life. Where can I go to get good relationship advice from people I know and trust without letting the whole world know? Facebook is great for somethings, but what about everything else?

Well, there is a better place. http://Spokt.com. It is group communication, where the content is only visible to those invited. You can share pictures, videos, stories, quetions, comments or polls with only the people you want to. For the free hubs (groups) the ads are small and non-intrusive and the paid hubs have no ads at all.

The designers of the site always work to keep it simple, streamlined and easy to use. Simple, comfortable, private, secure communication with those you really want to stay in touch with. Check it out:

Visit Spokt.com to to keep in touch with your family or friends privately online.

If you want to win an iPod touch, check this out after you look at the first link!

Contest details here: Spokt.com iPod Touch Give-Away!